Abu al-Mu'in al-Nasafi

Summary

Abu al-Mu'in al-Nasafi (Uzbek: Абул-Муин ан-Насафи; Arabic: أبو المعين النسفي) (c.1027-c.1115 A.D.), was considered to be the most important Central Asian Hanafi theologian in the Maturidite school of Sunni Islam after Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, provided a fairly detailed account of al-Maturidi Central Asian predecessors.[2][3][4][5]

Abu al-Mu'in al-Nasafi
أبو المعين النسفي
TitleHis Bahr al-Kalam has had considerable popularity, and on the title-page of the printed edition he is called:
"Chief of the People of al-Sunna and al-Jama'a,
Sword of the truth and of religion".[1]
Personal
Born418 A.H. = 1027 A.D.
438 A.H. = 1046 A.D.
Died508 A.H. = 1114-5 A.D.
ReligionIslam
EraIslamic Golden Age
Region Uzbekistan
DenominationSunni
JurisprudenceHanafi
CreedMaturidi
Main interest(s)Aqidah, Kalam (Islamic theology), Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), Semantics
Notable work(s)Tabsirat al-Adillah, Bahr al-Kalam
Muslim leader

Name edit

His name was Abu al-Ma'in Maymun b. Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Mu'tamad b. Muhammad Ibn Mak-hul b. al-Fadhl al-Nasafi al-Mak-huli.[6]

Birth edit

He was born in Nasaf (present Karshi) around 438 A.H. (1046 A.D.) and died in the same city in 508 A.H. (1115 A.D.).[7] It was said that his birth was in 418 A.H. (1027 A.D.) according to Khair al-Din al-Zarkali and Umar Rizo Kahhol, while Qutluwbugha says it was in 438 A.H. (1046 A.D.), based on the age of his death being seventy years in the year of 508 A.H. (1115 A.D.).[8]

Life edit

Classical sources give no information about his life, but he lived in an age in which Muslim theology was reaching its peak, and he contributed to this development.

He was born in an educated family. His ancestors were respected by society as great scholars of "fiqh" science. His great-grandfather, Makhul Nasafi, was a disciple of Imam al-Maturidi, and his grandfather, Mu’tamid ibn Makhul Nasafi, was famous as a theologian, Hanafi jurist (Faqih), and mystic (Sufi) who was reported to have written a number of works.[9] He received his primary education from his father and grandfather.[10]

Kalam edit

Abu al-Mu'in al-Nasafi was one of the prominent representatives of "kalam", the science of aqeedah, and played an important role in the wide dissemination of the teachings of Maturidiyya, founded by Abu Mansur al-Maturidi.[11][12][13]

Students edit

Some of his popular students are:[14]

Sometimes it's assumed that Abu al-Thana' al-Lamishi was a student of him, though this is not known for sure.[17]

Books edit

He wrote many works aimed at clarifying misconceptions about Islam, fighting religious fanaticism.[18] Some of his popular and widely accepted works are as follows:[19][20]

  • Tabsirat al-Adillah (Instructing the Evidences); is considered as the second major work in the Maturidi curriculum, after Imam al-Maturidi's Kitab al-Tawhid.
  • Al-Tamhid li-Qawa'id al-Tawhid (Introduction to the Principles of Monotheism); is a summary of Tabsirat al-Adilla (Instructing the Evidences).
  • Bahr al-Kalam fi 'Ilm al-Tawhid (Ocean of Discussions on the Science of Monotheism); is one of the main sources of "kalam" science in Maturidism.

Death edit

It is widely accepted that he died in 508 A.H. (1114 or 1115 A.D.).

His mausoleum, located in the village of Kovchin in Karshi district, is one of the ancient pilgrimage places.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during his visit to Kashkadarya region on 24–25 February 2017, gave recommendations on improvement of his mausoleum, creation of necessary conditions for visitors, organization of a library and translation of his works.[21][22][23]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Masood Ali Khan and Shaikh Azhar Iqbal (2005). Encyclopaedia of Islam: Religious doctrine of Islam. Commonwealth Publishers, India. p. 128. ISBN 9788131100523.
  2. ^ Bernard G. Weiss (2002). Studies in Islamic Legal Theory. Brill Publishers. p. 237. ISBN 9789004120662.
  3. ^ Oliver Leaman (2015). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 367. ISBN 9781472569455.
  4. ^ Sabine Schmidtke (2016). The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Theology. Oxford University Press. p. 291. ISBN 9780199696703.
  5. ^ "Abu'l-Mu'in al-Nasafi's understanding of iman and takfir". Academicresearch.net. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  6. ^ "Bahr al-Kalam fi 'ilm al-Tawhid (بَحْرُ الكَلَام في علم التوحيد) by Imam Abi al-Ma'in al-Nasafi". Looh Press; Islamic & African Studies. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  7. ^ Oliver Leaman (2015). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 367. ISBN 9781472569455.
  8. ^ "Bahr al-Kalam fi 'ilm al-Tawhid (بَحْرُ الكَلَام في علم التوحيد) by Imam Abi al-Ma'in al-Nasafi". Looh Press; Islamic & African Studies. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  9. ^ Oliver Leaman (2015). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 367. ISBN 9781472569455.
  10. ^ "President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with creative work carried out in Abul-Muin an-Nasafi mausoleum". Embassy of Uzbekistan in India. 30 January 2018.
  11. ^ "President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with creative work carried out in Abul-Muin an-Nasafi mausoleum". Uza.uz.
  12. ^ "President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with creative work carried out in Abul-Muin an-Nasafi mausoleum". Embassy of Uzbekistan in India. 30 January 2018.
  13. ^ "President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits mausoleum of Abu Mouin Nasafi". UzDaily.
  14. ^ "Bahr al-Kalam fi 'ilm al-Tawhid (بَحْرُ الكَلَام في علم التوحيد) by Imam Abi al-Ma'in al-Nasafi". Looh Press; Islamic & African Studies. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  15. ^ Sohaira Siddiqui (2019). Locating the Sharia: Legal Fluidity in Theory, History and Practice. Brill Publishers. p. 99. ISBN 9789004391710.
  16. ^ Bernard G. Weiss (2002). Studies in Islamic Legal Theory. Brill Publishers. p. 238. ISBN 9789004120662.
  17. ^ "Kitab Fi Usul al-Fiqh by Imam Abu 'l-Thana' Mahmud ibn Zayd al-Lamishi". at-Tahawi.com – Muslim Bibliophilia. 10 July 2009.
  18. ^ "President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits mausoleum of Abu Mouin Nasafi". UzDaily.
  19. ^ Oliver Leaman (2015). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 367. ISBN 9781472569455.
  20. ^ Ulrich Rudolph (2014). Al-Maturidi and the Development of Sunni Theology in Samarqand. Brill Publishers. p. 249. ISBN 9789004261846.
  21. ^ "President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with creative work carried out in Abul-Muin an-Nasafi mausoleum". Embassy of Uzbekistan in India. 30 January 2018.
  22. ^ "President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits mausoleum of Abu Mouin Nasafi". UzDaily.
  23. ^ "President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with creative work carried out in Abul-Muin an-Nasafi mausoleum". Uza.uz.

External links edit

  • President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits mausoleum of Abu Mouin Nasafi
Muhammad, The final Messenger of God(570–632 the Constitution of Medina, taught the Quran, and advised his companions
Abdullah ibn Masud (died 653) taughtAli (607–661) fourth caliph taughtAisha, Muhammad's wife and Abu Bakr's daughter taughtAbd Allah ibn Abbas (618–687) taughtZayd ibn Thabit (610–660) taughtUmar (579–644) second caliph taughtAbu Hurairah (603–681) taught
Alqama ibn Qays (died 681) taughtHusayn ibn Ali (626–680) taughtQasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr (657–725) taught and raised by AishaUrwah ibn Zubayr (died 713) taught by Aisha, he then taughtSaid ibn al-Musayyib (637–715) taughtAbdullah ibn Umar (614–693) taughtAbd Allah ibn al-Zubayr (624–692) taught by Aisha, he then taught
Ibrahim al-Nakha’i taughtAli ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (659–712) taughtHisham ibn Urwah (667–772) taughtIbn Shihab al-Zuhri (died 741) taughtSalim ibn Abd-Allah ibn Umar taughtUmar ibn Abdul Aziz (682–720) raised and taught by Abdullah ibn Umar
Hammad bin ibi Sulman taughtMuhammad al-Baqir (676–733) taughtFarwah bint al-Qasim Jafar's mother
Abu Hanifa (699–767) wrote Al Fiqh Al Akbar and Kitab Al-Athar, jurisprudence followed by Sunni, Sunni Sufi, Barelvi, Deobandi, Zaidiyyah and originally by the Fatimid and taughtZayd ibn Ali (695–740)Ja'far bin Muhammad Al-Baqir (702–765) Muhammad and Ali's great great grand son, jurisprudence followed by Shia, he taughtMalik ibn Anas (711–795) wrote Muwatta, jurisprudence from early Medina period now mostly followed by Sunni in Africa, Sunni Sufi and taughtAl-Waqidi (748–822) wrote history books like Kitab al-Tarikh wa al-Maghazi, student of Malik ibn AnasAbu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Abdul Hakam (died 829) wrote biographies and history books, student of Malik ibn Anas
Abu Yusuf (729–798) wrote Usul al-fiqhMuhammad al-Shaybani (749–805)al-Shafi‘i (767–820) wrote Al-Risala, jurisprudence followed by Sunni, Sunni sufi and taughtIsmail ibn IbrahimAli ibn al-Madini (778–849) wrote The Book of Knowledge of the CompanionsIbn Hisham (died 833) wrote early history and As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, Muhammad's biography
Isma'il ibn Ja'far (719–775)Musa al-Kadhim (745–799)Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780–855) wrote Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal jurisprudence followed by Sunni, Sunni sufi and hadith booksMuhammad al-Bukhari (810–870) wrote Sahih al-Bukhari hadith booksMuslim ibn al-Hajjaj (815–875) wrote Sahih Muslim hadith booksDawud al-Zahiri (815–883/4) founded the Zahiri schoolMuhammad ibn Isa at-Tirmidhi (824–892) wrote Jami` at-Tirmidhi hadith booksAl-Baladhuri (died 892) wrote early history Futuh al-Buldan, Genealogies of the Nobles
Ibn Majah (824–887) wrote Sunan ibn Majah hadith bookAbu Dawood (817–889) wrote Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith Book
Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni (864- 941) wrote Kitab al-Kafi hadith book followed by Twelver ShiaMuhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838–923) wrote History of the Prophets and Kings, Tafsir al-TabariAbu Hasan al-Ash'ari (874–936) wrote Maqālāt al-islāmīyīn, Kitāb al-luma, Kitāb al-ibāna 'an usūl al-diyāna
Ibn Babawayh (923–991) wrote Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih jurisprudence followed by Twelver ShiaSharif Razi (930–977) wrote Nahj al-Balagha followed by Twelver ShiaNasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201–1274) wrote jurisprudence books followed by Ismaili and Twelver ShiaAl-Ghazali (1058–1111) wrote The Niche for Lights, The Incoherence of the Philosophers, The Alchemy of Happiness on SufismRumi (1207–1273) wrote Masnavi, Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi on Sufism
Key: Some of Muhammad's CompanionsKey: Taught in MedinaKey: Taught in IraqKey: Worked in SyriaKey: Travelled extensively collecting the sayings of Muhammad and compiled books of hadithKey: Worked in Persia