Al-Barbahaaree
Encyclopedia
Al-Ḥasan ibn ʻAlī al-Barbahārī was a Sunni Islamic theologian from Iraq
. His books are peppered with stinging remarks that place the Shias, Qadaris
, Mu'tazili
s and Asharis in an extremely negative light. His concern for preserving the sunnah
led him to become increasingly outspoken in his later years, and ultimately led him in trouble with the authorities. He is often remembered by Salafi
Sunnis as a staunch defender of Tawheed, and as one who passionately advocated that the viewpoint of the Sahaba
or the companions of Muhammad
, are a decisive authority when interpreting texts rather than contemporary laymen.
, Iraq
and was fortunate to learn from the students of Ahmad ibn Hanbal
. Al-Barbahari focused a large portion of his scholarship in the science of hadith
and fiqh
. He often found himself in groups of hadith
students studying the narrations of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad
. Sunni scholars have frequently praised his piety and his efforts of preserving the Sunnah
. Abu-al-Faraj ibn Al-Jawzi eulogized al-Barbahari's stern oratory style:Al-Barbahari had several widely known students including the famed scholar Ibn Battah
. His growing influence in Baghdad
ultimately led him to come to loggerheads with public officials and groups who received the brunt of his criticism. An arrest order was issued against al-Barbahari and he was forced into hiding while some of his students were arrested. He died in 329 AH (941 CE) in eastern Baghdad.
or bidah. In his book, Sharhu s-Sunnah "Explanation of the Creed", al-Barbahari rebukes and chastises various groups he believed were heresies. His works may be seen as a warning to the general public to apprise them of the increasing amount of innovations he saw as plaguing Iraq. For example, a good portion of sayings in his book, begins with the phrase, "May God have mercy upon you!" or "Beware of..." thus suggesting his works were not necessarily a rebuttal against the growing heresies but rather as warnings to the masses.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. His books are peppered with stinging remarks that place the Shias, Qadaris
Qadariyah
Qadariyah , in Islam, are adherents of the doctrine of free will. The word Qadar is derived from qadr ....
, Mu'tazili
Mu'tazili
' is an Islamic school of speculative theology that flourished in the cities of Basra and Baghdad, both in present-day Iraq, during the 8th–10th centuries. The adherents of the Mu'tazili school are best known for their having asserted that, because of the perfect unity and eternal nature of God,...
s and Asharis in an extremely negative light. His concern for preserving the sunnah
Sunnah
The word literally means a clear, well trodden, busy and plain surfaced road. In the discussion of the sources of religion, Sunnah denotes the practice of Prophet Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar...
led him to become increasingly outspoken in his later years, and ultimately led him in trouble with the authorities. He is often remembered by Salafi
Salafi
A Salafi come from Sunni Islam is a follower of an Islamic movement, Salafiyyah, that is supposed to take the Salaf who lived during the patristic period of early Islam as model examples...
Sunnis as a staunch defender of Tawheed, and as one who passionately advocated that the viewpoint of the Sahaba
Sahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
or the companions of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, are a decisive authority when interpreting texts rather than contemporary laymen.
Biography
Al-Barbahari was born in BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and was fortunate to learn from the students of Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Abu `Abd Allah al-Shaybani was an important Muslim scholar and theologian. He is considered the founder of the Hanbali school of fiqh...
. Al-Barbahari focused a large portion of his scholarship in the science of hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
and fiqh
Fiqh
Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
. He often found himself in groups of hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
students studying the narrations of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Sunni scholars have frequently praised his piety and his efforts of preserving the Sunnah
Sunnah
The word literally means a clear, well trodden, busy and plain surfaced road. In the discussion of the sources of religion, Sunnah denotes the practice of Prophet Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar...
. Abu-al-Faraj ibn Al-Jawzi eulogized al-Barbahari's stern oratory style:Al-Barbahari had several widely known students including the famed scholar Ibn Battah
Ibn battah
The Imaam Abu Abdullah `Ubaidullah bin Muhammad bin Battah al-`Ukbari al-Hanbali [known as Ibn Battah] was the Hadeeth Master , the Hanbali Legal Jurist , and an ascetic...
. His growing influence in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
ultimately led him to come to loggerheads with public officials and groups who received the brunt of his criticism. An arrest order was issued against al-Barbahari and he was forced into hiding while some of his students were arrested. He died in 329 AH (941 CE) in eastern Baghdad.
Firm stance against bidah or innovations in Islam
Al-Barbahari is mostly remembered as a severe critic of innovations in IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
or bidah. In his book, Sharhu s-Sunnah "Explanation of the Creed", al-Barbahari rebukes and chastises various groups he believed were heresies. His works may be seen as a warning to the general public to apprise them of the increasing amount of innovations he saw as plaguing Iraq. For example, a good portion of sayings in his book, begins with the phrase, "May God have mercy upon you!" or "Beware of..." thus suggesting his works were not necessarily a rebuttal against the growing heresies but rather as warnings to the masses.
The Salaf
In deeply relying on the viewpoints of the companions of Muhammad, al-Barbahari praises many of the Tabieen, theorizing that one can ascertain whether an individual is on the right path by discerning whether that individual shows love for the early generations of Muslims. He went as far to say that those who viewed any Islamic religious matter differently from the Sahaba, or companions of Muhammad, has fallen into disbelief.Quotes
- "May God have mercy on you! Examine carefully the speech of everyone you hear from in your time particularly. So do not act in haste and do not enter into anything from it until you ask and see: Did any of the Companions of the Prophet speak about it or any of the scholars?"
- "If you hear someone criticising or rejecting the narrations (hadiths) or desiring something other than the narrations, have doubt about his IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Do not doubt about his being a person of desires and innovation." - "If you see a man criticising the companions of the messenger of God, know that he is a person of wicked speech and desires..."
- "The innovators are like scorpionScorpionScorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...
s. They bury their heads and bodies in the sandSandSand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
and leave their tails out. When they get the chance they sting; the same with the innovators who conceal themselves amongst the people, when they are able, they do what they desire."