Ibn Kathir
Encyclopedia
Ismail ibn Kathir (1301–1373) was a Muslim
muhaddith, Faqih
, historian, and commentator.
(hence Al-Busrawi) and was taught by Ibn Taymiyya, Al-Mizzi, Ibn Al Firkah,‘Isa bin Al-Mutim, Ahmed bin Abi-Talib, Ibn Al-Hajjar, Baha Ad-Din Al-Qasim bin Muzaffar bin ‘Asakir, Ibn Ash-Shirazi, Ishaq bin Yahya Al-Ammuddi, Zahriyyah Shaykh, and Muhammad bin Zarrad.
. Thereafter he received various semi-official appointments, culminating in June/July 1366 with a professorial position at the Great Mosque of Damascus.
named Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Adhim which linked certain Hadith
, or sayings of Muhammad
, and sayings of the sahaba
to verses of the Qur'an, in explanation. Tafsir ibn Kathir
is famous all over the Muslim world
, and among Muslims in the Western world
is one of the most widely used explanations of the Qu'ran today.
Ibn Kathir was renowned for his great memory regarding the sayings of Muhammad
and the entire Qur'an. Ibn Kathir is known as a qadi
, a master scholar of history, also a muhaddith and a mufassir (Qur'an commentator). Ibn Kathir saw himself as a Shafi'i
scholar. This is indicated by two of his books, one of which was Tabaqaat ah-Shafa'iah, or The Categories of the Followers of Imam Shafi.
of Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
in an attempt to rearrange it topically rather than by narrator.
Ibn Kathir died in 774 AH / February 1373 in Damascus.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
muhaddith, Faqih
Faqih
A Faqīh is an expert in fiqh, or, Islamic jurisprudence.A faqih is an expert in Islamic Law, and, as such, the word Faqih can literally be generally translated as Jurist.- The definition of Fiqh and its relation to the Faqih:...
, historian, and commentator.
Biography
His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi. He was born in 1301 in Busra, SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
(hence Al-Busrawi) and was taught by Ibn Taymiyya, Al-Mizzi, Ibn Al Firkah,‘Isa bin Al-Mutim, Ahmed bin Abi-Talib, Ibn Al-Hajjar, Baha Ad-Din Al-Qasim bin Muzaffar bin ‘Asakir, Ibn Ash-Shirazi, Ishaq bin Yahya Al-Ammuddi, Zahriyyah Shaykh, and Muhammad bin Zarrad.
Official positions
Upon completion of his studies he obtained his first official appointment in 1341, when he joined an inquisitorial commission formed to determine certain questions of heresyHeresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
. Thereafter he received various semi-official appointments, culminating in June/July 1366 with a professorial position at the Great Mosque of Damascus.
Scholastic achievements
Ibn Kathir wrote a famous commentary on the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
named Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Adhim which linked certain 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....
, or sayings 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...
, and sayings of the sahaba
Sahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
to verses of the Qur'an, in explanation. Tafsir ibn Kathir
Tafsir ibn Kathir
Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim, popularly Tafsir ibn Kathir , is a classic Sunni Islam tafsir by Ibn Kathir....
is famous all over the Muslim world
Muslim world
The term Muslim world has several meanings. In a religious sense, it refers to those who adhere to the teachings of Islam, referred to as Muslims. In a cultural sense, it refers to Islamic civilization, inclusive of non-Muslims living in that civilization...
, and among Muslims in the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
is one of the most widely used explanations of the Qu'ran today.
Ibn Kathir was renowned for his great memory regarding the sayings 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...
and the entire Qur'an. Ibn Kathir is known as a qadi
Qadi
Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law appointed by the ruler of a Muslim country. Because Islam makes no distinction between religious and secular domains, qadis traditionally have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims...
, a master scholar of history, also a muhaddith and a mufassir (Qur'an commentator). Ibn Kathir saw himself as a Shafi'i
Shafi'i
The Shafi'i madhhab is one of the schools of fiqh, or religious law, within the Sunni branch of Islam. The Shafi'i school of fiqh is named after Imām ash-Shafi'i.-Principles:...
scholar. This is indicated by two of his books, one of which was Tabaqaat ah-Shafa'iah, or The Categories of the Followers of Imam Shafi.
Later life and death
In later life, he became blind. He attributes his blindness to working late at night on the MusnadMusnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal is a collection of Hadith collected by the famous Sunni scholar Ibn Hanbal to whom the Hanbali madhab of Sunnis is attributed.-Description:...
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...
in an attempt to rearrange it topically rather than by narrator.
Ibn Kathir died in 774 AH / February 1373 in Damascus.
Works
- Tafsir ibn KathirTafsir ibn KathirTafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim, popularly Tafsir ibn Kathir , is a classic Sunni Islam tafsir by Ibn Kathir....
- Stories of the Qur'an
- The Beginning and the End (ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah or Tarikh ibn Kathir). Available on wikisource - Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya (Ibn Kathir)Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya (Ibn Kathir)Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya is a book by Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir .It is not to be confused with the book of Ibn Hisham named Sirah Rasul Allah....
- al-Baa'ith al-Hatheeth: an abridgement of the Muqaddimah by Ibn al-SalahIbn al-SalahAbū `Amr `Uthmān ibn `Abd al-Raḥmān Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Kurdī al-Shahrazūrī , commonly known as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, was a Shafi'i hadith specialist and the author of the seminal Introduction to the Science of Hadith...
in Hadith terminologyHadith terminologyHadith terminology is the body of terminology which specify the acceptability of the narrations, hadith, attributed to the Islamic Prophet, Muhammad, as well as other early figures of religious significance... - Tabaqaat ah-Shafi'iah
- Talkhis al-Istighatha
- Signs Before the Day of JudgementQiyamahIn Islam, Yawm al-Qiyāmah or Yawm ad-Din is believed to be God's final assessment of humanity as it exists. The sequence of events is the annihilation of all creatures allowable, resurrection of the body, and the judgment of all sentient creatures.The exact time when these events are to occur...
- Sins and their Punishments
- Stories of the Prophets