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IMAM IBN ASAKIR (RAHIMAHULLAH); THE GREATESTOFHISERA..

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Imam Hafiz Abul Qasim Ali ibn Hasan ibn Asakir ( ) was born in Damascus in the year 499 Hijri and passed away in the year 571Hijri in Damascus also.

He is known for his extensive travel in the search of knowledge.

His renown work: Tareekh Dimashq which is a Biography of all the Ulama who ever lived or came to Damascus is a collection in 80

volumes!!

What they said of him

Imam Ibn Khallikan (rahimahullah) says regarding him: He was the (greatest) Muhaddith of Sham (Syria ) in his time and also a great

Shafee Scholar.

He engrossed himself with the field of Hadith until he became famous in it. He exerted himself in its quest until he managed to gather

that which others could not. He traveled to different parts and met many Ulama. He was the travel companion of Hafiz Abu Sad Al-

Samani ( ).He was a very pious Alim, who gathered between the mutun (texts of the Ahadith) and the Asaneed (the chains of narrators).

He was a master in the analysis of Hadith and he wrote many books of which is: Tareekh Dimashq in 80 volumes in which he has included

some very strange and rare articles.

Ibn Khallikan writes further, Once my teacher, Hafiz Abu Muhammad Al-Munzhiri ( ) while discussing this book of Imam ibn Asakir(rahimahullah) said: I am certain that he (Ibn Asakir ) intended compiling this work from the time he reached the age of understanding

and from that time he must have began gathering substance for it. Otherwise, life is too short for one to start such a work after reaching

fame.

His Sojourn

Hafiz Zhabi ( ) states that Hafiz Ibn Asakir ( ) started his journey for the search of knowledge in the year 520 Hijri. Hereturned to his home: Damascus in the year 533. i.e, 13 years later!

He traveled to more than 40 cities and thus he was able to write a book by the name: Al-Arbaeen Al-Buldaniyyah which is a collection

of40 Ahadith on 40 different topics which he narrates from 40 different Ustaads who lived in 40 different cities at that

time. As well as each Hadith being reported by a different Sahabi ( )!This shows the extent of his travel. The number of his ustaads add up to more than 1380!

High Calibre

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Hafiz Abul-Ala Al-Hamazhani ( ) says: Hafiz Ibn Asakir use to be called fire spark in Baghdad because of his intelligence andsharpness.

Imam Abul Mawahib ibn Sarsari ( ) says: I once asked him if he had seen anyone else like himself? He humbly said: Do not saysuch a thing for verily Almighty Allah has said: And do not hold yourself as purified ( Surah Najm.). So I said to him: but Allah has also

said: And mention the bounty of your lord.( Surah Duha)

He then replied: If anyone claimed that my eye did not see the like of me he would not be a liar!

Piety and Taqwa

Then Abul Mawahib said: And I also say that I didnt see anyone equal to him nor anyone who had what knowledge he had including his

steadfastness that for 40 years he performed salaah in the first saffexcept if he had any valid excuse, and he observedItikaf in

Ramadan and the first 10 days of Zhul Hijjah for 40 years!

He also refused to accept any major post despite being fully eligible for it. And he maintained upon himself the quality of enjoining good

and forbidding evil.

Astounding memory

Shaykh Abdul-Wahhab ibnul-Ameen ( ) says: I was once walking with Hafiz Ibn Asakir ( ) and Hafiz Al-Samani ( ) inthe search for knowledge and Mashayikh (tutors) when we met a certain Sheikh. So Hafiz Samani ( ) stopped that Sheikh so thathe could hear a certain book of Hadith from him. When he searched his bag for that particular book he could not find it and this saddened

him. Imam Ibn Asakir ( ) asked him which book it was. He replied: Kitabul Bathi Wanushoor of Ibn Abi Dawud ( ). IbnAsakir ( ) said to him : Do not fear, and proceeded to recite the entire book from his memory!!This clarifies why the scholars praised Hafiz Ibn Asakir (r.a) so greatly.

His teacher, Imam Abul Fadhl Al-Tusi ( ) says: I dont know of any other person entitled to be called a Hafiz of Hadith.Imam Ibn Najjar ( ) says: He was the Imam (leader) of all the Muhadditheen of his time.Imaam Nawawi ( ) describes him as :

!! The Hafiz (great hadith scholar) of Syria, nay! the Hafiz of the entire world!!!

May Allah fill his grave with noor and may He grant him a lofty status in the Akhirah. And may Allah grant us the ability to follow in the footsteps of such

Ulama. Ameen.

Extracted from the book:

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Incidents of the sacrifices of the Ulama in their quest for knowledge

By Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah (rahimahullah)

Morals

There are many lessons to be learnt from the life of Imam Ibn Asakir ( ) such as:his extreme love for Ilm andhis steadfastness in acts of worship.

This proves to us that a student of deen should also devote his time and effort towards the other acts of worship. This infact brings noor and barakah into the

knowledge ande life of such a person.

It is said that he was asked as to why he delayed his trip to Isfahan, to which he replied: My mother didnt permit me!

This illustrates that despite the need and urge to travel there, he rightfully awaited his mothers permission. This didnt stop him from being termed: The

Hafiz of the entire world!

One needs to do what is required from him, not what he wishes to do

Imagine! only one of this great Imams books : Tareekh Dimashq, in 80 volumes which has been published, was prepared and written by him together

with other compilations. We today are unable even read it !!!

! :