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A Brief Biography

Abu’l-Faraj Jamal al-Din Abdul Rahman ibn Ali Ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Ibn Ubayd Allah Ibn al-Jawzi al-Qurashi al-Tamimi al-Bakri al-Baghdadi al-Hanbali (509/510-597 AH) was a leading figure in the Hanbali school of thought and a renowned orator whose speeches captivated both kings and commoners, drawing crowds of up to one hundred thousand. He was a master of Hadith, a philologist, Qur’anic commentator, expert jurist, physician, and historian known for his impeccable character and manners.

A prolific author of over 700 works, many of which have been published in recent times, Ibn al-Jawzi was famous for his preaching. The traveler Ibn Jubair provides an enthusiastic account of two of his sermons heard in Baghdad. Born in 509/510 AH in Baghdad, he studied under the leading scholars of his time and became renowned for his scholarship in history, linguistics, tafseer (Qur’anic exegesis), and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). He rose to prominence as the leading scholar of the Hanbali school, playing a key role in reviving and spreading its teachings, particularly after gaining the favor of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mustadi.

Towards the end of his life, Ibn al-Jawzi faced significant trials when his criticisms of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani, his senior by forty years, led to accusations from the Shaykh’s supporters, causing him to be taken to Wasit, where he was imprisoned for five years. He passed away in 597 AH, two years after his release.