الرحلةThe Journey

ذو النون المصري

Dhu al-Nun al-Misri (RH)

Also known as: Zun Nun

c. 179–245 AH · c. 796–859 CE

Sufism & Theology Sufism

The Egyptian master who first spoke systematically of ma'rifah, intimate knowledge of Allah.

Dhu al-Nun Thawban ibn Ibrahim was born in Akhmim in Upper Egypt and narrated hadith from Imam Malik. He travelled widely and became one of the most important early teachers of the Sufi path.

He is credited with developing the teaching on ma'rifah, the direct, experiential knowledge of Allah, and on the states and stations of the seeker. His teachings drew opposition, and he was taken to Baghdad under arrest during the reign of al-Mutawakkil, but he was released after the caliph heard him speak.

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Life journey

  1. c. 796 CE Akhmim أخميم
  2. 830 CE Fustat (Old Cairo) الفسطاط
    Died 859 CE · 245 AH
    Died at Giza, across the Nile from al-Fustat. The year he moved is approximate.

Places in their life

The Mosque of 'Amr ibn al-'As, al-Fustat
The Mosque of 'Amr ibn al-'As, al-Fustat
Photo: لا روسا, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

  • al-Qushayri, al-Risalah
  • al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
Birth year approximate.