أبو بكر ابن العربي

Abu Bakr Ibn al-'Arabi (RH)

Abu Bakr Ibn al-'Arabi al-Maliki

Also known as: Qadi Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi

468–543 AH · 1076–1148 CE

Fiqh Maliki Hadith

Maliki judge of Seville and author of Ahkam al-Quran; not to be confused with the Sufi Ibn 'Arabi.

Abu Bakr Ibn al-'Arabi travelled east as a young man and studied with leading scholars in Damascus and Baghdad, including al-Ghazali, before returning to al-Andalus with a large library. He became judge of Seville and was known for firm justice and for building the city's walls.

His Ahkam al-Quran, on the legal verses of the Quran, is one of the main Maliki works of its kind, and 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi is a commentary on Sunan al-Tirmidhi. His al-'Awasim min al-Qawasim discusses the early strife among the Companions. Qadi 'Iyad was among his students. He is a different person from the Sufi Muhyi al-Din Ibn 'Arabi.

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Life journey

1076 CE Seville (Ishbiliya) إشبيلية
1093 CE Baghdad بغداد
Travelled east with his father; studied in Damascus and Baghdad, including with al-Ghazali, and performed Hajj. The dates are approximate.
1100 CE Seville (Ishbiliya) إشبيلية
Became judge (qadi) of Seville.
1148 CE Fez (Fas) فاس
Died 1148 CE · 543 AH
Died on a journey near Fez, where he is buried.

Teachers

Imam al-Ghazali (RH) 1058–1111 CE
Abu Bakr ibn al-'Arabi met al-Ghazali in Baghdad during his journey east and studied with him.

Students

Qadi 'Iyad (RH) 1083–1149 CE
Qadi 'Iyad studied with Ibn al-'Arabi and lists him among his teachers.

Key works

Ahkam al-Quran أحكام القرآن
Rulings of the Quran
A commentary on the legal verses of the Quran.

Places in their life

Sources

al-Qadi 'Iyad, al-Ghunya (his list of teachers)
al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'
al-Maqqari, Nafh al-Tib

Draft, awaiting scholarly review.

Years of travel are approximate.