موفق الدين ابن قدامة

Ibn Qudamah (RH)

Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudamah

Also known as: Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi

541–620 AH · 1147–1223 CE

Fiqh Hanbali

The great Hanbali jurist of Damascus, author of al-Mughni.

Ibn Qudamah's family fled Crusader rule in Palestine for Damascus, where they settled on the slopes of Mount Qasiyun. As a young man he went to Baghdad to study, staying with 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani in the final weeks of the shaykh's life. He is reported to have taken part in Salah al-Din's campaigns, including the recovery of Jerusalem.

His al-Mughni is a vast work of comparative law that sets out the opinions of the Companions and all the schools before arguing for the Hanbali view. It is used by scholars of every madhhab. He also wrote teaching texts for every level, from 'Umdat al-Fiqh to al-Kafi, the legal theory work Rawdat al-Nazir, and the short creed Lum'at al-I'tiqad.

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Life journey

1147 CE Jamma'il (near Nablus) جماعيل
Born near Nablus under Crusader rule.
1156 CE Damascus دمشق
His family emigrated to Damascus and founded the al-Salihiyyah quarter.
1166 CE Baghdad بغداد
Studied in Baghdad, briefly with 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani in the last weeks of his life.
1170 CE Damascus دمشق
Died 1223 CE · 620 AH
The year he returned is approximate.

Teachers

'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (RH) c. 1077–1166 CE
Ibn Qudamah studied with al-Jilani in Baghdad in the last weeks of al-Jilani's life.

Key works

al-Mughni المغني
The Enricher
A vast work of comparative law across the Companions and the schools.
'Umdat al-Fiqh عمدة الفقه
The Mainstay of Jurisprudence
A beginner's Hanbali primer.

Places in their life

Sources

Ibn Rajab, al-Dhayl 'ala Tabaqat al-Hanabila
al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'

Draft, awaiting scholarly review.

Participation in Salah al-Din's campaigns is reported in later biographies; please check.