Ibn Taymiyyahs popularity caused him to be a target of envy from various jurist and scholars who could not reach his level in knowledge, nor could they equal the love and respect that Ibn Taymiyyah enjoyed with the common masses. In addition to this, his bold stances against various innovative and heretical practices put him in direct conflict with many innovators, who repeatedly devised plots against him. The enviers and deviants found common cause in spreading lies or misinterpreting the writings of Ibn Taymiyyah. Ibn Katheer writes, A group of the theologians was jealous of Shaikh Taqi ud-Din Ibn Taymiyyah because of his position in the court of the governor and also for his acting as a public censor who had taken upon himself the responsibility of enforcing what was lawful and preventing what was prohibited. They were envious of his growing popularity and of the love and respect accorded to him as well as of his learning and zeal for religion. [Ibn Katheer, p. 37] Al-Hafidh al-Bazzaar said depicting the opponents of Ibn Taymiyyah, You would not see a scholar opposing him (Ibn Taymiyyah), dissuading from him, filled with hatred for him, except that he was the most greedy of them in gathering the worldly goods, the most cunning of them in acquiring them, the most ostentatious of them, the most desirous for reputation?and the most prolific of them in having lies on his tongue. [Al-A`laam al-Uliyyah (pg. 82)] Some false beliefs that were attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah were those that he, himself refuted in his books. His fatawa and Ijtihads were misinterpreted and given conclusions that were far away from the truth. Ibn Taymiyyahs enemies also succeeded occasionally in inciting the rulers against him, leading to his imprisonment several times between 693H-728H and he passed away while in prison in the year 728H. Ibn Taymiyyah was first arrested after he took a stance against a Christian who cursed the Prophet (salallahu alaihe wa-sallam) and violated his honor. Ibn Taymiyyahs enemies accused him with disturbing the peace, and complained to the sultan. This incident shows the extent of their aversion for Ibn Taymiyyah, that they gave priority to harming him over defending the right and honor of Allahs Messenger. It was in response to this incident that Ibn Taymiyyah wrote his book, Al-Saarim al-Maslool ala Shaatim al-Rasool [see. Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah 14/335]
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 04:05:38 +0000
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