IN DEFENCE OF IBN TAYMIYYAH AND IBN AL-QAYYIM
Badruddeen al-’Aynee al-Hanafee (d.841H), author of
the famous commentary on Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, wrote in his commendation of
ar-Radd al-Waafir of ibn Naasir ad-Deen ad-Dimashqee ash-Shaafi’ee
(d.842H), an explanation of the ruling on one who pronounces ibn Taymiyyah to be
a disbeliever:
"Since this is the case, it is binding upon those in
authority that they punish this ignorant trouble maker - who said that ibn
Taymiyyah was a kaafir!! - with various types of punishment, severe beating and
long imprisonment. Whoever says to a Muslim: ‘O kaafir,’ then what
he has said returns upon him, especially if it is the like of such a filthy one
speaking against this scholar, particularly since he is deceased, and there is a
prohibition recorded in the Sharee’ah from speaking ill of the deceased
Muslims, and Allaah will manifest the truth."
Al-’Aynee also said: "Whoever says ibn
Taymiyyah is a kaafir then he is in reality himself a kaafir, and the one who
accuses him of heresy is himself a heretic. How is this possible when his works
are widely available and there is no hint of deviation or dissension contained
therein."
This commendation is established as being authored by
al-’Aynee, may Allaah have mercy upon him, despite the attempt of some to
discredit it. It is mentioned by al-Haafidh as-Sakhaawee (student of al-Haafidh
ibn Hajar) in ad-Dawl al-Laamee (10/13), who described it as: "Defending
ibn Taymiyyah to the utmost."
Ibn Hajar also says in his endorsement of the same book
(and this is also mentioned by as-Sakhaawee 8/104): "No one says about ibn
Taymiyyah that he is a kaafir except two types of people: either one who is
himself a kaafir, or one who is ignorant of him... and all the different groups
of the people of his time praised his knowledge, Deen and zuhd."
Ibn Hajar also said in his commendation to ar-Radd
al-Waafir (p.68): "And if there were no virtues of Shaykh Taqi-ud-Deen (ibn
Taymiyyah) except for his famous student Shaykh Shams-ud-Deen ibn Qayyim
al-Jawzziyah - the author of many works, which both his opponents and supporters
benefit from - then this would be sufficient indication of his (ibn
Taymiyyah’s) great position."
In the biography of ibn Taymiyyah in ad-Durar
al-Kaaminah, Ibn Hajar writes:
Exposing Kabbani 21 : In Defence of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim
