JamÃÂl al-Dën Abà « Muḥammad ÿAbd al-Raḥëm ibn al-Ḥasan al-Umawë al-Qurashë al-Isnawë al-ShÃÂfiÿë al-Miá¹£rë (), commonly known as Jamal al-Din al-Isnawi, was a Sunni Egyptian scholar who specialized in the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence, legal theory, Qu'ran exegesis, and Arabic grammar. He was a well-known, prolific writer who authored beneficial books.
Jamal al-Din al-Isnawi was born at the end of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah 704 AH, which corresponds to July 1306 CE in Esna. He memorized the QurâÂÂan when he was young and learned the principles of reading and writing, then he went to Cairo, the city of sciences, which was the destination for students of knowledge in that era and in the year of 721 AH/1321 AD, he turned to the various sciences and was known for the quality of memorization, and he was interested in the beginning of the matter in the Arabic language, so that he was only known for grammar, and he learned the language sciences from Abu Hayyan al-Gharnati, who said to him: âÂÂI have not aged anyone at your ageâ and the age of Al-Asnawi at that time was twenty years old, but his understanding, intellect and genius exceeded this age until some of his elders counted him as a scholar like them. Al-Asnawi continued his interest in fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Tafsir, and linguistic, and he learned from a number of leading scholars of various sciences in his time, most notably: Sheikh al-Islam Taqi al-Din al-Subki until he excelled in jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, Qu'ran exegesis, and Arabic language. Organizing his time between work, classification, and authorship.
Al-Isnawi did not reach the age of twenty-seven until he was sitting to teach interpretation at the Ahmed Ibn Tulun Mosque, and at that time, he was one of the beacons of scientific and jurisprudential radiation in Egypt. It took place between him and the minister Ibn Qazwinah, and ended with him the presidency of the Shafi'i's in his time, he taught in the large schools in Egypt, which were considered as universities, including the Royal School, Al-Iqbhawiya, and Al-Fadhiliya, and he used to spend most of his time writing, so students of knowledge accepted him and many of them benefited from him.
Jamal al-Din al-Isnawi had a number of students, some who became renowned in their time; from them:
Jamal al-Din Al-Isnawi died on Sunday night, Jumada Al-Awwal 18, 772 AH/9 December 1370 AD, and was buried near the Sufi cemeteries in Cairo.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani says about him: âÂÂHe was a skilled jurist, a mentor, a useful and righteous teacher, with righteousness, religion, courtship, and humility." Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti said: âÂÂThe ShafiâÂÂi leadership ended with him."
Zain al-Din al-'Iraqi said about him: <blockquote>"He worked in the sciences until he became the only one of his time, and the sheikh of the ShafiâÂÂis in his time, and he compiled the following useful books, and the students of the Egyptian lands graduated with him, and he was good in form and classification, soft in aspect, and a lot of benevolence."</blockquote>
Jamal al-Din al-Isnawi was a prolific writer who authored books on various subjects such as jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, sciences of the Qu'ran and Arabic language: