Istighatha and the Inquisition of Shihab ud-Din Ibn Murri

Ibn Murri was a close student of Ibn Taymiyyah. He naturally shared many of his teacher’s views, including his position on istighatha and seeking the intercession of the Prophet (peace be upon him) at his grave.

Ahlus Sunnah lived in an environment where expressing their 'contentious' theological views too openly could result in punishment.[1] There was widespread frustration among critics of Ibn Taymiyyah and his followers as their influence over the masses became increasingly difficult to bear. 'Alaa' ud-Din al-Qunawi (d. 729 A.H.) lamented the growing tendency of the masses to adopt Ibn Taymiyyah's stance on istighatha:

وإنما أطلتُ النفس في هذه المسألة، وإن كانت في غاية الوضوح، لقرب العهد بهذيان من أظهر الخلاف فيها، وأفسد به عقائد خلق كثير من العوام، فلذلك استطردت في هذا المقام مما يتعلق بهذه المسألة هذا المقدار اليسير من الكلام، وللمقال فيها مجال واسع، لكن إشباع القول في ذلك خارج عما نحن بصدده في هذا الكتاب

Despite its evident clarity, I have elaborated on this issue because of the recent spread of the absurdities of those who have openly opposed it and corrupted many of the common people’s beliefs. Therefore, I have digressed in this discussion to address a small portion of what pertains to this matter. There is much more to be said on this topic, but a thorough discussion lies beyond the scope of this book.[2]

Due to these frustrations, Ibn Murri ultimately encountered significant trouble, leading to his imprisonment and beatings for advocating his views on istighatha and seeking the intercession of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Al-Dhahabi mentioned regarding the events of the year 725 AH:

وضُرب بمصر الشهاب بن مُري التَّيمِي المُذكِّر، وسُجِن، ثم نُفِي لنهيه عن الاستغاثة والتوسل بأحد غير الله، ومُقِت لذلك

In Egypt, Shihab b. Murri al-Taymi, was beaten, imprisoned, and then exiled for prohibiting seeking intercession and istighatha through anyone other than Allah, which led to his condemnation.[3]

He also said:

وضرب بمصر شهاب الدين أحمد بن مري المذكّر نحوًا من خمسين سوطًا، ونفي إلى بيت المقدس بسبب مسألة الاستغاثة، قال: لا يجوز أن يُستغَاث بمخلوق ولا نبي

Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Murri was beaten in Egypt with about fifty lashes and exiled to Jerusalem due to the issue of seeking istighatha. He said: It is not permissible to seek istighatha through any creature, not even a prophet.[4]

Ibn al-Jazari reported:

وبلغنا أن في السادس والعشرين من ربيع الأول مُنِع الشهاب المري البعلبكي من الجلوس بالقاهرة والكلام على الناس بسبب مسألة الاستغاثة، والتوسل بالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم

We learned that on the twenty-sixth of Rabi’ al-Awwal, Shihab al-Murri al-Ba’albaki was prohibited from preaching in Cairo and speaking to the people due to the issue of seeking intercession and istighatha through the Prophet (peace be upon him).[5]

And:

وحبسه القاضي المالكي، ثم غلَّظ عليه، وقيَّده. ثم ضربَه يوم الاثنين، التاسع والعشرين من جمادى الأول نحو خمسين سوطًا، وسلمه إلى والي القاهرة

The Maliki judge imprisoned him, then intensified his punishment and shackled him. He was then flogged with around fifty lashes on Monday, the twenty-ninth of Jumada al-Awwal, and handed over to the governor of Cairo.[6]

Al-Safadi mentioned, after noting that the Emir Jankali had permitted Ibn Murri to teach:

فجلس وتكلم مدة، إلى أن تكلم في مسألة الاستغاثة والوسيلة برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فمنعه قاضي القضاة المالكي من الجلوس في سادس عشري شهر ربيع الأول سنة خمس وعشرين وسبع مئة

He sat and spoke for a while until he discussed the issue of seeking istighatha and means through the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Consequently, the Maliki chief judge prohibited him from preaching on the twenty-sixth of Rabi’ al-Awwal in the year 725 AH.[7]

And:

وأُحضر بعد ذلك عند النائب في خامس شهر ربيع الآخر وحبسه القاضي المالكي، ثم غلَّظ عليه، وقيّده، ثم إنه ضربه نحو خمسين سَوطاً في تاسع عشري جمادى الأولى، وتسلّمه والي القاهرة

He was brought before the deputy on the fifth of Rabi’ al-Akhir, and the Maliki judge imprisoned him, then intensified his punishment and shackled him. He was then flogged with around fifty lashes on the twenty-ninth of Jumada al-Awwal and handed over to the governor of Cairo.[8]

Ibn Kathir mentioned regarding the events of the year 725 AH:

وفيها مُنع شهاب الدين بن مري البعلبكي ‌من ‌الكلام ‌على ‌الناس ‌بمصر ‌على ‌طريقة ‌الشيخ ‌تقي ‌الدين ‌ابن ‌تيمية، وعزره القاضي المالكي بسبب مسألة الاستغاثة

In this year, Shihab al-Din ibn Murri al-Ba’albaki was prohibited from preaching to the people in Egypt in the manner of Sheikh Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah, and the Maliki judge disciplined him due to the issue of seeking istighatha.[9]

Ibn Hajar said:

ثم إنَّه تكلم في مسألة الزَّيارة والتَّوسل بالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وغيرهما، على طريقة ابن تيمية، فوثب به جماعةٌ من العامَّة، ومَنْ يتعصب للصُّوفية وأرادوا قتله، فهرب

He then spoke on the matter of visitation and seeking intercession through the Prophet (peace be upon him) and others in the manner of Ibn Taymiyyah. A group of commoners and those who were devoted to the Sufis attacked him and attempted to kill him, so he fled.[10]

And:

فآل الأمر إلى تمكين المالكي منه فضربه ضربًا مبرحًا، حتى أدماه، ثم شَهَرَهُ على حمارٍ أُركِبَه مقلوبًا، ثم نُودي عليه: هذا جزاءُ من يتكلم في حق رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وكادت العامة تقتله

The matter resulted in the Maliki judge subjugating him, who then brutally beat him until he bled. He was then paraded on a donkey, mounted backward, and it was announced: ‘This is the punishment for speaking against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),’ and the public nearly killed him.[11]

Al-Maqrizi stated:

وسلك طريق ابن تيميّة في الإنكار على الصوفيّة، والتشنيع على مذاهبهم، ثمَّ تعرَّض إلى ما لا ينبغي فذكر مسألة الزيارة والاستغاثة

He followed the path of Ibn Taymiyyah in denouncing the Sufis and criticizing their beliefs. Then he ventured into discussing inappropriate issues by discussing the matter of visitation and seeking istighatha.[12]

And:

فجَرَت أمورٌ آلَت إلى أن أُحضر في الحديد يوم التاسع والعشرين من جمادى الأولى، وضُرِب نحوَ الخمسين سوطًا، ضربًا مبرحًا حتَّى أدماه، ثمّ شهر على حمار أُركِبَه مقلوبًا، ونودي عليه: هذا جزاء من يضع من جانب رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وسلم، ليُغرُوا به العامَّة حتَّى تقتُلَه

Events transpired that led to him being brought in chains on the twenty-ninth of Jumada al-Awwal, where he was severely flogged with around fifty lashes until he bled. He was then paraded on a donkey, mounted backward, and it was announced: ‘This is the punishment for belittling the status of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),’ to incite the public to kill him.[13]

Badrul din Al-Aini said:

وآخر الأمر بعد منازعاتٍ كثيرة أمر النائب أن يحكم فيه القاضي بمقتضى الشرع فضُرب بالسياط ضربًا مؤلمًا حتى خرج الدم من أجنابه، ثم أُشهر وهو راكب مقلوبًا، ونودي عليه: هذا جزاء من يضع من جانب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم

After many disputes, the deputy ordered the judge to rule on him according to the Shariah. He was flogged painfully until blood flowed from his sides. He was then paraded while mounted backward, and it was announced: ‘This is the punishment for belittling the status of the Prophet (peace be upon him).’[14]

‘Alaa’ ud-Din al-Qunawi approved of the persecution Ibn Murri was subjected to by saying he was the:

المبتدع الجاهل الذي قامت البينة عليه بأشياء من هذا القبيل، وعُزِّر على ذلك التعزير البالغ بالحبس والضرب والنفي وغير ذلك، في شهور سنة خمسٍ وعشرين وسبعمائة بالقاهرة المحروسة

The ignorant innovator, against whom clear evidence was established regarding matters of this nature. He was severely punished, including imprisonment, flogging, exile, and similar penalties, during the months of the year 725 in Cairo.

May Allah reward Ibn Murri and compensate him in the afterlife for the unjust cruelty he was subjected to. Ameen.

Recommended Reading:

Ibadah Discourse

---

Note: This article relied on Ustadh Bara’ Yasin’s article, Mihnat al-Imam Shihab ud-Din ibn Murri al-Ba’albaki fi Mas’alat al-Istighatha for the citations.

[1] For example, Ibn Kathir in his al-Bidaayah wal-Nihaaya states that the prominent Muhaddith, Imam al-Mizzi, was temporarily imprisoned by the Asharis for publicly reading Imam al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’al al-Ibad:

الشَّيْخَ جَمَالَ الدِّينِ الْمِزِّيَّ الْحَافِظَ قَرَأَ فَصْلًا فِي الرَّدِّ عَلَى الْجَهْمِيَّةِ مِنْ كِتَابِ " خَلْقِ أَفْعَالِ الْعِبَادِ " لِلْبُخَارِيِّ - تَحْتَ قُبَّةِ النَّسْرِ، بَعْدَ قِرَاءَةِ مِيعَادِ " الْبُخَارِيِّ " بِسَبَبِ الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ، فَغَضِبَ بَعْضُ الْفُقَهَاءِ الْحَاضِرِينَ، وَشَكَاهُ إِلَى الْقَاضِي الشَّافِعِيِّ ابْنِ صَصْرَى وَكَانَ عَدُوَّ الشَّيْخِ، فَسَجَنَ الْمِزِّيَّ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الشَّيْخَ تَقِيَّ الدِّينِ، فَتَأَلَّمَ لِذَلِكَ، وَذَهَبَ إِلَى السِّجْنِ فَأَخْرَجَهُ مِنْهُ بِنَفْسِهِ، وَرَاحَ إِلَى الْقَصْرِ فَوَجَدَ الْقَاضِيَ هُنَاكَ، فَتَقَاوَلَا بِسَبَبِ.

Sheikh Jamal al-Din al-Mizzi read a section refuting the Jahmiyyah from the book, Khalq Af’al al-Ibad, by al-Bukhari[1] under the Dome of the Eagle, after reading al-Bukhari’s chapter on prayer for rain. Some of the present jurists became angry and complained about him to the Shafi'i judge, Ibn Sasra, who was an enemy of the Sheikh. Consequently, al-Mizzi was imprisoned. When Sheikh Taqi al-Din heard of this, he was distressed and went to the prison to personally release him. He then went to the court, where he found the judge, and they argued.

Ibn Kathir said that people's lives were at stake if they were too vocal about their aqeedah:

لا يتكلم أحد في العقائد، ومن تكلم في ذلك حل ماله ودمه، ونهبت داره وحانوته

No one is permitted to speak about matters pertaining to aqeedah, and whoever does so will have their property and blood deemed lawful, and their house and shop will be plundered.

For further examples, see Mashur b. Hassan, Mihnat Ibn Abi al-‘Izz al-Hanafi, pp. 103-107.

[2] Hisn at-Tasarruf bi-Sharh at-Ta’arruf, vol. 4, pp. 165-168

[3] Dhayl al-‘Ibar, p. 138

[4] Dowal al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 266

[5] Tarikh ibn al-Jazari, vol. 2, pp. 61-62

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ayaan al-‘Asr, vol. 1, p. 388

[8] Ibid.  

[9]  Al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah, vol. 18, p. 254

[10] Ad-Durar al-Kaminah, vol. 1, p. 359

[11] Ibid.

[12] Al-Muqaffa al-Kabeer, vol. 1, p. 657

[13] Ibid. 

[14]‘Iqd al-Juman, 17/b