Four hundred and ninety nine years after hijrah of the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) from Makkah to Madeenah, al Haafidh Abu al-Qaasim Ali bn Hassan bn Hibatullah bn Hussein bn Asaakir Ad-Dimashqee was born in the ancient, historic city of Damascus. The Imam ... He-grew up under the auspices of his father and his brother- AI Imaam Diyaauddeen Hibatullah who was one of the scholars of the city at the time. By the time he was fifteen, he had commenced the study of Hadeeth and became engrossed with the field until he became famous in it. He exerted himself in its quest and visited great scholars from different parts of the Islamic World inthe process.
Within a period of thirteen years,he travelled to more than 40 cities including Baghdad, Makkah, Koofah, Naysaboor, Usboohaan amongst others. He was able to write a book by the name: Al-Arbaeen Al-Buldaniyyah; which is a collection of 40 Ahaadeeth on 40 different topics reported by 40 different companions of the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam)which he narrated from 40 different Scholars who lived in 40 different cities at that time. AI-Imaam Shamsuddeen Ad-Dhahabi puts the number of his teachers at over 1300 with about 80 of them being women.
His Gifts: Concerning the gift of intellectual opulence bestowed on AI-Imaam Ibn Asaakir; Ash- Sheikh Abdul-Wahaab bn Ameen says: "I was once walking with Haafidh Ibn Asaakir and Haafidh As-Samaani in the search of knowledge when we met a certain Sheikh. So Haafidh As-Samaani stopped that Sheikh so as to hear a certain book of Hadeeth from him. When he searched his bag for that particular book he could not find it and this saddened him. So Haafidh Ibn Asaakir asked him which book it was. He replied: Kitaabul Bathi Wanushoor of Ibn Abi Dawood.
So Ibn Asaakir said to him: "Do not fear; and he then recited the entire book from his memory."!! Imaam Abu AI-Mawaahib said:" ... I didn't see anyone equal to him nor anyone who had what knowledge he had including his steadfastness that for 40 years he performed Salaah in the first row except if he had any valid excuse and he made Itikaf in Ramadaan and the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah for 40 years.
The Compilation After a long introduction in which he showed the origin of the word "Shaam ", the construction of Damascus, who built it, the etymology of the word "Shaarn", its origin, its reason, its usefulness and its beginnings since the day of Adam (alayhi salaam) and the number of prophets and messengers and the periods between them, Ibn Asaakir in his encyclopedic compilation "Taareeq Dimashq" (The History of Damascus), discussed the demarcation of Damascus and described its mosques and recounted its doors, schools, squares, markets, washrooms, rivers, mills, gardens and all the villages around it. He narrated what he had compiled about Shaams kings before the advent of Islam and the Prophets announcement to his people that they will capture it.
And he concluded by mentioning the Prophets armies, which were sent to Shaam and when and how Islam overwhelmed the various regions of the area. He also compiled the biography of all people who entered it or passed through it whether they were prophets, leaders, caliphs, judges, scholars, speakers, sculptures and poets. The book comprises of 13,868 discourses and 9520 biographies for both. men, women, and for different classes, specialization and attributes . Despite its title, the book is also an extensive and comprehensive exploration of the history of the Islamic world from the borders of China eastwards, to Egypt and Africa westward till the ocean, Spain and South Europe. Yet, it was a manifestation of great brilliance in the selection of news- and events.
The book is in 80 volumes. Haafidh Abu Muhammad AIMundhiri RA while discussing this book of Haafidh Ibn Asaakir said: "I am certain that he (Ibn Asaakir) intended compiling this work of his from the time he reached the age of understanding and from that time he must have began gathering substance for it. Otherwise, life is too short for one to start such a work after reaching fame." And in Damascus ... Haafidh Ibn Asaakir was born in Damascus and he received his first education in Damascus.
From Damascus he departed to his different journeys to the countries of Islam to get more education, from Damascus he looked at the Islamic world and chronicled for the Islamic world from Damascus, the book "Taareeq Dimashq" (The History of Damascus), one of the most voluminous singly authored books in the history of mankind,and in Damascus was his death in 571 AH Rahimahullaah. On his return to Damascus after a long period of study; Ibn Asaakir devoted himself to teaching, compiling and writing. For this purpose a special school was built for him upon the orders of the king at the time where he taught the sunnah. He also started the writing of his famous book Taareeq Dimashq (The History of Damascus) at the time.
Ibn Asaakir soon became famous across the whole of Shaam and to all regions of the world where Islam existed. There is no doubt that the city of Damascus itself, its long standing history of being a haven to the Prophets and Messengers of Allaah (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) at different times in the history of mankind, the Companions of the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam), their students (RA) , and other great Scholars of Islam and the fact that many of the greatest human achievements that later spread to encompass the world had their beginnings in ancient Shaam had served as a great motivation for the Imaam lbn Asaakir. To mention but a few, we recall that Ibrahim (alayhi salaam) migrated, to Damascus, with his wife and his cousin - Lut (alayhi salaam) after Allaah saved him from the plots of those who attempted to burn him alive.
Also, the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa salam) was at Masjid al Aqsa on the night of Israa before his ascension into the heavens. We also recall that the area was visited by Ameer al Mumineen Umar bn Khattaab during his Caliphate and that a mosque was built there known as Masjid Umar. About 10,000 Sahaabah of the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) entered Sham and a good number of them were buried there. It has therefore, been a major learning center throughout the history of (Islaam such that 0imany ofthe renown scholars of Islaam learnt or taught the region.
Its Virtues: Abdullah bn Umar said, One day, the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to us ... So, when the fitnah (trials and tribulations) appears, Verily eemaan (faith) shall be in Shaam.(Takhreej Ahaadeeth Fadaa il Shaam wa Dimashq). This probably explains the reoccurrence of migration of Prophets and other great men in history migrating to the area at different times in history. Referring to the City, Allaah says, " the neighborhood where of We have Blessed "(Q17[Israa] 1). The Scholars of Hadeeth have variously compiled books of Hadeeth containing Prophetic narrations on the virtues of Damascus.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited