Was Ibn Taymiyah Alone in His Fatwa on Divorce?
1. Imam Mur’i bin Yusaf al-Karmi (d. 1033 H) said:
Ibn Taymiyah (rahimahullah) said: “If divorce is given three times at once, only one divorce will be counted.” He was not alone in this view. It is also narrated from Ali, Zubair, Abdul Rahman bin Awf, Ibn Mas’ud, and Ibn Abbas. This opinion is reported by Ata, Tawus, ‘Amr bin Dinar, Saeed bin Jubayr, Abul Shoatha, Muhammad bin Ishaq, and Hajjaj bin Artaah. It is also mentioned by the scholars of Qurtaba, including Muhammad bin Salaam al-Khisshni (d. 286 H), Faqih Asar, and Asbegh bin al-Habbab.
This view is accepted by Abu Hayyan al-Andalusi in his tafsir al-Nahr and by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim. [Ash-Shahadatul Zakaiyah fe Thana Al Aimma al Ibn Taymiyah, pp. 90–91]
He further added: “Ibn Taymiyah was a mujtahid, as the scholars of his time bear witness. Only a rigid and ignorant person (jahil) would go against this.” [Ash-Shahadatul Zakaiyah fe Thana Al Aimma al Ibn Taymiyah, p. 91]
2. Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah himself said:
الثالث: أنه محرم ولا يلزم منه إلا طلقة واحدة. وهذا القول منقول عن طائفة من السلف والخلف من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مثل الزبير بن العوام وعبد الرحمن بن عوف ويروى عن علي وابن مسعود وابن عباس القولان؛ وهو قول كثير من التابعين ومن بعدهم: مثل طاووس وخلاس بن عمرو؛ ومحمد بن إسحاق؛ وهو قول داود وأكثر أصحابه؛ ويروى ذلك عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين وابنه جعفر بن محمد ولهذا ذهب إلى ذلك من ذهب من الشيعة وهو قول بعض أصحاب أبي حنيفة ومالك وأحمد بن حنبل.
The third opinion is that triple talaq at once is forbidden, and only one talaq is counted. This view was transmitted from a group of the Salaf and later companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), such as Zubair bin al-Awwam and Abdul Rahman bin Awf, and it is narrated from Ali, Ibn Mas’ud, and Ibn Abbas. It is also reported from many of the Tabi‘een, including Tawus, Khallas bin Amr, and Muhammad bin Ishaq. It was also the opinion of Dawood and the majority of his companions. Additionally, it was narrated from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Husayn and his son Ja’far. Some of the Shia adopted this view, and it is also the opinion of certain followers of Abu Hanifa, Malik, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal. [Majmoo’ al-Fatawa, 8/33]
3. Ata bin Abi Rabah (RA) said:
إن طلقت امرأة ثلاثا ولم تجمع فإنما هي واحدة بلغني ذلك عن ابن عباس
Translation:
If a man divorces his wife three times and does not perform ruju, then it is only one divorce. This has reached us as the opinion of Ibn Abbas (RA). [Musannaf Abdul Razzaq, vol. 6, p. 335, no. 1106]
4. Fatwa of Tawus (Tabi‘i):
عن ابن شهاب، أن ابن عباس قال: ”إذا طلق الرجل امرأته ثلاثا، ولم يجمع كن ثلاثا“ قال: فأخبرت ذلك طاوسا قال: فأشهد ما كان ابن عباس يراهن إلا واحدة.
Ibn Shahab said that Ibn Abbas (RA) stated: “If a man divorces his wife three times and does not perform ruju, it will not count as three.” He (Ibn Shahab) reported this to Tawus, who said: “I bear witness that Ibn Abbas considered it only one.” [Musannaf Abdul Razzaq, vol. 6, p. 335, hadith no. 11077]
Another narration states:
والله ما كان بن عباس يجعلها إلا واحدة
Translation:
By Allah, Ibn Abbas (RA) considered it only one. [Musannaf Abdul Razzaq, vol. 6, p. 335, hadith no. 11078]
5. Fatwa of Ikrimah:
وَرَوَى حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِذَا قَالَ ”أَنْتِ طَالِقٌ ثَلاَثًا“ بِفَمٍ وَاحِدٍ فَهِيَ وَاحِدَةٌ وَرَوَاهُ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ هَذَا قَوْلُهُ لَمْ يَذْكُرِ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ وَجَعَلَهُ قَوْلَ عِكْرِمَةَ.
Hammad bin Zaid narrated from Ayyub from Ikrimah on the authority of Ibn Abbas: “If he says, ‘You are divorced three times’ in a single pronouncement, it counts as only one divorce.” Isma’il bin Ibrahim narrated from Ayyub from Ikrimah that this is Ikrimah’s statement; he did not mention Ibn Abbas by name. [Abu Dawud, 2197]
Thus, the fatwa of Ikrimah aligns with that of Ibn Abbas.
6. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani on Triple Talaq
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani mentioned that those who declare three talaqs at once, it counts as only one.
وهو قول محمد بن إسحاق صاحب المغازي، واحتج بما رواه عن داود بن الحصين عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس قال: ” طلق ركانة بن عبد يزيد امرأته ثلاثا في مجلس واحد، فحزن عليها حزنا شديدا، فسأله النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: كيف طلقتها؟ قال: ثلاثا في مجلس واحد. فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: إنما تلك واحدة، فارتجعها إن شئت. فارتجعها.”
وأخرجه أحمد وأبو يعلى وصححه من طريق محمد ابن إسحاق. وهذا الحديث نص في المسألة لا يقبل التأويل الذي في غيره من الروايات الآتي ذكرها.
This is the statement of Muhammad bin Ishaq, author of Al-Maghazi, who cited as evidence Dawood bin Husain from Ikrimah from Ibn Abbas (RA). He narrated that Rukanah bin Abd Yazeed divorced his wife three times in a single sitting. He became deeply saddened. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him, “How did you divorce her?” Rukanah replied, “Three times in one sitting.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Then it is only one talaq. If you wish, you may reconcile with your wife (ruju).” Rukanah then performed ruju.
Imam Ahmad and Abu Ya’la also narrated and authenticated this hadith through the chain of Muhammad bin Ishaq. This hadith is a clear text (nass) on the matter, and it does not allow for interpretation (ta’wil).
Then Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani added:
الرابع أنه مذهب شاذ فلا يعمل به، وأجيب بأنه نقل عن علي وابن مسعود وعبد الرحمن بن عوف والزبير مثله، نقل ذلك ابن مغيث في كتاب الوثائق له وعزاه لمحمد بن وضاح، ونقل الغنوي ذلك عن جماعة من مشايخ قرطبة كمحمد بن تقي بن مخلد ومحمد بن عبد السلام الخشني وغيرهما، ونقله ابن المنذر عن أصحاب ابن عباس كعطاء وطاوس وعمرو بن دينار. ويتعجب من ابن التين حيث جزم بأن لزوم الثلاث لا اختلاف فيه، وإنما الاختلاف في التحريم مع ثبوت الاختلاف كما ترى، ويقوي حديث ابن إسحاق المذكور ما أخرجه مسلم.
Fourthly, this view (that three talaqs count as one) is considered a rare (shadh) opinion and is not generally followed. However, it is reported from Ali, Ibn Mas’ud, Abdul Rahman bin Awf, and Zubair (RA), as Ibn Mugeeth notes in Kitab al-Watha’iq, attributing it to Muhammad bin Waddah. Al-Ghanawi also records it from scholars of Qurtuba, such as Muhammad bin Taqi bin Mukhallad, Muhammad bin Abdus Salam Al-Khashni, and others. Ibn al-Mundhir reports the same from companions of Ibn Abbas, like Ata, Tawus, and ‘Amr bin Dinar.
It is surprising that Ibn al-Tin asserted that there is no difference of opinion regarding the effect of triple talaq, and that the only difference is regarding its prohibition, whereas clearly a difference exists. The hadith of Ibn Ishaq is further corroborated by a narration in Sahih Muslim (Fath al-Bari, 9/369).
Ibn Hajar’s personal view differed, but he fairly acknowledged the opposing opinions.
7. Imam Abu Zaid Daboosi al-Hanafi (367–430 H)
In his book Al-Asrar, he states:
ثم من هؤلاء من قال: لو طلقها ثنتين أو ثلاثاً لا يقع إلا واحدة وهذا هو الأقيس
“There are those who say that if a person pronounces two or three divorces in a single sitting, only one takes effect. This view is more probable.”
[Tafsir Gharā’ib al-Qur’an by Imam Nasaburi, d. 850 H, under Surah al-Baqarah, Ayah 229]
8. Fakhr al-Din al-Razi on 2:229
: وهو اختيار كثير من علماء الدين، أنه لو طلقها اثنين أو ثلاثاً لا يقع إلا الواحدة، وهذا القول هو الأقيس، لأن النهي يدل على اشتمال المنهي عنه على مفسدة راجحة، والقول بالوقوع سعى في إدخال تلك المفسدة في الوجود وأنه غير جائز، فوجب أن يحكم بعدم الوقوع.
A large number of Islamic scholars maintained that even if divorce is pronounced two or three times in one sitting, only one takes effect. This view is more probable, because the prohibition indicates the harmful consequences of the act. Claiming that multiple divorces take effect introduces this harm into reality, which is not permissible. Therefore, it is obligatory to rule that only one divorce occurs.
Comment: Fakhr al-Din al-Razi lived a century before Ibn Taymiyyah. He stated that the majority of scholars maintained that even if divorce is pronounced two or three times, it counts as only one. His own view aligns with this majority opinion.
9. Imam Ibn Rushd al-Qurtubi (Maliki Jurist)
After quoting the differences of opinion and the relevant verse of the Qur’an, he said:
ولذلك ما نرى والله أعلم أن من ألزم الطلاق الثلاث في واحدة، فقد رفع الحكمة الموجودة في هذه السنة المشروعة.
“Therefore, we see — and Allah knows best — that whoever insists that three divorces in one sitting must be counted as three has negated the wisdom inherent in this legislated Sunnah.”
[Al-Bidāyah al-Mujtahid wa Ghayāt al-Maqāṣid, vol. 2, pp. 61–63]
Shaykh Ibn Bāz also said:
“This is also my view, because it follows all the textual evidence and because it is more merciful and kind to the Muslims.”
[Fatāwā Islāmiyyah, vol. 3, pp. 281–282]
10. Fatwa of Imam Ibn Kathīr
Ibn Qāḍī Shuhbah, in his Ṭabaqāt al-Shāfi‘īyah, wrote:
كانت له خصوصية بابن تيمية ومناضلة عنه واتباع له في كثير من آرائه وكان يفتي برأيه في مسألة الطلاق وامتحن بسبب ذلك وأوذي
“Ibn Kathīr had a special connection with Ibn Taymiyyah; he defended him and followed many of his views. He issued legal verdicts according to his understanding regarding talaq, and because of this, he was tested and faced hardship.”
[Also mentioned by Dr. Muhammad Ḥusayn Dhahabī (rahimahullāh) in Al-Tafsīr wal-Mufassirūn, Jamā‘ah al-Azhar]
11. Imam Abū Ḥayān al-Andalusī
He said:
وما زال يختلج في خاطري أنه لو قال: أنتِ طالق مرتين أو ثلاثاً، أنه لا يقع إلاَّ واحدة
“It always comes to my heart that if a man pronounces two or three divorces to his wife, it will not count except as one divorce.”
[In his commentary on the Qur’an, under Ayah 229 of Surah al-Baqarah]
The Scholars of Al-Azhar
12. Shaykh Sayyid Sabiq (Al-Azhari Scholar)
In his book Fiqh as-Sunnah, Shaykh Sayyid Sabiq presented both views on triple divorce in one sitting. He then quoted the evidence for those who hold the view that “Three divorces will count as only one.” He wrote:
“They quote the following hadith in support of their view: Ibn ʿAbbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the pronouncement of three divorces during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and during the first two years of the caliphate of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) was treated as a single divorce. However, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘Verily, the people have begun to hasten in matters in which they are required to observe respite. If we had imposed upon them that the divorce pronounced three times in succession should be treated as irrevocable, it would have deterred them from doing so.’ Therefore, he regarded it as a single divorce. This latter view is considered the most correct.”
[Fiqh as-Sunnah]
13. Shaykh Mahmoud Shaltut (1310–1383 AH, Egyptian Azhari Scholar)
Shaykh Mahmoud Shaltut, who taught at Jāmiʿah al-Azhar for six years, said regarding triple divorce in one sitting:
الطلاق الثلاث لا يقع الا واحدة رجعية و يرد الرجل زوجه بكلمة الرجعة او بالمخالطة الخاصة
“These three divorces will count as only one Rajʿī divorce (where the husband may take his wife back). It is the right of the husband to take his wife back either by the word of return (rujūʿ) or through private cohabitation.”
[Fatawa, p. 306; quoted from al-Bayān al-Muḥkam, p. 56]
14. Abul Najam Muhammad bin al-Qāsim bin Hibatullah (d. 624 AH, Shāfiʿī Faqīh)
Ibn Kathīr wrote:
لفقيه الشافعي، تفقه على أبي القاسم بن فضلان، ثم أعاد بالنظامية ودرس بغيرها، وكان يشتغل كل يوم عشرين درسا، ليس له دأب إلا الاشتغال وتلاوة القرآن ليلا ونهارا.وكان بارعا كثير العلوم، قد أتقن المذهب والخلاف، وكان يفتي في مسألة الطلاق الثلاث بواحدة فتغيظ عليه قاضي القضاة أبو القاسم عبد الله بن الحسين الدامغاني، فلم يسمع منه ثم أخرج إلى تكريت فأقام بها، ثم استدعى إلى بغداد، فعاد إلى الاشتغال وأعاده قاضي القضاة نصر بن عبد الرزاق إلى إعادته بالنظامية، وعاد إلى ما كان عليه من الاشتغال والفتوى والوجاهة إلى أن توفي في هذه السنة رحمه الله تعالى. وهذا ذكره ابن الساعي.
He was a Shāfiʿī jurist who studied fiqh under Abul Qāsim bin Fadhlān, then further studied and taught at al-Nizāmiyya and other schools. He used to give twenty lessons every day, dedicating himself entirely to teaching and reciting the Qur’an, day and night. He was highly knowledgeable in many sciences and well-versed in the Madhhab and scholarly disagreements.
He used to issue fatwas that in the matter of three divorces in one sitting, only one divorce occurs. This angered the Chief Qāḍī, Abul Qāsim ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Ḥusayn al-Dāmighānī, and he initially did not listen to him. He was then sent to Tikrit, where he stayed for a time, before being called back to Baghdad. There, he resumed teaching, and the Chief Qāḍī Nasr ibn ʿAbd al-Razzāq reinstated him at al-Nizāmiyya. He continued his work of teaching, issuing fatwas, and maintaining scholarly authority until he passed away that year, may Allah have mercy on him.
[Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, vol. 13, under the biography of Abul Najam Muhammad bin al-Qāsim]
He was asked regarding three talaqs in one sitting, and he replied:
“In this situation, three talaqs will occur, and without a Tehleel nikah it is not correct according to the Ḥanafīs. But if it is necessary, and it is difficult for him to be away from his wife, and there is fear of sin, then there is no harm in following the fatwa of any other Imām. For example, the Ḥanafīs allow, in cases of necessity, following the opinion of Mālik on the issue of the ʿiddah of a lost husband’s wife. Details about this can be found in Radd al-Mukhtār. However, it is better for him to discuss the matter with a Shāʿfiʿī ʿĀlim and act according to his fatwa.”
[Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, vol. 2, pp. 53–54; quoted in Irshād al-Haq ath-Tharīʿ, Maslak Aḥnāf, by Mawlānā Abdul Hai, rahimahullāh]
Some of the Ḥanābilah said that this is the Madhhab of Aḥmad. He told some of his companions:
“Do not impose your opinion on others; let people follow the different madhāhib as they wish.”
When he (Aḥmad) was asked regarding the issue of divorce, he said:
“It will count.”
It was asked: “If someone gives a fatwa that it will not count, is that allowed?”
He replied: “Yes, it is also allowed.”
He also guided them regarding the matter in Rasāfah to the people of Madīnah. When asked: “If they give a fatwa allowing it, is it allowed?” he said: “Yes.”
[Al-Bahr al-Muḥīṭ, vol. 6, p. 319]
”الطلاق الثلاث واحدة، كما صحت به السنة، واجتمعت عليه الصحابة في زمن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وخلافة أبي بكر، وبعض خلافة عمر“
“Three divorces count as one, as this has been established by the Sunnah. The Companions were united upon this view during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, during the caliphate of Abū Bakr, and during the early part of the caliphate of ʿUmar.”
Reference:
Sīr al-Ḥāth ilā ʿIlm al-Ṭalāq al-Thalāth, p. 466
Scholars Defending the Fatwa of Ibn Taymiyah on Divorce (i.e., Three Equals One in One Sitting)
17. Shaykh al-Islam Ṣāliḥ ibn ʿUmar Sīrāj al-Dīn al-Bulqīnī
He said:
وانتصب للرد عليه الشيخ تقي الدين السبكي في مسألتي الزيارة والطلاق، وأفرد كلاً منهما بتصنيف، وليس في ذلك ما يقتضي كفره ولا زندقته أصلاً، وكل أحد يؤخذ من قوله ويترك إلا صاحب هذا القبر- يعني النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم – والسعيد من عدت غلطاته، وانحصرت سقطاته، ثم إن الظن بالشيخ تقي الدين أنه لم يصدر منه ذلك تهوراً وعدواناً- حاش لله- بل نعله لرأي رآه وأقام عليه برهاناً،
Then Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn al-Subkī began to refute him on the issues of Ziyārah and Divorce and wrote separate books on each. There is nothing in these matters that would make him liable for disbelief or heresy. We take and leave the opinions of everyone except the Prophet ﷺ. It should not be assumed that Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn acted out of carelessness or aggression may Allah protect us! Rather, he acted according to a view he saw and supported with evidence.
[al-Radd al-Wafīr, Ibn Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Dimashqī, p. 249; Ghayat al-Amānī fī Radd al-Nabhānī 2/161–164]
18. Imam Murʾī ibn Yūsuf al-Karmī (d. 1033 H)
He said:
Ibn Taymiyah رحمه الله said: “If a divorce is given three times at once, then it is counted as one divorce.” He is not alone in this opinion. It is also narrated from ʿAlī, Zubayr, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, Ibn Masʿūd, Ibn ʿAbbās, ʿAṭā, Tawus, ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, Abū al-Shawthā, Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, Hajjāj ibn Artāʿ, scholars of Qartaba, and others such as Muḥammad ibn Sallām al-Khishnī (d. 286 H), Asbegh ibn al-Ḥabbāb. This is accepted by Abū Ḥayān al-Andalusī in his Tafsīr al-Nahr and by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim.
[ash-Shahādāt al-Zakāyah fī Thanāʾ al-Aʾimmah al-Ibn Taymiyah, pp. 90–91]
He also stated:
Ibn Taymiyah was a Mujtahid, as testified by the scholars of his time. Only a rigid and ignorant person would oppose him.
[ash-Shahādāt al-Zakāyah fī Thanāʾ al-Aʾimmah al-Ibn Taymiyah, p. 91]
19. Imam al-ʿAynī (Ḥanafī)
He said:
ولم يكن بحثه فيما صدر عنه في مسألة الزيارة والطلاق إلا عن اجتهاد سائغ بالاتفاق، والمجتهد في الحالين مأجور مثاب، وليس فيه شيء مما يلام أو يعاب، ولكن حملهم على ذلك حسدهم الظاهر، وكيدهم الباهر، وكفى للحاسد ذماً آخر سورة الفلق، في احتراقاته بالقلق،
Whatever he said regarding the issues of Ziyārah and Talaq was based on valid Ijtihād. A Mujtahid is rewarded whether right or wrong, and there is nothing blameworthy in these matters. Envious people tried to tarnish his name, but the last verse of Surah al-Falaq is sufficient to counter them—they burn with anxiety and envy.
[Taqrīz al-ʿAynī on Radd al-Wafīr, Ghayat al-Amānī 2/157]
Al-ʿAynī on the Haters of Ibn Taymiyyah
Al-ʿAynī said:
وليس هو إلا كالجعل باشتمام الورد يموت حتف أنفه
“He is like an insect in the dirt that dies when it smells a flower.”
(Al-ʿAynī’s introduction to Al-Radd al-Wafīr by Ibn Naṣīr al-Dīn Dimashqī; also in al-Risālah al-Zakiyyah fī Thanāʾ al-Aʾimmah ʿalā Ibn Taymiyyah by Murʾī bin Yūsuf Hanbālī; Ghayat al-Amānī by Shukrī al-ʿAlūsī, vol. 2)
He not only defended and praised Ibn Taymiyyah but also wrote a full commentary on his work, titled “al-ʿIlm al-Hayb fī Sharḥ al-Kalim al-Ṭayyib”, in which he stated on page 32:
الإمام العالم العلامة الاوحد الرحلة الفهامة شيخ الاسلام والمسلمين: تقي الدين أحمد بن عبد الحليم بن تيمية الحرانى تغمده الله برحمته واسكنه بحبوح جنته وحين وقع نظرهم عليه انكبوا بالالتفات اليه
“The Imam, the Scholar, the Allāmah, the Learned Shaykh al-Islām of the Muslims, Taqī ad-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʿAbdul-Ḥalīm Ibn Taymiyyah al-Ḥarrānī may Allah have mercy on him and grant him the highest place in Jannah. When people saw him, they turned to him with full attention.”
Al-ʿAynī also said:
فمن قال هو كافر فهو كافر حقيق، ومن نسبه إلى الزندقة فهو زنديق، وكيف يكون ذلك وقد سارت تصانيفه إلى الآفاق، وليس فيها شيء مما يدل على الزيغ والشقاق
“Whoever says Ibn Taymiyyah is a kaafir, then he is truly a kaafir, and whoever accuses him of heresy is himself a heretic. How is this possible when his works have spread far and wide and contain nothing that indicates deviation or dissension?”
[Taqrīz al-ʿAynī on Radd al-Wafīr, Ghayat al-Amānī 2/157]
Al-ʿAynī Hanafi Praising the Aqeedah of Ibn Taymiyyah
After quoting Ibn Taymiyyah’s aqeedah regarding Allah Subḥānahu wa Taʿālā, he said:
فهذا الإمام كما رأيت عقيدته وكاشفت سريرته، فمن كان على هذه العقيدة كيف ينسب إلى الحلول والاتحاد والتجسيم، أو ما يذهب إليه أهل الإلحاد
“This is the aqeedah of the Imam (Ibn Taymiyyah) as you have seen and understood. How can anyone attribute to a person holding this aqeedah the beliefs of hulool (incarnation), itteḥād (union), tajsīm (anthropomorphism), or anything followed by the people of heresy?”
[Taqrīz al-ʿAynī Hanafi on Radd al-Wafīr, Ghayat al-Amānī 2/160]
20. Imam Abū al-Muzaffar Yūsuf ibn Muḥammad (696–776 H)
He said regarding al-Subkī:
لو كان حياً يرى قولي ويفهمه … رددت ما قال أقفو أثر سبسبه كما رددت عليه في الطلاق وفي … ترك الزيارة رداً غير مشتبه
If he were alive, he would see and understand my refutation, as I refuted him on the issues of divorce and grave visitation.
[al-Wāfī bi-l-Wafayāt 21/172]
He also wrote:
الحمية الإسلامية في الإنتصار لمذهب ابن تيمية
…in defense of Ibn Taymiyah, refuting al-Subkī. He used poetic imagery to illustrate the courage of Ibn Taymiyah:
لكن إذا الأسد الضرغام غاب عن الـ … ـعرين تسمع فيه ضج ثعلبه
كذا الجبان خلا في البر صاح ألا … مبارزٌ وتغالى في توثبه
But when the powerful lion (Ibn Taymiyah) is absent, the fox (al-Subkī) makes noise. The coward seeks opposition when there is no one in the arena.
[Ghayat al-Amānī 1/430, quoted by Maḥmūd al-ʿAlūsī]
21. Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī
He said:
الرابع أنه مذهب شاذ فلا يعمل به، وأجيب بأنه نقل عن علي وابن مسعود وعبد الرحمن بن عوف والزبير مثله، نقل ذلك ابن مغيث في ” كتاب الوثائق ” له وعزاه لمحمد بن وضاح، ونقل الغنوي ذلك عن جماعة من مشايخ قرطبة كمحمد بن تقي بن مخلد ومحمد بن عبد السلام الخشني وغيرهما، ونقله ابن المنذر عن أصحاب ابن عباس كعطاء وطاوس وعمرو بن دينار.
ويتعجب من ابن التين حيث جزم بأن لزوم الثلاث لا اختلاف فيه ، وإنما الاختلاف في التحريم مع ثبوت الاختلاف كما ترى ، ويقوي حديث ابن إسحاق المذكور ما أخرجه مسلم
Fourthly, this opinion (three divorces counting as one) is an unusual view and not generally followed. However, it is reported from ʿAlī, Ibn Masʿūd, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, Zubayr, and others, including scholars of Qartaba and Companions like Ibn ʿAbbās, ʿAṭā, Tawus, and ʿAmr ibn Dīnār. Ibn Taymiyah asserted it firmly, but the difference is on prohibition, not on validity, as confirmed by the hadith of Ibn Isḥāq and Muslim.
He also clarified that, like Mutʿah, the issue of triple divorce became explicitly prohibited during the era of ʿUmar RA when all Companions agreed it was haram.
22. Qāḍī Shawkānī on Abrogation
وَيُجَابُ بِأَنَّ النَّسْخَ إنْ كَانَ بِدَلِيلٍ مِنْ كِتَابٍ أَوْ سُنَّةٍ فَمَا هُوَ ؟ وَإِنْ كَانَ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ فَأَيْنَ هُوَ ؟ عَلَى أَنَّهُ يَبْعُدُ أَنْ يَسْتَمِرَّ النَّاسُ أَيَّامَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَبَعْضَ أَيَّامِ عُمَرَ عَلَى أَمْرٍ مَنْسُوخٍ وَإِنْ كَانَ النَّاسِخُ قَوْلَ عُمَرَ الْمَذْكُورَ فَحَاشَاهُ أَنْ يَنْسَخَ سُنَّةً ثَابِتَةً بِمَحْضِ رَأْيِهِ ، وَحَاشَا أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُجِيبُوهُ إلَى ذَلِكَ .
Regarding abrogation, if it were based on evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah, where is that evidence? And if based on Ijmaʿ, where is the proven consensus? It is absurd that people practiced it during the times of Abū Bakr RA and early ʿUmar RA if it had been abrogated. Even if Umar RA’s opinion were considered, he could not abrogate a proven Sunnah based on his own view.
[Nayl al-Awtār 10/256]
23. ad-Dhahabī
وأوذي رحمه الله في ذات الله تعالى من قبل المخالفين، وأخيف في نصرة السنة المحضة، حتى سار على منارة، وعلى وضوح، ولكن الله جمع له قلوب أهل التقوى، وجمعهم على محبته، والدعاء له، وكبت الله أعداءه،
He was harmed by opponents in his path to Allah, threatened for supporting the pure Sunnah, but Allah elevated his status, united the hearts of the pious in love and supplication for him, and crushed his enemies.
[Dhayl Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanābilah 4/496–497, via Ibn Rajab; Abu Zahra, Ḥayāt Shaykh al-Islām, p. 777]
Those Who Loved Ibn Taymiyyah Were Bullied
Those who loved Ibn Taymiyyah, whether his students or not, faced persecution and opposition.
24. Shaykh Kamal al-Din ibn al-Zamalkani
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A fierce debater, Ibn Zamalkani wrote refutations against Ibn Taymiyyah and debated him.
Ibn Kathir mentioned:
فتناظرا في ذلك وشكر الناس من فضائل الشيخ كمال الدين بن الزملكاني وجودة ذهنه وحسن بحثه حيث قاوم ابن تيمية في البحث وتكلم معه ثم انفصل الحال على قبول العقيدة وعاد الشيخ إلى منزله معظما مكرما
“They debated the matter. People praised the merits of Shaykh Kamal al-Din ibn al-Zamalkani, his sharp intellect, and his excellent argumentation, for he had debated Ibn Taymiyyah and argued with him. Yet, the outcome concluded with him accepting the creed. The Shaykh then returned to his home, held in high esteem and honor.”
[Al-Bidaya wal Nihaya 14/52]
Ibn Rajab mentioned:
وقع الإتفاق بعد ذلك على أن هذه عقيدة سنية سلفية
“They agreed that this is the Sunni and Salafi Aqeedah.”
[Dhayl Ṭabaqāt al-Ḥanābilah 4/396]
Ibn Abdul Hadi said:
وقد أظهر الله من قيام الحجة ما أعز به أهل السنة وانصرف الشيخ تقي الدين إلى منزله
“Allah gave victory and honored Ahlus-Sunnah through the evidences, and Shaykh Taqi al-Din departed to his home.”
[al-ʿUqud ad-Durriyah, Ghayat al-Amānī 2/232]
Threat to Shaykh Kamal al-Din:
ووصل مع البريدي أيضا كتاب فيه طلب الشيخ كمال الدين بن الزملكاني إلى القاهرة، فتوهم من ذلك وخاف أصحابه عليه سبب انتسابه إلى الشيخ تقي الدين بن تيمية، فتلطف به نائب السلطنة، ودارى عنه حتى أعفي من الحضور إلى مصر، ولله الحمد.
“A letter arrived summoning Shaykh Kamal al-Din ibn al-Zamalkani to Cairo. This caused him anxiety, and his companions feared for him due to his association with Shaykh Taqi al-Din ibn Taymiyyah. The Sultan’s deputy intervened diplomatically, and he was ultimately excused from appearing in Egypt. Praise be to Allah.”
[Al-Bidaya wal Nihaya 14/57]
Later, he was forcefully removed from his post:
وفي آخر ربيع الأول عزل الشيخ كمال الدين بن الزملكاني عن نظر المارستان بسبب انتمائه إلى ابن تيمية بإشارة المنبجي
“At the end of Rabi’ al-Awwal, Shaykh Kamal al-Din ibn al-Zamalkani was removed from his position as administrator of the hospital due to his affiliation with Ibn Taymiyyah, upon the suggestion of Al-Manbaji.”
[Al-Bidaya wal Nihaya 14/67]
25. Ibn Qadi Shuhba said about Ibn Kathir
كانت له خصوصية بابن تيميّة ومناضلة عنه واتباع له في كثير من آرائه، وكان يفتي برأيه في مسألة الطلاق، وامتحن بسبب ذلك وأوذي. وتوفي في شعبان ودفن بمقبرة الصّوفية عند شيخه ابن تيميّة انتهى.
“He had a special connection with Ibn Taymiyyah, defended him, and followed him in many of his opinions. He issued legal rulings based on his view on divorce, and because of this he was tested and harmed. He died in Sha’ban and was buried in the Cemetery of al-Sufiyyah near his teacher, Ibn Taymiyyah.”
[Shadharat al-Dhahab 8/399]
26. Shihab al-Din ibn Mar’i al-Ba’labakki
وفيها: منع شهاب الدين بن مري البعلبكي من الكلام على الناس بمصر، على طريقة الشيخ تقي الدين بن تيمية، وعزره القاضي المالكي بسبب الاستغاثة، وحضر المذكور بين يدي السلطان وأثنى عليه جماعة من الأمراء، ثم سفر إلى الشام بأهله فنزل ببلاد الخليل، ثم انتزح إلى بلاد الشرق وأقام بسنجار وماردين ومعاملتهما يتكلم ويعظ الناس إلى أن مات رحمه الله كما سنذكره.
“Shihab al-Din ibn Mar’i al-Ba’labakki was prohibited from addressing the people in Egypt according to the methodology of Shaykh Taqi al-Din ibn Taymiyyah. The Maliki judge punished him concerning al-istighathah. He was brought before the Sultan and praised by several commanders. He then traveled to Syria with his family, resided in Hebron, later moved east to Sinjar and Mardin, where he preached until his death. May Allah have mercy on him.”
[Al-Bidaya wal Nihaya 14/139]
27. Imam Yusuf bin Majid al-Mardawi (Ḥanbali)
صحب المصنف شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمهما اللَّه، وتأثر به، فكان كثير الاعتناء بالنظر في كلامه، وينصر مسائله الأصولية، مثابرًا على فتواه في الطلاق وكذا في عدة مسائل، وسجن بسبب ذلك ولا يرجع عن قوله، حتى أنه بلغه أن الشيخ شهاب الدين بن المصري يحُط في درسه على شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية في الجامع، فجاء إليه وضربه بيده وأهانه
“The author (al-Mardawi) accompanied Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and was profoundly influenced by him. He studied his writings carefully, defended his foundational legal rulings, and persisted in following his fatwa on divorce and other matters. He was imprisoned for this but never recanted. Once he heard that Shaykh Shihab al-Din ibn al-Masri disparaged Ibn Taymiyyah in his lesson at the mosque, he confronted him, struck him, and rebuked him.”
[Kitab al-Muqarrar 1/7]
28. Student of Ibn Rajab, Teacher of Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Ibn al-Mansafi
وحصلت له محنة بسبب مسألة الطّلاق المنسوبة إلى ابن تيميّة، ولم يرجع عن اعتقاده، وكان خيّرا، ديّنا. قاله ابن حجر. وقال: سمعت منه شيئا. ومات في شعبان بعد أن عوقب، واستمرّ متألما. انتهى
“He faced an ordeal because of the divorce issue attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah, and did not recant his belief. He was virtuous and devout. Ibn Hajar said this and added, ‘I heard some [hadith] from him.’ He died in Sha’ban after being punished and remained in a state of suffering.”
[Shadharat al-Dhahab 9/58]