Abu Hamid al-Maqdisi
- Died
- 896 AH
- Born in
- Egypt
Abu Hamid al-Maqdisi (d. 893 AH / 1488 CE) was an Egyptian-born Shafi'i scholar who settled in Jerusalem, best known for his treatise on political ethics and social counsel, Bazl al-nasaih al-shar'iyya .
Identity and Life
Biographical and bibliographical sources record his full name as Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Misri thumma al-Maqdisi al-Shafi'i . A variant record identifies his father's name as Abd Allah and designates him with the title Muhibb al-Din . He was originally from Egypt and subsequently resided in Jerusalem, affiliating in jurisprudence with the Shafi'i madhhab .
Accounts differ regarding the date of his death: standard biographical dictionaries place it in 893 AH (1488 CE), while an earlier variant entry dates his death to around 868 AH .
Scholarly Contribution
Al-Maqdisi's primary contribution lies in the literature of Islamic governance, administrative duties, and religious admonition . His best-known work, Bazl al-nasaih al-shar'iyya fima 'ala al-sultan wa-wulat al-umur wa-sa'ir al-ra'iyya ("Offering Lawful Counsels Concerning the Duties of the Ruler, Governors, and Subjects"), was composed around the Prophetic hadith الدين النصيحة ("Religion is sincere counsel") . In this treatise, which he arranged into an introduction, five chapters, and a conclusion, he detailed the religious, moral, and legal responsibilities incumbent upon rulers, judges, scholars, market inspectors (muhtasibun), merchants, and craftsmen . Although some later bibliographers mistakenly attributed the work to the earlier Egyptian jurist Ibn al-Rif'ah, historical catalogers confirm its authorship by al-Maqdisi .
Among his other writings are Bushra bi-husul al-ajr al-matin wa-al-nasr al-mubin fi tasliyat al-hazin, an ethical treatise on spiritual consolation, and Tashnif al-asma' fi talkhis al-imta', an abridgment of earlier historical or literary material .
Answer updated
List of Works
Bazl al-Nasaih al-Shariyya fima ala al-Sultan wa Wulat al-Umur wa sair al-Raiyya (Offering Lawful Counsels Concerning the Duties of the Ruler, Governors, and Subjects) is a treatise on Islamic governance, administrative duties, and social ethics. Structured around the Prophetic hadith describing religion as sincere counsel, the work outlines the religious, moral, and legal obligations binding upon every segment of Islamic society, from the ruler down to common tradesmen.