al-Aqfahasi
- Died
- 808 AH
- Born in
- -
Ahmad ibn Imad al-Aqfahasi (b. before 750–808 AH / c. 1349–1405 CE), also known as Ibn al-Imad al-Aqfahasi, was an Egyptian Shafi'i jurist and legal scholar based in Cairo .
Early Life and Education
Shihab al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Imad al-Din ibn Muhammad ibn Yusuf—also recorded as Ahmad ibn Imad ibn Yusuf ibn Abd al-Nabi—was born before 750 AH . His nisba traces back to the town of Aqfahas in the province of al-Bahnasa in Upper Egypt, though he settled and spent his scholarly career in Cairo .
Al-Aqfahasi pursued his training in Islamic jurisprudence, Arabic grammar, and legal theory under prominent scholars of his era . He studied extensively under Jamal al-Din al-Isnawi, reading portions of al-Isnawi's al-Muhimmat up to the chapter on felonies, as well as his work on the legal rulings of hermaphrodites . He studied Hanafi legal theory by reading the commentary on al-Bazdawi under Shams al-Din Ibn al-Sa'igh . He also attended the learning circles of Siraj al-Din al-Bulqini and Zayn al-Din al-'Iraqi, engaged in scholarly discussions in their presence, and received hadith narration from Abd Allah ibn Ala' al-Din al-Bakharzi .
Scholarly Career and Students
Al-Aqfahasi taught at several madrasas in Cairo and was active in issuing legal opinions (fatwas) . He composed numerous didactic treatises and commentaries in both prose and verse across various branches of jurisprudence, including Tashil al-Maqasid li-Zuwwar al-Masajid (Facilitating the Objectives for Visitors of Mosques) and al-Qawl al-Tamm fi Ahkam al-Ma'mum wa-al-Imam (The Complete Discourse on the Rulings of the Follower and the Imam) .
A number of notable scholars studied under him or transmitted from him. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani attended his gatherings, listened directly to his legal benefits, and heard him recite a panegyric poem in praise of al-Bulqini . Burhan al-Din Ibn al-Ajami, the hadith scholar of Aleppo, wrote down narrations from him, and Shams al-Din Ibn al-Misri also transmitted on his authority .
Standing, Critiques, and Death
Al-Aqfahasi was recognized among the leading Shafi'i jurists of his time . Ibn Hajar described him as an erudite authority with vast erudition, prolific authorship, and refined character, noting that he had a slight impediment in his speech . Ibn al-Ajami praised him as a virtuous scholar who retained extensive legal information across various disciplines .
A central point of controversy in his scholarship arose from his substantial critical gloss, al-Ta'aqqubat 'ala al-Muhimmat (Critiques on al-Muhimmat), written against the work of his teacher Jamal al-Din al-Isnawi . In this commentary, al-Aqfahasi frequently accused al-Isnawi of error and occasionally utilized harsh phrasing, attributing misunderstandings and flawed conception to his teacher . Later scholars evaluated this sharpness by noting that he may have intended to direct readers' attention to genuine oversights, as scholars might otherwise have deferred uncritically to al-Isnawi's high standing .
Al-Aqfahasi died in Cairo in one of the two months of Jumada in 808 AH (1405 CE) .
Answer updated
List of Works
Adab al-Akl (The Etiquette of Eating), also referred to as Risālah fī Ādāb al-Akl or Ādāb al-Ṭaʿām, is a treatise on Islamic dining manners and mealtime legal rulings. Structured as a didactic poem accompanied by prose commentary and legal explanations, the work systematically examines the etiquette and regulations surrounding the consumption of food and beverages.