Badr al-Din al-Ayni

Badr al-Din al-Ayni (762–855 AH / 1361–1451 CE) was a Hanafi jurist, hadith scholar, and historian based in Mamluk Cairo Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud lil…+1. He served as the chief Hanafi judge of Egypt and is widely known for his multi-volume commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, Umdat al-Qari, and his expansive universal chronicle, Iqd al-Juman fi Tarikh Ahl al-Zaman Mujam al-Muallifin+1.

Early Life and Education

He was Abu Muhammad—and Abu al-Thana'—Mahmud ibn Ahmad ibn Musa ibn Ahmad ibn Husayn ibn Yusuf ibn Mahmud al-Ayntabi al-Halabi al-Qahiri Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud lil…+1. His family originated from Aleppo, and his father, Shihab al-Din Ahmad, served as a judge in Ayntab (modern Gaziantep), where al-Ayni was born in the Darb Kaykin quarter Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud lil…+1. Sources give conflicting dates for his birth in Ramadan 762 AH: al-Ayni recorded it in his own hand as 26 Ramadan, another report from him places it on 17 Ramadan, and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani recorded from him that he was born in the middle of Ramadan Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud lil…+1.

Al-Ayni was raised in Ayntab, memorized the Quran in his youth, and studied Islamic jurisprudence under his father, later serving as his deputy judge Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud lil…+1. Following his father's death in 784 AH, he pursued further studies across various cities, traveling to Aleppo in 783 AH, as well as to Behisni, Kakhta, and Malatya Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud lil…+1. In 788 AH, he visited Jerusalem, where he met Ala' al-Din al-Sirami, the head of the Zahiriyya Madrasa in Cairo, who brought him to Cairo and appointed him among its resident Sufis Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1. He also traveled to Damascus and performed the pilgrimage to Mecca al-Khitat al-Tawfiqiyya a…+1.

Among his prominent teachers were Jamal al-Din Yusuf al-Malti in Aleppo, Jibril ibn Salih al-Baghdadi, Zayn al-Din al-Iraqi, Siraj al-Din al-Bulqini, and Nur al-Din al-Haythami Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud lil…+1.

Public Career and Imperial Service

After settling in Cairo, al-Ayni established ties with leading Mamluk amirs and successive sultans, benefiting from his fluency in both Arabic and Turkish Mujam al-Muallifin+1. In 801 AH, he was appointed inspector of markets (muhtasib) of Cairo, replacing the historian Taqi al-Din al-Maqrizi, initiating a prolonged professional rivalry between the two al-Khitat al-Tawfiqiyya a…+1. He was dismissed and reinstated to the office multiple times over the subsequent decades al-Khitat al-Tawfiqiyya a…+1. He was also appointed supervisor of pious endowments (nazir al-ahbas), and taught hadith at the Mu'ayyadiyya Madrasa and jurisprudence at the Mahmudiyya Madrasa Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1.

Al-Ayni reached the peak of his political influence during the reign of Sultan al-Ashraf Barsbay (r. 825–841 AH), becoming his close advisor, table companion, and tutor Aqd al-Juman fi Tarikh Ah…+1. He read historical works to the sultan in Arabic and translated and explained them in Turkish, and answered his inquiries regarding religious doctrine and worship; Barsbay reportedly remarked that had it not been for al-Ayni, their Islam would have been deficient Nukhab al-Afkar fi Tanqih…+1. Barsbay appointed him chief Hanafi judge of Egypt in 829 AH, and although he was briefly removed in 833 AH, he was restored to the judgeship in 835 AH, holding the posts of chief judge, inspector of markets, and supervisor of endowments simultaneously Aqd al-Juman fi Tarikh Ah…+1.

In 842 AH, under Sultan Jaqmaq, al-Ayni was dismissed from the chief judgeship and replaced by Sa'd al-Din ibn al-Dayri, whereupon he retired to his home and devoted his remaining years to teaching, research, and writing al-Maqasid al-Nahwiyya fi…+1.

Scholarly Standing and Reception

Al-Ayni was described as short in stature, dark-complexioned, with a flowing beard al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar…. Contemporaries and later biographers recognized him as one of the foremost scholars of his generation. His student, the historian Ibn Taghribirdi, lauded him as the unique authority of his time and the pillar of historians Aqd al-Juman fi Tarikh Ah…+1. Al-Sakhawi noted his mastery in grammar, morphology, lexicography, and history, remarking that he produced more works than almost anyone of his era other than Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, and concluded that no one quite like him was left behind after his death al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar…+1. Students from all legal schools studied under him Aqd al-Juman fi Tarikh Ah….

Alongside his hadith and historical treatises, his legal scholarship included al-Binaya Sharh al-Hidaya, an extensive commentary on al-Marghinani's standard Hanafi manual al-Masbuk ala Minhat al-S…+1. His career was marked by vigorous intellectual competition with contemporaries, particularly Ibn Hajar, with whom he engaged in critical exchanges over their respective commentaries on Sahih al-Bukhari, and al-Maqrizi, arising from their overlapping roles in market supervision and administrative office Aqd al-Juman fi Tarikh Ah…+1.

Death

Al-Ayni died on the night of Tuesday, 4 Dhu al-Hijjah 855 AH (late December 1451 CE) in Cairo al-Mawsua al-Tarikhiyya+1. His funeral prayer was performed the following day at al-Azhar Mosque, led by al-Munawi, and he was buried in the madrasa he had founded opposite his residence near al-Azhar al-Mawsua al-Tarikhiyya+1.