Sharh Lamiyat Ibn Taymiyya
- Author died
- 1446 AH
- Editions
- Sharh Lamiyat Ibn Taymiyya
Sharh Lamiyat Ibn Taymiyya (Commentary on the L-Rhyming Ode of Ibn Taymiyya) is an explanatory work on Sunni theology by the Saudi scholar Umar ibn Su'ud al-Eid (d. 1446 AH / 2024 CE), originally delivered as a series of recorded educational lectures and subsequently transcribed into written form . The book provides an exposition of the short pedagogical poem al-Lamiyya, an ode rhymed in the letter lam consisting of fifteen or sixteen verses traditionally attributed to Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728 AH / 1328 CE) summarizing foundational tenets of Islamic creed .
Context and Authorship
The text centers on al-Qasida al-Lamiyya, a didactic creedal poem composed in response to an inquiry addressed to the author regarding his personal doctrine and theological school . In his introductory discussions, al-Eid addresses the historical attribution of the ode, noting that its transmission and attribution to Ibn Taymiyya are widely cited by numerous scholars, including Nu'man al-Alusi in Jala' al-'Aynayn, Muhammad Khalil Harras, and Muhammad al-Shaybani, while also noting that Ahmad ibn Ali al-Mirdawi discussed its attribution in his commentary .
Structure and Method
Al-Eid frames the work as an introductory course designed to anchor students of knowledge in fundamental creedal principles and proper study methodology . His pedagogical approach combines:
- Introductory orientations: Exhortations regarding the virtue of seeking knowledge, study etiquette, and the necessity of studying foundational primers before advancing to comprehensive treatises .
- Biographical overview: A biographical summary of Ibn Taymiyya's upbringing, scholastic pursuit, teaching, and doctrinal stances .
- Textual and conceptual analysis: A verse-by-verse parsing of the poem's expressions (hall al-'ibarat), followed by discussions of the theological tenets raised in each line and guidance toward complementary reference works for each topic .
Doctrinal Themes
The commentary systematically covers the core issues outlined in the poem according to the theology of the Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a:
- The Companions and Ahl al-Bayt: Affirming love for all the Prophet's Companions (Sahaba), acknowledging the superiority of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, and seeking closeness to God through affection for the Prophet's family (Ahl al-Bayt) .
- The Quran and Speech of God: Asserting that the Quran is the uncreated, revealed Word of God in letter and meaning, and rejecting theological views that describe it as created or as non-verbal internal speech (kalam nafsi) .
- Divine Names and Attributes: Affirming God's attributes as reported in textual revelation without figurative reinterpretation (ta'wil), nullification (ta'til), or anthropomorphism (tashbih), following the understanding of the early generations (al-salaf) .
- Eschatology and the Unseen: Affirming the beatific vision of God (ru'yat Allah) by believers in the Hereafter, the divine descent (al-nuzul), the Balance (al-mizan), the Basin (al-hawd), the Bridge over Hellfire (al-sirat), the eternity of Paradise and Hell, and the questioning and reality of the grave .
- Consensus of the Four Imams: Concluding with the affirmation that these doctrinal positions align with what was transmitted by the four major jurists: al-Shafi'i, Malik ibn Anas, Abu Hanifa, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal .
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