Between the Elegant Moon and the Dazzling Sun
He is 'AbdulHaleem ibn 'AbdisSalaam ibn 'Abdillaah ibn Al-Khidr ibn Muhammad ibn Al-Khidr ibn 'Alee ibn 'Abdillaah ibn Taymiyyah, Abul Mahaasin and known also as Abu Ahmad, Shihaabudeen, An- Numayree, Al-Haraanee Al-Hambalee, the Imam and Mufti.
He was the son of Abul Barakaat Majdudeen, the matchless intellectual of his time, and the father of the emeritus Shaykhul Islaam Abul ‘Abbaas Taqiyudeen, and how will I describe him? His mention is above prolixity.
Abul Mahaasin was born in the city of Haraan in the year 627 Hijrah and his father was 37 years old when he was given birth to. He was from a family famed for knowledge, deep understanding and religion. He learnt from his father and journeyed to Aleppo while still young and learnt there from ibn Rawaha, ibn Lutee, Yuusuf ibn khaleel, Haamid ibn Umayree, 'Alee ibn Abil Fath Al-Kanaree, Abul Hajaaj ibn Khaleel, 'Eesaa Al-Khiyaat and others.
Abul Mahaasin was made to relocate from Harran to Damascus with his family and relatives in the year 667 Hijrah and was 40 years old then. The reason for his relocation was the invasion of Hulagu Khan, with his army, who devastated places, seized lands, killed children and broke treaties. He remained there with his family until his death.
He was known with many fields of knowledge such as science of physiognomy, inheritance – he was an adept specialist, Arithmetic and its branches and knowledge of his School-of-Thought.
He was humble and philanthropic. He was an Imam, preacher, generous, quintessence of good characters, from the best looking men of his time, one of the notables of the Hambalees, foremost, religious, virtuous, he compiled works and authored books, he taught and gave religious edicts, he gave sermons and became the leading scholar of Haraan after his father; the Mufti, preacher, authority and Shaykh of the land also after his father.
He learnt from his father and his sons, Abul 'Abaas. and Abu Muhammad learnt from him. He learnt the way of the Hanbalee Madhab from his father, Majdudeen, until he perfected it and his son, Taqyudeen actually recounted from him on the minbar.
He was one of the stars of guidance, and he was only hidden between the brightness of the moon and the illumination of the sun.
Al-Barzaalee said concerning him: he was one of the notables of the Hambalees, he set about in Damascus as one of the scholars of Daarul Hadeeth College at Al-Qaso'een district where he lived. He had a chair in the grand mosque of Damascus on which he delivered talks on the days of congregation from his memory. When he died, his son Abul 'Abaas took over and he had beneficial pieces and compilations in many fields. He died in the city of Damascus in the land of Shaam on a Sunday in Dhul Hijjah 682 and he was buried on the second day and he was 55 years old.
'AbdulHaleem ibn 'AbdisSalaam gave birth to Ahmad, 'AbdurRahaman and 'Abdullaah.
Can you now understand why he is actually a concealed star between the elegant moon and the dazzling sun?
Adapted from At-Tarjumatu Adh- Dhahabiyah li A’alaam Aal Taymiyyah (The golden biographies of the notables from the family of Taymiyyah) by Muhammad Saalih Al-Yaafi’ee.
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