Portal: Traditional Islamic Scholars
Portal Overview
- Classical Scholars
- Modern scholars
- Popular Preachers
- Shi'i Scholars
Islam has been defined by its scholars since the 8th century (the second Islamic century). The Arabic word عالم 'aalim means simply "one who knows" and it is also used in Arabic to refer to scientists and specialists in many fields of knowledge. In Islamic discourse the word usually refers to scholars of fiqh or Islamic law, although the word is also used to refer to the early scholars who gathered the stories of maghazi (raids) and hadith of the prophet. In classical times ulemaa such as Tabari were also knowledgeable in other fields such as philosophy, medicine, and world history, but as with most other fields modernity has forced the concentration of efforts, and modern Islamic scholars tend not to be polymaths. Included in this portal are modern scholars working inside the Islamic tradition, such as Yasir Qadhi, but also modern scholar-preachers such as Zakir Naik. The scholars of the Shi'i tradition, although fulfilling many of the same roles as their Sunni counterparts, also have a more systematized, organized role in the context of the Shi'ite religious hierarchy, particularly in Iran where the state is currently fused to the Shi'ite clerical establishment.
Classical Scholars
Aisha was the youngest wife of the prophet, and also his favorite. The prophet, according to the tradition, passed away in her lap. After the expansion of Islam, she was key figure in the criticism of the early caliphate and also a key player in the first fitna, which saw her face off against Ali at the battle of the camel, where she was defeated and Ali took the throne of the caliphate for himself. As she was the prophet's favorite, the tradition goes to great lengths to emphasize her virginity, youth, and purity, even to the point of emphasizing that she was 6 years old when she was married to the prophet and 9 when the marriage was consummated.
Al-Ghazali was a 9th century Islamic scholar who championed the "Islamic sciences" against the philosophy of the Greeks; in theology he was a famous Ash'ari and in fiqh he was a famous Shafi'i jurist
Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti was a 13th century Islamic scholar and jurist of the Shafi'i madhab, famous for his extremely influential tafsir. He also wrote on a wide variety of subjects and is sometimes called the most prolific writer of the Islamic tradition
Ibn Kathir al-Dimashqi was a 12th century Islamic scholar of hadith. His tafsir is considered to be one of the most influential in modern Islamic theology and jurisprudence. He also wrote a work called the Israi'iliyaat about the biblical stories of the Jews.
Ibn Taymiyyah was an 11th and 12th century Islamic scholar known for his fierce defense of Sunni orthodoxy. Along with Ghazali he helped turn the intellectual tide against Greek philosophy in the Muslim wolrd and also called for jihad against the Mongols
Tabari is one of the greatest scholars of the Islamic tradition; his tafsir and his sira of the prophet have a status of or close to scripture in the Islamic tradition. In addition to his historical works, he was jurist in the Shafi'i tradition.
Modern scholars
Depending on the sources, Muhammad had around 19 wives and concubines, the concubines being slaves of his. Many of the marriages were conducted for political reasons, but the tradition is also quite frank that Muhammad was very fond of women and had a voracious sexual appetite; he is even imputed with the sexual powers of 30 men.
Safiyah was the beautiful wife of the Jewish leader Kinana, whom the prophet killed after conquering his people at Khaybar. Muhammad took her as his wife after killing her husband, though she never converted to Islam.
Khadijah was the prophet's first wife. She was considerably older than him and he benefited from her thriving trade business. She was one of the first converts to Islam.
The prophet married many women, though some of them died while he was alive so he was not married to them all at the same time.
Muhammad married different women at different stages of their lives.
Although the tradtion is quite explicit that Muhammad was fond of women, many of his marriages also had a political dimension to them, solidifying alliances within the early Islamic community.