Sahnun
Encyclopedia
Sahnun ibn Sa'id ibn Habib at-Tanukhi (c. 776-7 – 854-5) (160 AH
– 240 AH ) was a jurist in the Maliki school from Qayrawan in modern-day Tunisia
.
in Syria
. The family claimed descent from Tanukh, a tribal confederation that originated in the south of the Arabian Peninsula
.
; in particular he learned from `Ali bin Ziyad, who had learned from Imam Malik. In 178 AH he traveled to Egypt to study under other pupils of Malik, who died before Sahnun had the financial means to reach them. Later on he continued to Medina
and studied under other prominent scholars, returning to North Africa in 191 AH.
At the age of 74 Sahnun was appointed Qadi (judge) of North Africa by the Aghlabid
emir Muhammad I Abul-Abbas
. He had refused the appointment for a year, only accepting after the emir swore to give him a free hand in matters of justice, even if this involved prosecuting members of the emir's family and court. Upon accepting the appointment, he was said to have told his daughter Khadija, "Today your father has been slain without a knife." He was known to be scrupulous in his judgments and courteous towards litigants and witnesses, but strict towards the men surrounding the emir; he refused to allow them to send representatives on their behalf in litigation, and refused a request from the emir not to interfere in their illegal ventures.
of 256 in the Hejira calendar. The men surrounding the emir famously refused to join his funeral prayer, due to his harshness against them; nonetheless the emir conducted the funeral prayers in person, and the people of Qayrawan were greatly upset by his passing.
, Mu'tazilites and others. The Encyclopedia of Islam, the standard Western academic work on Muslim history, states:
as stated by Imam Malik, after the death of the Imam. The compilation and revision process involved four mujtahid imams of the Maliki school: Asad ibn al Furat (d.213 AH); Ibn al-Ashhab (d.204); Abu `Abd Allah `Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Qasim al-`Utaqi, known as Ibn Qasim (d.191 AH), and Sahnun himself. It is referred to as "al Umm", or "the Mother", of the Maliki school. Sahnun's revision and transmission of the Mudawwana was the major factor in the spread of the Maliki school across the West of the Muslim world.
except planting the spear in the shade of the horse,
And standing in the darkness,
guarding people at the furthest outpost."
"If someone does not act by his knowledge, his knowledge does not benefit him."
"By Allah, I have been tested by this qadiship and by the rulers. By Allah, I will not eat a morsel for them nor drink a drink for them nor wear a garment for them nor ride an animal for them nor take a gift from them. I go to them and I speak to them harshly regarding what entails action and wherein lies salvation."
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
– 240 AH ) was a jurist in the Maliki school from Qayrawan in modern-day Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
.
Biography
His original name was Muhammad Ibnu Sa'id Ibnu Habib. 'Sahnun' was a nickname given to him, meaning a type of sharp bird; this is said to have referred to his quickness of mind. His father was a soldier from HomsHoms
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The family claimed descent from Tanukh, a tribal confederation that originated in the south of the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
.
Life
In his youth Ibnu Sahnun studied under the scholars of Qayrawan and TunisTunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
; in particular he learned from `Ali bin Ziyad, who had learned from Imam Malik. In 178 AH he traveled to Egypt to study under other pupils of Malik, who died before Sahnun had the financial means to reach them. Later on he continued to Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
and studied under other prominent scholars, returning to North Africa in 191 AH.
At the age of 74 Sahnun was appointed Qadi (judge) of North Africa by the Aghlabid
Aghlabid
The Aghlabids were a dynasty of emirs, members of the Arab tribe of Bani Tamim, who ruled Ifriqiya, nominally on behalf of the Abbasid Caliph, for about a century, until overthrown by the new power of the Fatimid.-History:...
emir Muhammad I Abul-Abbas
Muhammad I Abul-Abbas
Muhammad I Abul-Abbas was the fifth emir of the Aghlabids in Ifriqiya .Muhammad I was the son of the fourth emir, Abu Iqal . Under him the Aghlabids continued their expansion into the Mediterranean, conquering Taranto and Bari in Apulia and Messina in Sicily...
. He had refused the appointment for a year, only accepting after the emir swore to give him a free hand in matters of justice, even if this involved prosecuting members of the emir's family and court. Upon accepting the appointment, he was said to have told his daughter Khadija, "Today your father has been slain without a knife." He was known to be scrupulous in his judgments and courteous towards litigants and witnesses, but strict towards the men surrounding the emir; he refused to allow them to send representatives on their behalf in litigation, and refused a request from the emir not to interfere in their illegal ventures.
Death
Sahnun died in RajabRajab
Rajab is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. The lexical definition of Rajaba is "to respect", of which Rajab is a derivative.This month is regarded as one of the four sacred months in Islam in which battles are prohibited...
of 256 in the Hejira calendar. The men surrounding the emir famously refused to join his funeral prayer, due to his harshness against them; nonetheless the emir conducted the funeral prayers in person, and the people of Qayrawan were greatly upset by his passing.
Theological Views
Sahnun was known for his strong orthodoxy, even to the point of refusing to pray behind a Mu'tazilite imam. He excluded heretical sects from the mosque, including the IbadiIbadi
The Ibāḍī movement, Ibadism or Ibāḍiyya is a form of Islam distinct from the Sunni and Shia denominations. It is the dominant form of Islam in Oman and Zanzibar...
, Mu'tazilites and others. The Encyclopedia of Islam, the standard Western academic work on Muslim history, states:
Hitherto, in the multiple circles of scholarship, representatives of all tendencies were able to express themselves freely in the Great Mosque of Kairouan. In a process amounting to a purging of the community of scholars there, Sahnun put an end to this "scandal". He dispersed the sects of the ahl al-bida; the leaders of heretical sects were paraded ignominiously, and some were compelled to recant in public. Sahnun was one of the greatest architects of the exclusive supremacy of Sunnism in its Maliki form throughout the Muslim West.
Works
Sahnun's greatest contribution to Muslim scholarship was al-Mudawwana, a compendium of the legal opinions of the school of MedinaMedina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
as stated by Imam Malik, after the death of the Imam. The compilation and revision process involved four mujtahid imams of the Maliki school: Asad ibn al Furat (d.213 AH); Ibn al-Ashhab (d.204); Abu `Abd Allah `Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Qasim al-`Utaqi, known as Ibn Qasim (d.191 AH), and Sahnun himself. It is referred to as "al Umm", or "the Mother", of the Maliki school. Sahnun's revision and transmission of the Mudawwana was the major factor in the spread of the Maliki school across the West of the Muslim world.
Quotations
"Everything I see is dislikedexcept planting the spear in the shade of the horse,
And standing in the darkness,
guarding people at the furthest outpost."
"If someone does not act by his knowledge, his knowledge does not benefit him."
"By Allah, I have been tested by this qadiship and by the rulers. By Allah, I will not eat a morsel for them nor drink a drink for them nor wear a garment for them nor ride an animal for them nor take a gift from them. I go to them and I speak to them harshly regarding what entails action and wherein lies salvation."