Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari


'Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāh al-Iskandarī, or al-Sakandarī was an Egyptian Maliki jurist, muhaddith and the third murshid of the Shadhiliyya Sufi order after his teacher Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi.

Life

He was born in Alexandria and taught at both the al-Azhar Mosque and the Mansuriyyah madrasa in Cairo. He was responsible for systematizing Shadhili doctrines and recording the biographies of the order's founder, Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili, and his successor, Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi. He is credited with having authored the first systematic treatise on the invocation of God, The Key to Salvation, but he is mostly known for his compilation of aphorisms, , known as ''The Book of Wisdom.''

Confrontation with Ibn Taymiyya

Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari was among the prominent scholars who confronted the controversial Hanbali theologian Ibn Taymiyya, who had been imprisoned multiple times for his views on various religious matters, including his severe criticism of Sufism. Their encounters became part of one of the most significant theological debates in Islamic intellectual history, centering around Sufism, the legitimacy of Prophetic intercession, and the doctrines of Ibn Arabi.
One of the most notable moments between the two scholars occurred at the Al-Ḥusayn Mosque in Cairo. Ibn Ata Allah was leading the prayer there when Ibn Taymiyya, recently released from prison, joined the congregation and prayed behind him. After the prayer, the two exchanged respectful greetings. Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari, in a gesture of humility, apologized if he had played any role in Ibn Taymiyya's imprisonment. Ibn Taymiyya responded with remarkable grace, saying,
"If you know anyone who believes they have hurt me, tell them Ibn Taymiyya holds no grudges. I am not affected by such matters; I only do what I believe to be right."
In their ensuing discussion, they revisited points of deep theological contention, among them, the permissibility and nature of seeking the Prophet's intercession, and the authenticity of the writings attributed to Ibn Arabi. Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari argued that many of Ibn Arabi's ideas had been distorted or misrepresented, a view not uncommon among Sufi defenders. Despite their differences, Ibn Taymiyya is reported to have said of his opponent,
"I have never seen anyone who loves God more than Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh. He is among the most truthful people I have ever met."
Their exchange, though rooted in disagreement, remained dignified and sincere, where Ibn Taymiyya acknowledged some points but remained skeptical. This reflects the adab that once governed scholarly debate in the Islamic tradition.

Works

Ibn 'Ata' Allah's works include:
  • Kitab al-Hikam
  • Kitab al-Lata'if fi manaqib Abi l-'Abbas al-Mursi wa Shaykhihi Abi l-Hasan
  • Miftah al-falah wa misbah al-anwah.
  • Kitab al-Tanwir fi isqat al-Tadbir
  • Al-Qasd al-mujarrad fi ma'rifat al-Ism al-Mufrad
  • Taj al-arus al-hawi li-tahdhib an-nufus
  • ''Unwan at-tawfiq fi adab at-tariq''

Death and legacy

He died in 1309 while in Cairo.
The wide circulation of Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh's written works led to the spread of the Shādhilī order in North Africa, where the order's founder had been rejected in earlier attempts.
Commentaries on the Ḥikam have been made by some of the most famous masters of the Shadhili order, such as Ibn Abbad al-Rundi, Ahmad Zarruq, and Ahmad ibn Ajiba, as well as non-Shadhilis like the Syrian Islamic law Professor Sa'id Ramadan al-Bouti. A modern English translation of Ḥikam by Muhammed Nafih Wafy was published under the title "The Book of Aphorisms" by Islamic Book Trust in Malaysia in 2010.