حضرة ابو بكر سلطنتیں

Judge Zain Al-Din Ibn Al-Wardi ⁽¹⁾: Abu Hafs Zain Al-Din Umar Bin Muthaffar Bin Umar Bin Muhammad Bin Abi Al-Fawaris Al-Ma’arri was a Shafi’i sheikh, imam, jurist, grammarian, and writer of poetry and prose more commonly known as Zain Al-Din Ibn Al-Wardi. Born in Ma’arrat al-Nu’man in 689 AH, Ibn Al-Wardi was a descendant of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq and highly regarded as one of the honorable jurists, authors, and poets of his time.

Known for his tremendous knowledge in many different domains, Ibn Al-Wardi was also a master of prose and poetry. He grew up in Aleppo and was educated there as well, surpassing his peers and learning from prominent scholars. He received knowledge from Judge Sharaf Al-Din Al-Barzi in Hama, and from Al-Fakhr Khatib Jibrin in Aleppo. He was the author of Al-Bahjah Al-Wardiah, a work of poetry comprised of 5,063 verses. He also provided commentary for most of Al-Hawi Al-Saghir.

Other works authored by Ibn Al-Wardi include: Dhaw’ Al-Durra (on the Alfiyah of Ibn Mu’ti’); Sharh Al-Alfiyah (on the Alfiyah of Ibn Malik); and Al-Rasa’il Al-Muhathaba fi Al-Masa’il Al-Mulaqabah. He also wrote Maqama; Mantiq Al-Tayr on Sufism (a work of poetry and prose); Al-Lubab fi ‘Ilm Al-I’rab (a poem accompanied by an explanation of it); Dhaw’ Durrat Al-Ahlam fi Ta’bir Al-Manam (a rajaz poem on dream interpretation); Al-Kalam ‘ala Mi’at Ghulam (comprised of a hundred eloquent verses); and Al-Darari Al-Sariyah fi Mi’at Jariyah (also comprised of a hundred verses). His works of prose included a summary of Al-Hariri’s Al-Mulhah (a love poem), and he also summarized the Alfiyah of Ibn Malik in 150 verses, providing commentary to accompany it as well. He was also the author of many other works.

A treatise called Nafhat Al-‘Anbar fi Nasab Al-Sheikh Ali Iskandar lis-Siddiq Al-Akbar stated:

And in places other than Egypt is a group among them (meaning those who trace their ancestries back to Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him), including Zain Al-Din Umar Bin Muthaffar Bin Umar Bin Muhammad Bin Abi Al-Fawaris Bin Ali Bin Ahmed Bin Umar Bin Fathulma (this is how it appears in the source, and it is wrong) Bin Sa’id Bin Al-Qasim Bin Al-Nasr Bin Muhammad Bin Talha Bin Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), who was known as Ibn Al-Wardi of Aleppo, the famous imam and author of Al-Bahjah. Ibn Al-Wardi made reference to his Bakri lineage in his Lamiyah (a work of poetry in which every line ends with the Arabic letter lam), saying:

Besides that I praise Allah for my lineage as it is connected to that of Abu Bakr.

In his commentary on the Lamiyah of Ibn Al-Wardi (which he finished writing in 1285 AH), the Shafi’i scholar, Al-Sharif Masud Bin Hasan Bin Abi Bakr Ibn Bisat Al-Hasani Al-Qanawi, mentioned the “Sheikh and Noble Imam, the Master of Fatwa and Teaching, the scholar, researcher, and authority on jurisprudence, literature, and other branches of knowledge, Zain Al-Din Abi Hafs Umar Bin Muthaffar Bin Umar Bin Muhammad Bin Abi Al-Fawaris of Aleppo,” whom he described as a Shafi’i of Bakri and Siddiqi origins whose lineage could be traced back to Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, saying that “his lineage is well-known, with no dispute over it.” Then when explaining the above-mentioned verse, he said:

“Meaning, do not assume, dear listener, that me saying ‘Do not say my origins’ is due to my lineage not being rooted in noble origins; rather it is advice that must be stated. Praise be to Almighty Allah, Glory be to Him, my lineage is, in fact, connected to the best of the first and subsequent generations after the prophets and messengers—which is Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, and I only said that in obedience to the Almighty, who said: But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].” He then said: “And his lineage being connected to that of Abu Bakr has been verified with no dispute over it.” –End of Citation ⁽²⁾

In his poetry, Ibn Al-Wardi also said (again making mention of his lineage):

My grandfather is Al-Siddiq, and my name is Umar—

My son is Abu Bakr, and my daughter is Aisha.

But Yazid was flawed to me—

Because in the oppression of Al-Husayn,

There were thousands upon thousands of sins (committed).

In Tarikh Ibn Al-Wardi, Ibn Al-Wardi further mentioned an incident that took place in 722 AH as follows:

“On Friday, in the middle of the great month of Ramadan, my father died in Al-Ma’arra, and those present during the washing of his body told me that when they had finished washing him, he (may Allah have mercy on him) remained propped up in the washing area for a moment, and a very obvious pleasant scent wafted through the air, causing those who were present to cry with emotion. His lineage (may Almighty Allah have mercy on him) can be traced back to Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), through his son, Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr.” – End of Citation ⁽³⁾

In the conclusion of Al-Bahjah Al-Wardiah ⁽⁴⁾, Ibn Al-Wardi described the work of poetry as deserving of envy due to its status as “a Bakria virgin-bride of ten.”

The Shafi’i scholar, Sheikh Zakariyya Al-Ansari Al-Khazraji (d. 926 AH) provided commentary on the verses, stating that Ibn Al-Wardi called the poem a “bride of ten” because it took him ten years to write. Saying that it was a “virgin” meant that it was “desired,” like a virgin-woman is desired for marriage, while “Bakria” was a reference to Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and to the writer’s actual lineage, which he mentioned his book, Abkar Al-Afkar fi Al-Adab wa Al-Shi’r, saying: “Muhammad is in the presence of Allah, and our ancestor, Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, is with Muhammad. We are instant poison to those who wish harm for us, and he who does not believe this should go ahead and try to attack.” ⁽⁵⁾

In Sheikh Shihab Al-Din Ahmed Bin Qasim Al-‘Abadi’s annotations on Al-Ghurar Al-Bahia fi Sharh Manthumat Al-Bahjah Al-Wardiah, he described the comparison as first being the poem’s emergence as a beautiful bride before the eyes of those seeking marriage; then, the fact that it was written in ten years; then, the tremendous desire for it like the desire one has for a virgin-woman; and finally, the lineage of its author being connected to that of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. The poem as a whole was thus described as a bride with all of the “desired” traits, including youthful age, virginity, and an honorable lineage. ⁽⁶⁾

Ibn Al-Wardi served as a deputy governor, responsible for the oversight of many of Aleppo’s affairs. He was also appointed head-judge of Manbij, but was displeased with this position and blamed Ibn Al-Zamalkani for that in a famous poem of his. He wished to return to being deputy governor of Aleppo but found it difficult and abandoned the idea. He died on the 17th of Dhul Hijjah in 749 AH during the plague of Aleppo after he had written the maqama (a novel in rhymed prose) called Al-Naba’ fi Al-Waba’. Two days before his death, he said:

I am not afraid of the plague like others—

Because it means one of two good things:

If I die, I will find relief from my enemies—

While if I live, I will hear and see again.

It was reported that Shihab Al-Din Ahmed Bin Fadhlallah Al-Umari (d. 749 AH) visited Ma’arrat al-Nu’man sometime before his death and recited (in part):

And in the village of Al-Ma’arra, there is a home of knowledge

From which Al-Wardi built every glory…

Regarding Bani Al-Saffah Road (Mahalat Al-Saffahia), Abu Thar said: “On this road was the home of Sheikh Zain Al-Din Ibn Al-Wardi. It got destroyed and turned into rubble, and a stable was built in its place.”

Source: Kitab Al-Sulala Al-Bakria As-Siddiqia – Part II, by Ahmed Farghal Al-De’abassi Al-Bakri

Date of Publication

1 Ramadan 1438 AH / May 26, 2017 AD

(1) Al-A’lam, by Al-Zarkali 5/ 67, Al-Fikr Al-Sami fi Tarikh Al-Fiqh Al-Islami 2/ 410, Al-Nujum Al-Zahira fi Muluk Misr wa Al-Qahira 13/ 229, Shatharat al-Thahab Fi Akhbar Min Dahab 11/ 396, A’yan Al-‘Asr wa A’wan Al-Nasr 3/675-676, Tabaqat Al-Shaafa’iyah Al-Kubra 10/ 373-374, Bughyat Al-Wu’ah 2/ 226, I’lam Al-Nubala’ bi Tarikh Halab Al-Shahba’ 5/ 7-17, Al-Badr Al-Tali’ bi Mahasin ma Ba’d Al-Qarn Al-Sabi’ 1/ 514, Mu’jam Al-Mu’allifin 8/ 3, Al-Kuna wa Al-Alqab 1/ 501-502, Manuscript: Idah Bughyat Ahl Al-Basarah fi Dhayl Al-Isharah, by Al-Dhahabi – Authored by: Taqi Al-Din Abi Al-Tayyib Al-Hasani Al-Fasi Al-Maliki – Part I

(2) Fath Al-Rahim Al-Rahman Sharh Lamiyat Al-Ustadh Ibn al-Wardi Nasihat Al-Ikhwan pp. 2, 117

(3) Tarikh Ibn Al-Wardi 2/ 265

(4) Al-Ghurar Al-Bahia fi Sharh Manthumat Al-Bahjah Al-Wardiah 10/ 683

(5) Al-Ghurar Al-Bahia fi Sharh Manthumat Al-Bahjah Al-Wardiah 10/ 486-487

(6) Al-Ghurar Al-Bahia fi Sharh Manthumat Al-Bahjah Al-Wardiah 10/ 487