Shihāb ad-Dīn Abū ’l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad ibn Ḥusayn ibn Raslān al-Maqdisī al-S̲h̲āfiʿī al-Ṣūfī (), commonly known as Ibn Raslān (773 or 775 AH (1371 CE)844 AH (1440 CE) was a Palestinian Sunni scholar of the 15th century. He was a distinguished Shafi'i jurist and hadith expert who authored major works. It appears he followed the Ash'ari theological school, and was a Sufi in his practice and behaviour.
Life.
He was born in Ramla and later moved to Jerusalem, where he died.
Al-Sakhawi said in his Al-Daw' al-Lami' (1/181): "He was not known to have deviated from the path of his parents and maternal uncle. He memorized the entire Quran by the age of ten... His father was a merchant with a shop, and he would order him to go there, but he would go to the Al-Khatuniyya Madrasa to study. His father would forbid him, but he paid no attention. He was diligent in his studies, initially focusing on grammar, language, linguistic studies, and poetry. He was appointed to teach at al-Khassakiyya and taught there for a time, then left."
His father was a good and pious merchant who read the Quran, and his mother was also among the righteous. She had a brother who was devoted to his religious practices and worship. It is said that Ibn Raslān neglected his father's business, which led to losses in the shop. His father reproached him, and he replied, "I am only suited for scholarly pursuits," so his father left him to his studies. He continued to study and review his lessons, residing sometimes in Jerusalem and sometimes in Ramla. He received his Sufi cloak from a group of Egyptians and Syrians and remained silent for a period. He memorized many books. Then, a scholar from the Maghreb came to Ramla and was teaching a single verse from Alfiyya of Ibn Malik for a quarter of a dirham. Sheikh Ibn Raslān stayed with him until he mastered it to the point of being qualified to teach it, and he became known for his excellent teaching. Then, he moved to Jerusalem.
Poetry.
Some of his verses on the places where it is not obligatory to return the greeting of :
And he also wrote:
Teachers.
Ibn Raslān teachers include:
Students.
His famous students:
Death.
Ibn Raslān moved from his residence at the Al-Khatuniyya Madrasa in Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and was buried in the Mamilla Cemetery near the shrine of Abu Abdullah al-Qurashi. Jerusalem, and indeed most lands, mourned his death. Funeral prayers in absentia were held for him at Al-Azhar Mosque and elsewhere. Ibn Qadi Shahba said: "We offered the funeral prayer in absentia for him at the Umayyad Mosque on Friday, the fourth of Ramadan, which supports the view that he died in Sha'ban."
Reception.
Al-Sakhawi said:
And he is in asceticism, piety, austerity, following the Sunnah, and the validity of the creed is a word of consensus so that I do not know at his time who would compare him in that, and his mention spread and witnessed his goodness by everyone who saw him... His virtues are many and his ranks are famous. After al-Husni, (there) was not (a person) more ascetic than him.
Works.
Ibn Raslān was a prolific writer and his list of works include:
Regarding his works, he said: "All of them need revision, and I seek Allah's forgiveness."