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Muḥammad ibn Ali ibn Muḥammad ibn Abd Allah, better known as al-Shawkani () (1759–1834) was a prominent Yemeni Sunni Islam Ulama, faqih, Aqidah and Islah. (2026). 9780691134840, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691134840 Al-Shawkani was one of the most influential proponents of Athari theology and is respected as one of their canonical scholars by Salafi movement Muslims. His teachings played a major role in the emergence of the Salafi movement. Influenced by the teachings of the medieval Hanbali scholar Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Shawkani became noteworthy for his staunch stances against the practice of Taqlid (imitation to Madhhab), calls for direct interpretation of Scriptures, opposition to Kalam (speculative theology) as well as for his robust opposition to various Sufi practices which he condemned as Shirk (idolatry).
He is credited with developing a series of syllabi for attaining various ranks of scholarship and used a strict system of legal analysis based on Sunni thought. He insisted that the ulama were required to ask for textual evidence, that the gate of ijtihad was not closed and that the mujtahid was to do ijtihad independent of any madhhab, a view which stemmed from his opposition to taqlid for a mujtahid, which he deemed to be a vice with which the Shariah had been inflicted. Al-Shawkani asserted that the decline of the Ummah was due to their distancing from the Scriptures, the principle sources of religion. Hence he condemned the principle of taqlid and proposed ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) as the solution of the problems faced by Muslims. (2026). 9780691134840, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691134840 Shawkani equated unyielding imitation to the madhhabs as a type of shirk (polytheism) and accused scholars promoting such methodology of apostasy.
Al-Shawkani wrote the book Nayl al-Autar, a major reference in Islamic law. He also wrote several treatises condemning various popular mystical practices which he viewed to be shirk (polytheism). He praised the contemporary Arabian Islamic reformer Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (1703–1792) who had advocated for similar views and refuted his Yemeni theological opponents in correspondence. Upon hearing the death of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, al-Shawkani wrote a poem praising his efforts to eradicate shirk, defend Tawhid and his call to Quran and Hadith. Reviving the classical theologian Ibn Taymiyyah's (1263 - 1328 CE/ 661 - 728 AH) doctrines on Tawḥīd and shirk, al-Shawkānī equated the adherents of Tariqa to the pagan Arabs of Quraysh.
The Imam of Yemen Mansur Ali appointed al-Shawkani as the Chief Qadi of Yemen in 1795, an office he held until his death. He made a powerful critique of Zaydism, arguing that many Zaydi theological and legal doctrines have no basis in Scriptures. Meanwhile, Zaydis believed that their Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (Prophetic family) had stronger authority than the Sunni Hadith collections; which was the heavy focus of al-Shawkani's approach. (2026). 9780691134840, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691134840 Zaydi doctrines also stipulated that unjust rulers be removed and replaced by a just Imam, through force, if necessary. In contrast, al-Shawkani supported the Quietist Sunni doctrine that necessitated obedience to rulers, even the unjust who lacked qualifications. Hence, the ruling Qasimid dynasty of Yemen supported scholars like al-Shawkani who legitimized their dynastic rule. (2026). 9780691134840, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691134840
As chief judge from 1795 until 1834, al-Shawkani implemented his reformist project with state-backing and placed many of his students in positions of influence, who subsequently carried on his legacy into the 21st century. During the 1796 and 1802 street clashes between Sunni Islam Ahl al-Hadith and Zaydism Shia Islam, al-Shawkani was able to convince the Qasimid rulers to side with the Sunnis. He also campaigned for the 1825 execution of the Zaydi scholar Ibn Hariwa who criticised al-Shawkani's Sunnification efforts and state policies. Due to the official patronage of al-Shawkani and other Sunni scholars, Zaydi clerics were unable to stop the spread of Hadith-centric approach of al-Shawkani and his students; who upheld the authority of Sunni Hadith over the opinions of Zaydi Imams. Hence, the Zaydis viewed al-Shawkani as seeking to undermine Zaydism by creating a sect modelled on the Ahl al-Hadith school.
Acting as al-Mansur's secretary, Shawkani would often correspond with the leaders of the Emirate of Diriyah between 1807 and 1813. Defending the Saudi rulers, ash-Shawkani refuted the allegations that they were from the Khawarij since they followed Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab who learned Hadith from the scholars of Medina and they campaigned against superstitious beliefs prevalent in Najd acting upon the views of the Hanbali scholars Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya. The reform efforts of ash-Shawkani throughout the 39 years of his tenure as Chief Judge would fundamentally transform the religious landscape of Yemen. By his death in 1834, the Qasimid rulers had fully turned from Zaydi principles to embrace Sunni-style traditionism.
Beyond Yemen, his works are widely used in Sunni Islam schools. He also profoundly influenced the Ahl-i Hadith in the Indian subcontinent (such as Siddiq Hasan Khan) and Salafis across the globe. (2026). 9780691134840, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691134840 Much of the Ahl-i Hadith literature condemning grave-visits ( ziyarat) and idolatry ( shirk) was modelled on the literature of Yemeni scholarship, most notably al-Shawkani, who followed the works of Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Qayyim. In recognition of his contributions, Siddiq Hasan Khan ranked al-Shawkani as amongst the " Huffāz al-Islām" (greatest guardians of Islam) alongside Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Qayyim and Ibn al-'Amir al-San'ani. Apart from the Ahl-i Hadith, the Wahhabism also often refer to al-Shawkani for legitimacy; citing his support for Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab.
Ash-Shawkani had been a prominent representative of the traditionalist school that advocated Ibn Taymiyya's doctrines such as opposition to Falsafa (Islamic philosophy), Kalam (scholastic theology), Isrāʾīliyyāt, etc. emphasising literalist interpretations of the Quran. (2026). 9780199698646, Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199698646 Alongside Shah Waliullah Dehlawi (1703-1762 A.C), Shawkani made significant contributions to the field of Tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) during the era of Islamic revival trends of 18th and early 19th centuries. He completed his seminal Qur'anic commentary Fath al-Qadir in 1814, which demonstrated remarkable methodological similarities to Fawz al-Kabir, the Tafsir work compiled a few decades earlier by Shah Waliullah. Ash-Shawkani's Qur'anic interpretations demonstrated a firm belief in Scriptural perfection; which upheld that literal meanings of the Qurʾān and the Sunnah, are to be the sole authoritative sources of exegesis. Fath al-Qadir laid the groundwork for future Islah exegetical endeavours; such as Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khān’s Fatḥ al-Bayān, Syrians Salafi movement reformer Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi's Maḥāsin al-Taʾwīl and Rashid Rida's Tafsir al-Manar. (2026). 9780199696703, Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199696703
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