Ibn Abi Al-Izz - Biography

Biography

Ibn Abī al-ʻIzz was born in the year 1331 CE/731 AH. He came from a family that had been strong supporters of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. He was originally from Damascus, moved to Egypt and then returned to Damascus. Like most of his family members, Ibn Abī al-ʻIzz served for much of his life as a judge.

Having been educated by his family at an early age, he then commenced teaching aged seventeen at the Qimaziyyah school (built by Ṣārim ad-Dīn Qaimāz قيماز (sometimes: Qaʾimāz قأيماز), a descendent of the warrior Salah ad-Dīn al-Ayyūbi) which specialised in Hanafi jurisprudence. He also gave sermons in Husban for an unspecified period of time. In 1369/771, Ibn Abī al-ʻIzz started teaching at the Rukniyyah school. In June 1377/Muharram 779, he was appointed as judge of Damascus in place of his cousin (Najm ad-Dīn) who had been transferred to Egypt. This was short-lived, however, as Najm ad-Dīn resigned from his new post three months later and returned to his old position in Damascus. As too was Ibn Abī al-ʻIzz's subsequent tenure as judge in Egypt, which lasted only a month. He then returned to his previously held positions in Damascus. By 1382, he was teaching at the ʿIzziyyah school, which had been founded by Abu'l Faḍl ʿIzz ad-Dīn Aybak.

Ibn Abī al-ʻIzz became embroiled in a controversy due to his censure of Ibn Aybuk's qaṣĩdah (poem) due to its contents which he held constituted disbelief. Ibn Abī al-ʻIzz was subsequently removed from his position as judge until an individual named al-Nāṣirī raised the issue to the authorities resulting in Ibn Abī al-ʻIzz's position being returned. He remained at his position until his death in Damascus in 1390/792.