Al-Kasani

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين الصلاة والسلام على نبيه الكريم وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين

In the name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings upon His noble Prophet, upon his family and all of his companions.

Name and Lineage

He is 'Ala ad-Deen Abu Bakr ibn Mas'ood ibn Ahmad al-Kasani, and it was also said al-Kashani, its prince. He was given the title "king of the scholars" [ملك العلماء]. As for Kasan/Kashan, As-Sama'ni in [الأنساب] stated that Kasan (or Kashan) is a city beyond Shash, which had a foritified castle. The city is known today as Kazan and is the capital of the Reublic of Tatarstan in Russia.

The year he was born is not known however it is reasonable that he was born sometime in 500 AH. This is why I have included him among the scholars of the fifth century.

His Teachers and Students

Teachers

Al-Kasani was in his hometown of Kasan, he was a prince however he was inclined towards knowledge, and so he devoted himself to it. He moved from place to place, and eventually went to Samarqand.

When in Samarqand, he studied under 'Ala ad-Deen Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abi Ahmad as-Samarqandi, the author of Tuhfah al-Fuqaha'. He studied jurisprudence under him, and heard Hadeeth fron him, and others. 'Ala ad-Deen as-Samarqandi learned under Abu al-Yusr al-Bazdawi, and Abu al-Mu'een an-Nasafi. Under him, al-Kasani excelled in the sciences of principles and branches.

The chain of knowledge goes: Al-Kasani from 'Ala ad-Deen as-Samarqandi, from 'Ali al-Bazdawi, from Abu al-Husayn al-Qudoori, from Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Jurjaani, from Abu Bakr al-Jassas, from Abu al-Hasan al-Karkhi, from Abu Sa'eed al-Barda'i, from Abu 'Ali ad-Daqqaq, from Abu Sahl ar-Razi, from Abu Yoosuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, from Imam Abu Haneefah, may Allaah have mercy on the scholars.

Students

He had a number of students. Some of them are:

1- Abu Hafs 'Umar ibn 'Ali ibn Muhammad al-Halabi ad-Daraqutni.

2- Khaleefah ibn Sulaymaan ibn Khaleefah al-Qurashi.

3- Najaa ibn Sa'd ibn Najaa ibn Abi al-Fadhl Shams ad-Deen.

4- Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Sa'eed ibn Salaamah al-Halabi.

5- Ahmad ibn Mahmood al-Ghaznawi, author of al-Muqadimmah, who was his teaching assistant.

6- Mahmood ibn Abi Bakr ibn Mas'ood, his son.

His Works

01- Badaa'i as-Sanaa'i Fi Tarteeb ash-Sharaa'i

Tuhfah al-Fuqaha'

Its author who is the teacher of al-Kasani, 'Ala ad-Deen as-Samarqandi stated in the beginning of the book:

"Know that the Mukhtasar attributed to Shaykh Abu al-Husayn al-Qudoori, may Allaah have mercy on him, brings together many commonly used rulings of fiqh in such a way that they will never become neglected over time. It guides the beginner in most situations and new issues, and it helps the more advanced student rise to higher levels and ranks."

"When the jurists' desire for this book became widespread, some of my brothers and companions requested that I mention in it some of the categories of issues that the author omitted, and clarify its difficult matters with strong proofs, so that it may serve as a means of increasing its benefit through classification and elaboration, and as a means, by mentioning the evidence, for allowing those possessing knowledge to derive further rulings."

[تحفة الفقهاء]

So the book 'Tuhfah al-Fuqaha' was written as a supplement to the esteemed work "Al-Mukhtasar" of Imam al-Qudoori (may Allaah have mercy on him). He included in it issues which al-Qudoori did not mention in al-Mukhtasar, as well as explaining some of the difficult issues and mentioning evidences.

Its explanation by Al-Kasani

Abu Bakr al-Kasani when he studied under 'Ala ad-Deen as-Samarqandi also studied various of his works such as Sharh at-Ta'weelaat Fi Tafseer al-Quraan al-'Adheem, various books of principles and the aforementioned Tuhfah. Al-Kasani then resolved to explain the book of his shaykh, and wrote Badaa'i as-Sanaa'i Fi Tarteeb ash-Sharaa'i, which is considered the explanation of Tuhfah al-Fuqaha'.

The uniqueness of this commentary was that it is not like the conventional commentaries written by scholars, where the commentator presents the main text and then follows it with the commentary. Badaa'i is not arranged in this manner. He did not adhere to the arrangement of At-Tuhfah, either generally or in detail, with respect to its books, chapters, and sections. Rather, he arranged it in a new order, while preserving the wording of At-Tuhfah, such that a researcher finds the wording of At-Tuhfah in Badaa'i, but in a different arrangement. The speciality of this work was its arrangement as it was detailed out and explained in a way that made sense and naturally flowed into sections, topics, and specific points seamlessly.

The story of his marriage

'Ala ad-Deen as-Samarqandi had a daughter named Faatimah al-Faqeehiyyah. She was one of the most beautiful women in her time, and was a jurist in her own right. She studied under her father, and had memorized his Tuhfah. The kings and princes of ar-Rum would send her proposals however her father would not accept them.

But when Al-Kasani presented Badaa'i as-Sanaa'i to his shaykh, he was so impressed by it and delighted, he married his daughter to him. And her dowry was the book itself. Due to this, it became well known among the jurists of that era, as well as after him:

شَرَحَ تُحْفَتَهُ وَتَزَوَّجَ ابْنَتَهُ

"He explained his Tuhfah, and married his daughter."

Ibn 'Aabideen in [رد المحتار] said:

"This book is of great importance. I have not seen its equal among our books...Fataawa used to be issued from their house bearing the handwriting of her, her father, and her husband."

She transmitted the rulings of the madhhab, and sometimes al-Kasani would make a mistake in a verdict. She would point out that mistake to him and draw his attention to the correct position, whereupon he would return to her opinion.

02- As-Sultaan al-Mubeen Fi Usool ad-Deen

It was said this was written in principles of jurisprudence, however Mullah 'Ali al-Qaari in [الأثمار الجنية في أسماء الحنفية] mentioned that it was about 'aqeedah, and this is preferred due to the name of the book. It is said this book was also called "Al-Mu'tamad Fi al-Mu'taqad". It was written per the Matureedi sect.

His Scholarly Standing

Ibn al-'Adeem in [بغية الطلب فى تاريخ حلب] mentioned from his father:

'Ala' ad-Deen al-Kasani had been residing in the lands of Ar-Rum. There, he and a jurist known as ash-Sha'rani disputed over the issue of whether two mujtahids are both correct or whether one of them is mistaken. Ash-Sha'rani said: 'It is transmitted from Abu Haneefah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that every mujtahid is correct.' Al-Kasani said: 'No. Rather, the correct position transmitted from Abu Haneefah is that the mujtahids may be correct or mistaken, and the truth lies in only one position. What you are saying is the doctrine of the Mu'tazilah.'

They continued debating over this matter, whereupon al-Kasani raised his stick against him. The man complained about him to the Sultaan of Ar-Rum. The Sultaan said, 'This man has overstepped against another man, so remove him from us.' The vizier said: 'This is an elderly man who commands respect, and he should not simply be dismissed. Rather, let us send him as an envoy to Noor ad-Deen Mahmood ibn Zangi, and rid ourselves of him in this way.'

"So he sent a messenger from ar-Rum to Noor ad-Deen in Aleppo. It happened that al-Kasani's arrival as an envoy from ar-Rum coincided with the departure of Radhi ad-Deen as-Sarakhsi from his position as head of the school of al-Halawiyyah. The jurists of the school gathered and asked Noor ad-Deen to appoint him to teach at the aforementioned school. Noor ad-Deen offered this to him. He entered the school and inspected it, was impressed by it, and accepted what Noor ad-Deen had offered him."

"He taught hadeeth in the eastern section of the mosque and taught at al-Jawliyyah (another school). He was eager to teach knowledge and benefit the students, and he was a jurist, a scholar, and sound in creed.'"

Al-'Imaad al-Asbahani in [البرق الشامي] mentioned a decree that he himself wrote regarding Al-Kasani's appointment under Salaah ad-Deen al-Ayyubi:

"We have therefore confirmed him in what has continuously been his practice and what has become established as his method, concerning that which has been entrusted to him and upon which reliance is placed, namely the administration of the schools under his authority, supervision, and care in the two cities of Aleppo and ar-Raqqah belonging to the Hanafis, may Allaah grant them success."

"These are: the an-Nooriyyah school, west of the mosque, by the Gate of the Halawiyyah, the school of al-Haddadayn, the Jawli school, The library of the mosque and the an-Nooriyyah in ar-Raqqah on the Euphrates."

"He shall independently administer the endowments of all of these and may appoint in these schools from among the jurists a teacher, teaching assistant, mufti, and instructor. He shall have authority over dismissal and appointment, replacement, granting and withholding, equalization and preference, and assigning each of them to the position that he deserves according to his qualifications."

"Whoever he accepts is accepted and welcomed, while whoever he excludes is excluded and rejected, for he does not undertake any matter except on the basis of evidence supported by what is sanctioned by the Sacred Law and reason. He is the one whose principles have demonstrated the subsidiary rulings through his explanation, and whose narration and chain of transmission have authenticated what is heard and transmitted."

End quote.

He also mentioned in [بغية الطلب فى تاريخ حلب]

"I heard the jurist Shams ad-Deen al-Khusrawshahi say to me in Qaahirah (Cairo), 'Your companions have a book in Fiqh called al-Badaa'i by al-Kasani. I have examined it, and none of the authors among the Hanafis or the Shaafi'is has composed anything like it.' He then began praising it greatly."

"He said to me: 'I saw it in the possession of al-Malik an-Nasir Dawood, the king of al-Karak. One of the Hanafi jurists had given it to him as a gift. I believe he said that it was ash-Shams Naja, one of the teachers in Damascus. I was amazed that someone who possessed such a book would willingly allow it to leave his possession.'"

His Death

Ibn al-'Adeem in [بغية الطلب فى تاريخ حلب] said, Khaleefah ibn Sulaymaan said to me:

"'Ala ad-Deen al-Kasani died on Sunday, after the afternoon [prayer], on the tenth of Rajab in the year 587 AH."

"Then I saw, in Khaleefah’s handwriting, on the margin of a book: The teacher, the eminent imam, 'Ala ad-Deen al-Kasani, possessor of noble virtues, Abu Bakr ibn Mas'ood, died on the tenth of Rajab after the afternoon, in the year 587 AH. And teaching after him was taken up by the teacher, the eminent imam, Iftikhaar ad-Deen, on the seventeenth of Rajab."

Ibn al-'Adeem said, I heard Dhiyaa' ad-Deen Muhammad ibn Khamees al-Wakeel, known as Ibn al-Maghrebi say:

"I was present with shaykh 'Ala ad-Deen al-Kasani at the time of his death. He began reciting Surah Ibraheem, peace be upon him, until he reached the words of Allaah, the Most High:

يُثَبِّتُ اللهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثّابِتِ فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ

Allāh keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter [Ibraheem 14:27]
His soul departed when he finished reciting the words: 'in the Hereafter.'"

Ibn al-'Adeem then said:

"He was buried, may Allaah have mercy on him, inside the station of Ibraheem, peace be upon him, on the outskirts of Aleppo, in a dome to its north, in which his wife, Faatimah bint 'Ala' ad-Deen as-Samarqandi, had been buried."