Scholarly services of ‘Allamah Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه

Sayyiduna ‘Allamah Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه was a Islamic Scholar and Imam of his time. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه wrote remarkable books on ‘Ilm-ul-Quran, ‘Ilm-ul-Hadees, ‘Ilm-ul-Fiqh, Geography, science of Medicine, History, Tafseer, Astrology, Mathematics, Lexicology and Syntax etc. as well as many other sciences. It is stated that the total number of his books is more than 300, of which many books consist of various volumes. (Muqaddamah ‘Uyoon-ul-Hikayaat, part 1, pp. 16, summarised)

Sayyiduna Imam Ibn-e-Qudamah Hanbali رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه has stated: Imam Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه was the Imam of delivering speeches of his time, he authored remarkable books in various sciences and disciplines. He would teach as well and was a Hafiz-ul-Hadees too. (The fortunate individual who has memorised 100,000 Blessed Ahadees along with their chain of narrators is referred to as Hafiz-ul-Hadees.) (Muqaddamah Aansuon ka Darya, pp. 15)

Let us listen to one account of the great Imam, ‘Allamah Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه:

Expertise of Ghaus-ul-A’zam in the science of Tafseer

Sayyiduna Hafiz Abul ‘Abbas Ahmad رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه says: I once accompanied ‘Allamah Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه to a gathering of Ghaus-e-Pak. A Qari recited the Quran. After the recitation, Ghaus-e-Pak رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه began delivering a speech in which he explained one of the verses that was recited and mentioned one meaning. I asked ‘Allamah Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه, ‘Did you have knowledge of this Tafseer’? He replied, ‘Yes I did’. After this, Ghaus-e-Pak رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه mentioned 11 explanatory statements one by one. Upon my questioning, ‘Allamah Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه kept answering, ‘I knew this explanatory statement’.

Sayyiduna Hafiz Abul Abbas رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه states: Ghaus-e-Pak mentioned 40 explanatory statements of that one verse and he also mentioned the name of the one who said each statement. However, after the 11 explanations, when I asked about each Tafseer, ‘Allamah Ibn-e-Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه kept saying ‘I am not aware of this explanation’.

(Akhbar-ul-Akhyar, pp. 11; Bahjat-ul-Asraar, pp. 224; Zubda-tul-Aasaar, pp. 52)