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Al-Juwayni

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Dhia' ul-Din 'Abd al-Malik ibn Yusuf al-Juwayni was a prominent Persian Sunni scholar. He lived from February 17, 1028, until August 20, 1085. Al-Juwayni was a leading jurisconsult and a major Islamic theologian. He is often called Imam al-Haramayn. This title means "leading master of the two holy cities." It refers to the cities of Mecca and Medina. He was a vital figure in the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence. He was also a central leader in the Ash'ari school of theology. Many scholars viewed him as the virtual second founder of the Shafi'i school.

Al-Juwayni was born in Bushtaniqan, a village near Naysabur in Iran. He was born into a family dedicated to legal study. His father, Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni, was a famous Shafi'i master and teacher. His older brother, Abu'l-Hasan 'Ali al-Juwayni, was a Sufi teacher of Hadith. Al-Juwayni began his education by studying under his father. He mastered Arabic grammar, the Quran, and the Hadith. He also studied fiqh, which is Islamic law. He learned khilaf, the art of disagreements, and the principles of jurisprudence. He even studied all of his father's extensive library.

His education continued under many different specialized teachers. Abu al-Qasim al-Isfarayini taught him theology and legal theory. Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi provided instruction in Hadith. He also studied Quranic exegesis with Abu 'Abdullah al-Khabbazi. To expand his knowledge, he visited several major cities. He traveled to Isfahan, Baghdad, and the Hejaz region. He met many academics during these travels. He also learned from Shafi'i leaders in Marw. These leaders included the Shaykh of the Shafi'is in Khurasan, al-Qadi Abu 'Ali Husayn.

Al-Juwayni's life included a period of forced exile. A governor named Al-Kundduri issued a verdict against the followers of Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari. This caused many scholars to flee Naysabur in secret. Al-Juwayni fled to Mecca and Medina to find safety. He lived and taught in the Hejaz for four years. During this time, his reputation grew immensely. Eventually, he was invited back to Naysabur. Nizam Al Mulk took power and invited him home. Al-Juwayni became a grand mufti there. He served as the headmaster of the Nizamiyya school for 30 years.

As a scholar, Al-Juwayni had very specific intellectual principles. He was a Mutakallim, which is a scholar of theological principles. He focused on defining what a Muslim should or should not do. He was known to be stubborn regarding legal speculation. He believed that the law should not rely on mere guessing. Instead, he argued that holy texts hold the answers to all legal debates. He sought to find certainties within the written tradition. This approach helped shape the Shafi'i and Ash'ari traditions.

Al-Juwayni's influence is seen in the many students he trained. He had over 400 students during his career. His most famous pupil was Abu Hamid al-Ghazali. Al-Ghazali became one of the most influential scholars in Islamic history. Other notable students included Al-Kiya al-Harrasi and Abu al-Qasim al-Ansari. Al-Juwayni also produced many significant written works. His magnum opus in jurisprudence was Nihayat al-Matlab. In theology, he wrote Kalam Al-Irshad. He also wrote Al-Burhan, which is a major book in legal science.

Scholars have offered many high honors to Al-Juwayni. He was given titles like "The Glory of Islam." Some called him "The Absolute Imam of all Imams." The scholar Ibn Asakir praised his immense merit and leadership. Al-Kawthari noted that his work connected different scholarly methods. Al-Bakhirzi even compared his skills to the founders of major schools. Al-Juwayni died in 1085 from liver disease. A massive crowd attended his funeral in Khurasan. His students showed great sorrow for many days following his death.

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