| Religion: | Islam |
| Era: | Islamic golden age |
| al-Kiyā al-Harrāsī | |
| S̲h̲ams al-Islām Imad al-Din Al-Ḥāfiẓ | |
| Birth Date: | 1058 |
| Birth Place: | Tabaristan |
| Death Place: | Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate |
| Denomination: | Sunni |
| Creed: | Ash'ari[1] |
| Main Interests: | Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Hadith, Tafsir, Kalam (Islamic theology) |
| Influences: | Al-Shafi'i Abu Hasan al-Ash'ari Al-Juwayni |
| Influenced: | Abu Tahir al-Silafi Ibn Tumart Abu Mansur Muhammad Ibn Al-Saad Al Khair Al Balancy |
al-Kiyā al-Harrāsī, S̲h̲ams al-Islām ʿImād ad-Dīn Abû ’l-Ḥasan b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī aṭ-Ṭabarī (Arabic: إلكيا الهراسي), commonly known as al-Kiya al-Harrasi was a prominent Shafi'i jurisconsult, legal theoretician, traditionist, scriptural exegete, preacher, orator, judge, and Ash'ari theologian, a dialectician who was once regarded as among the foremost practitioners of disputation.[2] [3] [4] He was the famous pupil of Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni and the class-mate of Al-Ghazali.[5]
He was born in the year 450 AH/1058 CE in the region of Tabaristan and studied under the ulama. He departed from his native land to seek knowledge at the age of eighteen years to Nishapur and studied jurisprudence under the direction of Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni until he excelled in Islamic law. He was handsome, his voice was clear and loud, his manner was elegant, and his language was appealing.[6]
He then proceeded to the town of Bayhaq, where he spent several years teaching the doctrine of the Shafi'i school. Eventually, he reached to Baghdad where he came in contact with Sultan Berkyaruq. It was through the Sultan's favour where al-Kiya al-Harrasi status rose to wealth and prestige. He served under the dynasty as the chief judge of Baghdad and fulfilled his duties. Al-Kiya al-Harrasi became a popular lecturer and was appointed as the professor of Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad. He was a famous preacher and his gatherings would be described by visitors as being huge.
He was a scholar of Shafi'i-Ash'ari background, but unlike his contemporary Al-Ghazzali, he specialized in hadith as a separate subject and would frequently use hadith to cite evidence in his theological debates and preaching discourses. Some of the notable hadith scholars of Baghdad and elsewhere are stated to have been taught under him. The quote attributed to him: "When the horsemen of the traditions gallop about in the battlefield, the heads of analogical deductions are struck and carried off by the wind," amply illustrates his position that hadith should be prioritised over individual reason.[7] Al-Kiya al-Harrasi and Ibn Aqil, the head of the Hanbalis in Baghdad were close sparring-partners in disputation.[8]
He had numerous students with some becoming renown of their age; amongst them:[9]
He passed away in Baghdad during the time of afternoon on the specific date of Thursday, 1st of Muharram at the year of 504 AH corresponding to July, 1110 AD. He was buried next to the grave of the Amir al-Muʾminin Fī al-Fiqh because of his excellent scholastic standing among Shafi'i ulama. Large crowds attended his funeral, and leaders from various Sunni schools would recite poetry. Some praised him, referring to him as "Shams al-Islam" (the Sun of Islam), while others expressed sorrow over the tragic loss.
Al-Hafiz Abd al-Ghafir al-Farsi said in his book, Continuation of the History of Nishapur on page 170 about Al-Kiya al-Harrasi: "He was one of the Imām al-Haramain's principal under-tutors (1); a second Abú Hāmid al-Ghazāli; nay, more profound in learning, more holy in life, more pleasing in voice, and more agreeable in countenance."