Al-Qurtubi facts for kids

Imam Abu 'Abdullah Al-Qurtubi or Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abu Bakr al-Ansari al-Qurtubi (Arabic: أبو عبدالله القرطبي) (d. 1272) was an Andalusian jurist, Islamic scholar and muhaddith. He was taught by prominent scholars of Córdoba, Spain and he is well known for his commentary of the Quran named Tafsir al-Qurtubi.

Biography

He was born in Córdoba, Al-Andalus in the 13th century. His father was a farmer and died during a Spanish attack in 1230. During his youth, he contributed to his family by carrying clay for use in potteries. He finished his education in Cordoba, studying from renowned scholars ibn Ebu Hucce and Abdurrahman ibn Ahmet Al-Ashari. After Cordoba's capture in 1236 by king Ferdinand III of Castile, he left for Alexandria, where he studied hadith and tafsir. He then passed to Cairo and settled in Munya Abi'l-Khusavb where he spent the rest of his life. Known for his modesty and humble lifestyle, he was buried in Munya Abi'l-Khusavb, Egypt in 1273. His grave was carried to a mosque where a mausoleum was built under his name in 1971, still open for visiting today.

Views

He was very skilled in commentary, narrative, recitation and law; clearly evident in his writings, and the depth of his scholarship has been recognized by many scholars. In his works, Qurtubi defended the Sunni point of view and criticized the Mu'tazilah.

Works

1. Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī: the most important and famous of his works, this 20 volume commentary has raised great interest, and has had many editions. It is often referred to as al-Jamī' li-'Aḥkām, meaning "All the Judgments." Contrary to what this name implies, the commentary is not limited to verses dealing with legal issues, but is a general interpretation of the whole of Quran with a Maliki point of view. Any claims made about a verse are stated and thoroughly investigated.
2. al-Tadhkirah fī Aḥwāl al-Mawtà wa-Umūr al-Ākhirah (Reminder of the Conditions of the Dead and the Matters of the Hereafter): a book dealing with the topics of death, the punishments of the grave, the end times and the day of resurrection
3. Al-Asnà fi Sharḥ al-Asmā' al-Ḥusnà
4. Kitāb ut-Tadhkār fi Afḍal il-Adhkār
5. Kitab Sharḥ it-Taqaṣṣi
6. Kitab Qam' il-Ḥirṣ biz-Zuhd wal-Qanā'ah
7. At-Takrāb li-Kitāb it-Tamhīd

See also

In Spanish: Al-Qurtubi para niños