| Muslim scholar Abu 'Abdullah Al-Qurtubi |
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|---|---|
| Title | Al-Qurtubi |
| Born | 1214 |
| Died | 1273 |
| Maddhab | Sunni Maliki |
| Main interests | Tafsir, fiqh and hadith |
Imam Abu 'Abdullah Al-Qurtubi or Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abu Bakr al-Ansari al-Qurtubi (Arabic: أبو عبدالله القرطبي) was a famous mufassir, muhaddith and faqih scholar from Cordoba of maliki origin. He is most famous for his commentary of the Quran, Tafsir al-Qurtubi.
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He was born in Córdoba, Spain 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. His 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 Fernando I, 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,[1] still open for visiting today.
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.[2] In his works, Qurtubi defended the Sunni point of view, criticizing mutazilah, imamiyya, rafiziyya and kerramiyya sects frequently.[3] Albeit being of Maliki origin, a very common school in north africa and spain, he has rejected bigotry and does not accept imitation as a method.[4] Although not strictly against the Sufi sect, he has pointed out superstitions associated with Sufism in his works. He has clearly and openly criticized government officials, pointing out their errors, their tendency towards corruption and their damaging actions to religion for personal desire.[5]
He is particularly cited in support of the reality of possession by Jinn and the Devil (Shaitan). Commenting on the Qur'an (al-Baqara, verse 275), he wrote: