Archive · In History

October 19 in History

Medieval Period: Scholastic philosophers, Islamic scholars, and the great religious thinkers shaped this age.

8thinkers in the spotlight
10featured quotes
Medieval Period

Thinkers of the Medieval Period

Sufyan al-Thawri

Sufyan al-Thawri

716 – 778

Religion
14

quotes

If one tear falls on account of fear of God, it is better then fasting throughout life.

As-Saffah

As-Saffah

722 – 754

5

quotes

It is rare that bounty is given unasked but a just claim is destroyed thereby.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Ahmad ibn Hanbal

780 – 855

Law
7

quotes

Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Arabic: أحمد ابن حنبل, romanized: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal; was an Arab jurist and founder of the Hanbali school who is widely recognized as the scholar who memorized the most Hadiths in Islamic history. One of the most venerated Islamic intellectual figures, ibn Hanbal is notable for his unmatched memorization of over one million prophetic narrations, an unprecedented number that has never been claimed by any other muhaddith. Ibn Hanbal also compiled the largest hadith collection, al-Musnad, which has continued to exercise considerable influence on the field of hadith studies up to the present time, shaping the methodological framework later employed in both Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

Say to the followers of innovation : the judge between us and you is the day of funerals.

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (A.S.)

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (A.S.)

714 – 765

Religion
31

quotes

Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq was a Muslim scholar, jurist, hadith transmitter and the sixth and last agreed-upon Shia Imam amongst Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq, Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Islamic jurisprudence. In the canonical Twelver hadith collections, more traditions are cited from Ja'far than that of the other Imams combined, although their attribution to him is questionable, making it hard to determine his actual teachings.

Being cheerful and affable with people is by itself half of wisdom.

Ali al-Rida

Ali al-Rida

770 – 818

Religion
23

quotes

Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, also known as Abū al-Ḥasan al-Thānī, was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and the eighth Imam in Twelver Shia Islam, succeeding his father, Musa al-Kazim, in 799 CE. He is also part of the chain of mystical authority in Sunni Sufi orders. He was known for his piety and learning, and a number of works are attributed to him, including Al-Risalah al-Dhahabiah, Sahifah of al-Ridha, and Fiqh al-Rida.

Everyone's friend is his reason; his enemy is his ignorance.

Umar II

Umar II

681 – 720

Politics
6

quotes

Dr. Ali Muhammad as-Sallabi: Umar Bin Abd Al-Aziz, Darussalam Publications, New York, 2007

Muhammad bin Qasim

Muhammad bin Qasim

696 – 715

Military
25

quotes

Muḥammad ibn al-Qāsim al-Thaqafī was an Arab military commander in service of the Umayyad Caliphate who led the Muslim conquest of Sindh, inaugurating the Umayyad campaigns in India. His military exploits led to the establishment of the Islamic province of Sindh, and the takeover of the region from the Sindhi Brahman dynasty and its ruler, Raja Dahir, who was subsequently decapitated with his head sent to al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in Basra. With the capture of the then-capital of Aror by Arab forces, Muhammad ibn al-Qasim became the first Muslim to have successfully captured Indian land, which marked the beginning of Muslim rule in South Asia.

‘eight, or some say twenty-six thousand, men were put to the sword.’

John of Damascus

John of Damascus

675 – 749

Religion
3

quotes