Shams ad-Din Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Ayyub ibn Sa'd ibn Hariz az-Zar'i ad-Dimashqi

Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, known as Ibn al-Qayyim (son of the superintendent) after his father's role at the Jawziyyah school in Damascus, was born in 1292 CE (691 AH). He studied under numerous scholars but his most defining intellectual relationship was with Ibn Taymiyyah, whom he met in 1312 and remained devoted to until Ibn Taymiyyah's death in 1328. He was imprisoned alongside his teacher for their shared positions and endured the hardship with patience and continued scholarly productivity.

What distinguishes Ibn al-Qayyim from many scholars is his rare ability to combine rigorous legal scholarship with deep spiritual insight and elegant literary expression. His works move seamlessly between technical fiqh analysis and soaring passages on the nature of the soul, the diseases of the heart, and the journey toward Allah. This integration of the outer (zahir) and inner (batin) dimensions of Islam gives his writings a timeless quality that resonates with scholars and laypeople alike.

His magnum opus, Zad al-Ma'ad fi Hadyi Khayr al-Ibad (Provisions for the Hereafter in the Guidance of the Best of Creation), is a comprehensive analysis of the Prophet's life and practice organized thematically rather than chronologically. Its sections on Hajj contain the most detailed scholarly treatment of the Prophet's pilgrimage, making it essential reference material for anyone seeking to understand the deeper dimensions of the Hajj rites. He passed away in Damascus in 1350 CE (751 AH), leaving behind a body of work that continues to be among the most widely read in the Islamic world.