Annals of Muslim History
When Imams stood up to Tyranny| Muhammad bn Nūh bn Maymūn
1 week ago
0 3 minutes read
Of the Great Imams who stood firm for the Truth and against the Bid’ah of the Creation of the Qur’ān was the pious and steadfast Imām Muhammad bn Nūh bn Maymūn. He was Muhammad bn Nūh bn Maymūn bn ‘Abd al-Hamīd bn Abī ar-Rijāl al-‘Ijlī, known as Abū al-Hasan al-Jundīsābūrī (or al-Sirāj), and his father was known as al-Madrūb. He resided in Baghdad and was from among the people of Sunnah who were known for their uprightness, zuhd, and wara’. Exact details of his birth are not widely recorded in the sources, but he was described as being of a relatively young age during the Mihna (around 218 AH), indicating he was in the prime of his scholarly life yet not among the eldest of the Imams of that generation. He was a Muhaddith who transmitted some hadith, though not in great quantity. Among those he narrated from were Imāms such as Ishāq bn Yūsuf al-Azraq, Ismā’īl bn ‘Ulayyah, Ziyād bn ‘Abdillāh al-Bakkā’ī, and others from the righteous predecessors. This shows his engagement in the acquisition and transmission of knowledge even before the trials intensified. He was recognized as one of the prominent upholders of the Sunnah in his time, a man of knowledge, asceticism, piety, and trustworthiness. Before the Mihna engulfed the Ummah, Muhammad bn Nūh was active in the circles of knowledge in Baghdad, studying, narrating, and living upon the way of the Salaf. His scholarly activities were marked by adherence to the Qur’ān and Sunnah without deviation, earning him a reputation among the people of truth. He was not one of the most prolific narrators, but the quality of his stance and his limited transmissions were sufficient to mark him as a Thiqah and a defender of the Dīn. This was mentioned by Al-Khatīb al-Baghdādī in his Tārīkh Baghdād and by others among the scholars of Rijāl, who counted him among the famous adherents of the Sunnah. When the Mihna reached its peak, He was among the few who stood firm in Baghdad. When the governor I’shāq bn Ibrāhīm examined the scholars and judges on the issue of the creation of the Qur’ān, most submitted out of fear or worldly pressure. But Muhammad bn Nūh, along with Imām Ahmad bn Hanbal and two others initially (al-Hasan bn Hammād Sajjādah and ‘Ubaydullāh al-Qawārīrī), refused to affirm the innovation. The others eventually yielded under repeated interrogation, but Muhammad bn Nūh and Imām Ahmad remained unyielding. They were placed in chains and dispatched in irons from Baghdad toward Tarsus to face the Caliph al-Ma’mūn himself. On this arduous journey of trial, Muhammad bn Nūh showed the strength of his īmān. It is reported that he encouraged and reminded Imām Ahmad of the importance of holding firm to the truth, fearing for the younger scholar yet standing as a pillar of resolve beside him. However, Allāh decreed that al-Ma’mūn would die before they reached him, in accordance with the Du’ā of Imām Ahmad. On the return journey to Baghdād, Muhammad bn Nūh passed away – rahimahullāh. There was none to prepare his funeral, pray over him, or bury him except Imām Ahmad bn Hanbal himself, who tended to his brother in faith in that moment of isolation and trial. He died in the year 218 after the Hijrah. His stand, though shorter in duration than some of his companions, was no less impactful. In an era when many scholars of high standing faltered, this ‘Ālim from the people of Sunnah chose death over humiliation and truth over safety. He left behind a legacy of courage that echoes through the ages, reminding every bearer of knowledge that the covenant Allāh took from the Ulamā is one of enjoining the Ma’rūf and forbidding the Munkar without regard for the consequences. As for the Scholars who passed verdicts against the likes of him and compromised with the people of Bid’ah, Allāh’s justice manifested in their affairs, and history bears witness to the fleeting nature of their worldly gains.
When trials befall the Believers, it is expected of them to stand but their inability to hold their stances and be steadfast may be excused but same may not be the case for the ‘Alim for Allāh has taken from the ‘Ulamā the Covenant of Standing upon the Truth and living by it. How many of such Imams have we in this era for in times of tribulations and difficulty on the Path of Steadfastness, the Ummah look toward the Bearers of its Ilm?
اللهم أبرم لهذه الأمة أمر رشداً يُعز فيه أهل طاعتك، ويُذل فيه أهل معصيتك.
Bārakallāhu Fīkum
