Ibn al-Jawzi: A Lifetime of Da’wah

Ibn al-Jawzi, ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Ali b. Muhammad Abu al-Faraj, a jurist, traditionist, historian, preacher, one of the most famous Hanbalis of Baghdad, where he was born, most probably, in the year 511/1127[1], and whose ancestry goes back to Abu Bakr (ra). He was orphaned at the age of three and thereafter raised in care of his mother and paternal aunt, who later brought him to the mosque of Abu al-Fadhl Ibn Nasir, to be taught traditions (hadith). At this stage, Ibn al-Jawzi was probably no more than six years old. Early Learning and Teachers Being his first teacher as well as his maternal uncle, Ibn Nasir introduced him to many other teachers. Ibn al-Jawzi shows his gratitude to Ibn Nasir by writing the following in his notice: “He heard numerous...