Religion Islam Jurisprudence Zahiri Movement Sufism Died 915 AD | Denomination Sunni Creed Athari Sufi order Malamatiyya Place of birth Baghdad | |
Abu Muhammad Ruwaym bin Ahmad was an early Muslim jurist, aescetic, saint and reciter of the Qur'an. He was one of the second generation of practitioners of Sufism.
Contents
Life
Ruwaym was an early teacher of Ibn Khafif, another famous mystic. Ruwaym has been described as both being on poor terms with Ibn Khafif's other teacher, Junayd of Baghdad, and with being a "friendly rival" and associate of Junayd's. In addition to his students, Ruwaym was a devoted family man, an attachment to the material world which put him in contrast to many other Sufi mystics at his time. Ruwaym spent some time as the deputy of the chief judge of Baghdad, his home town.
Ruwaym died in the year 303 of the Islamic calendar, corresponding to the year 915 on the Gregorian calendar.
Views
One of the first practitioners of Sufism, Ruwaym viewed the practice as a resignation of the empirical self. Tawhid, under Ruwaym's definition, was the annihilation of humanity and the overarching importance of the divine. In fact, Ruwaym's humility was to the extent that shame was a virtue as no matter where a person went God is near, and a human being should be ashamed in such a situation. Less emphasis was placed on absolute trust in God for all things, and more on stewardship and responsibility. His influence within Sufism was strong early on, with many of Baghdad's early Sufis having been disciples of his. Ruwaym held a negative view of Mansur Al-Hallaj, initially believing in his miracles though later rejecting such claims.
In terms of Muslim jurisprudence, Ruwaym was a Zahirite, following the school of Dawud al-Zahiri. He was one of the school's important early jurists, being remembered by later adherent Ibn Hazm as one of the top leaders of the school.
Works
Although Ruwaym was a Sufi, he was also critical of other practitioners due to perceived errors. His book Errors of the Ecstatics was a compilation of what he viewed as such errors. He also warned Muslims from the mainstream against arguing with Sufis about metaphysical matters of which the mainstream had little knowledge, viewing that such a person would lose faith and that such matters should be left to experts in Sufism.
Quotes
The following were recorded by Abu Bakr al-Kalabadhi, translated by Arthur John Arberry:
Commenting on the meaning of intimacy, Ruwaym observed: (Kalabadhi 99)