Book Particulars - Authors

Imam Fakhruddin Razi (died 606 AH)

الامام فخر الدين الرازي

Born 543AH/ 1149, Rayy, Iran

Died 606AH/ 1209, near Hert, Khwrezm

Muhammad ibn `Umar ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Husayn Abu `Abd Allah al-Qurashi, al-Bakri, al-Taymi, al-Tabaristani al-Shafi`i, known as Ibn al-Khatib and as Fakhr al-Din al-Razi was born in Rayy near present-day Tehran in AH 543 or 544/ad 1149-50 and died in 606AH/1209), Shaykh al-Islam, the imam of the learned scholars of kalam and the foundations of belief, a major jurist of the Shafi`i school, specialist of usul, Commentator of the Qur'an, Philologist, genealogist, heresiographer, logician, Mathematician, Astronomer and physician.

An ocean that contains more pearls than the ocean.' The principal spokesman of Ahl al-Sunnah in his time, he refuted all the sects with which he came into contact, particularly the multifarious groups of the Mu`tazila, Shi`a, and Hashwiyya as well as the Jews and Christians. A student of his father Khatib al-Rayy Diya' al-Din `Umar and Majd al-Din al-Jili al-Maraghi principally, then Abu Muhammad al-Baghawi and Kamal al-Din al-Simnani, he memorized early on Imam al-Haramayn's work in kalam entitled al-Shamil. He began his scholarly career in poverty and died at sixty-three at the height of fame and wealth, poisoned, it is said, by the Karramiyya of Herat who were envious of his great following among the princes of Khurasan.

He traveled widely before settling in Herat (in modern Afghanistan). The author of more than 100 books (on subjects as diverse as medicine, mineralogy, and grammar), he gained fame and wealth through his scholarship and skill in debate, in which he often presented unorthodox views fully and favorably before refuting them. Though this led to accusations of heresy, it has preserved information about little-known sects. His works include one of the major commentaries on the Qur'an, The Keys to the Unknown (or The Great Commentary), and Collection of the Opinions of Ancients and Moderns.