Ibn Arafa

Ibn Arafa, born Mohammed bin Mohammed bin Arafa al-Werghemmi, in 1316 in Tunis and died in 1401 in the same city, was a Tunisian Imam, the most illustrious representative of Maliki Islam to the Hafsid period.^[2][3]

From the south-east of Tunisia, he had knowledge of law, of grammar, of rhetoric, of mathematics, and of medicine that enabled him to lead the prestigious Al-Zaytuna Mosque and the University of Ez-Zitouna for several years.

Staunch defender of Maliki Islam, he did not hesitate to come into direct conflict with several Sufi of his time as the esoteric and religious practices he witnessed were beyond the precepts of Islam and the understanding of the faithful. He also had conflicts with Ibn Khaldun who he suspected had non-religious motives. Khaldun, in turn, accused Ibn Arafa of being jealous of his popularity.

As a theologian, Ibn Arafa was a strict and pure Maliki, and a powerful figure especially in Tunisia. He was also the author of numerous books on law, theology, and logic. Such books are stored at Zaytuna, in Tunisia.

Mausoleum of Ibn Arafa in Djellaz

At his death in 1401, he was buried in Djellaz Cemetery located in the old medina of Tunis, which has been preserved as the oldest historical monument of the state.^[4]

References

1. 1 2 3 4 Lewis, B.; Menage, V.L.; Pellat, Ch.; Schacht, J. (1986) [1st. pub. 1971]. Encyclopaedia of Islam (New Edition). Volume III (H-Iram). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. p. 712. ISBN 9004081186. 
2. ↑ (French) Moncef Ben Salem, « Imam Ibn Arafa (1316-1401) », Tunisian Press, june 9, 2008
3. ↑ Lewis, B.; Menage, V.L.; Pellat, Ch.; Schacht, J. (1986) [1st. pub. 1971]. Encyclopaedia of Islam (New Edition). Volume III (H-Iram). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. p. 712. ISBN 9004081186. 
4. ↑ (French) Presentation of Dar Ibn Arafa (Sites and monuments)

Muslim Scholars of the Maliki School
2nd Islamic Century (100 - 199 AH) (8th century CE)	Malik ibn Anas (founder of the school) Ibn al-Qasim Ibn Wahb Ibn Bashir Ali ibn Ziyad
3rd Islamic Century (200 - 299 AH) (9th century CE)	Ashhab Ibn Nafi' Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam Asad ibn al-Furat Ibn al-Majishun Ibn Nafi' az-Zubayri Ibn Maslama al-Makhzumi Mutarrif Ibn Maslama al-Qa'nabi Yahya al-Laithi Al-Asbagh Ibn Habib Sahnun Al-'Utbi Ibn Sahnun Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Hakam Ibn al-Mawwaz Qadi Isma'il
4th Islamic Century (300 - 399 AH) (10th century CE)	Ibn al-Jallab Ibn Sha'ban Ibn Shiblun Al-Abhari Ibn Abi Zayd
5th Islamic Century (400 - 499 AH) (11th century CE)	Al-Baqillani Ibn 'Abd al-Barr Al-Baji Al-Lakhmi Qadi 'Abd al-Wahhab
6th Islamic Century (500 - 599 AH) (12th century CE)	Ibn Rushd al-Jadd At-Turtushi Sanad ibn 'Inan Al-Maziri Qadi Ayyad Averroes Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi
7th Islamic Century (600 - 699 AH) (13th century CE)	Ibn Shas Ibn al-Hajib Ibn Daqiq al-Eid al-Qurtubi al-Qarafi
8th Islamic Century (700 - 799 AH) (14th century CE)	Ibn al-Haj Ibn Farhun Ash-Shatibi Ibn Juzayy Khalil ibn-Ishaq Al-Fakihani
9th Islamic Century (800 - 899 AH) (15th century CE)	Ibn Marzuq Al-Mawwaq Ibn 'Arafa Ibn Khaldun Ahmad Zarruq
10th Islamic Century (900 - 999 AH) (16th century CE)	Al-Akhdari At-Tata'i Al-Hattab 'Abd ar-Rahman al-Ujhuri Nasir ud-Deen al-Laqqani Ali ibn Qasim al-Zaqqaq Al-Wansharisi
11th Islamic Century (1000 - 1099 AH) (17th century CE)	Al-Ujhuri Al-Laqani Az-Zurqani Ibn Ashir Mayyara
12th Islamic Century (1100 - 1199 AH) (18th century CE)	Al-Kharashi Al-'Adawi An-Nafrawi Al-Bannani Ad-Dardir
13th Islamic Century (1200 - 1299 AH) (19th century CE)	Ad-Desouki As-Sawi 'Illish Al-'Adawi
14th Islamic Century (1300 - 1399 AH) (20th century CE)	Abdallah Bin Bayyah Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki Mohamed Taher Ben Achour Mohamed Fadhel Ben Achour Al-Habib Bin Tahir Hamza Yusuf