Al-Qadi al-Nu'man, whose full name was Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man ibn Muhammad al-Tamimi, was the foremost Ismaili jurist and the founder of Fatimid Ismaili jurisprudence. He was born around 903 CE in Qayrawan in North Africa into a learned family, and his father had evidently converted from Maliki Sunnism to Ismaili Shiism. In 925 he entered the service of Abdullah al-Mahdi, the Imam who founded the Fatimid caliphate, and he went on to serve the first four Fatimid imam-caliphs, among other posts as keeper of the palace library and as judge of Tripoli and Mansuriyya. In 948 he was appointed chief judge of the Fatimid state, a post the imam-caliph al-Mu'izz confirmed, and in 954 al-Mu'izz also gave him charge of grievance proceedings across the caliphate. He held weekly sessions of wisdom in the royal palace to teach Ismaili audiences. He accompanied al-Mu'izz to Egypt in 973 and died in Cairo on 27 March 974, with the imam-caliph himself leading his funeral prayer.
Facts
Life
Lifespan or Floruit Classification
Veneration StatusOfficially Recognized or Venerated 2 Connections
Attributed Works
Source Institute of Ismaili Studies: Ismaili Jurisprudence
Belongs to Tradition
Source Al-Nu'man, Al-Qadi (Institute of Ismaili Studies)
Revered In
Source Ismaili Gnosis (amaana.org): Ismaili Heroes: Qadi an-Nu'man
Works Attributed
Source Institute of Ismaili Studies: Ismaili Jurisprudence
In the Other Atlases
Same As
Also in Law Atlas: the same subject.
Nationality
Also in Geography Atlas: the nationality of this subject.
Source Al-Nu'man, Al-Qadi (Institute of Ismaili Studies)Fatimid serviceQuote, Fatimid service
Educated as an Ismaili, in 313 AH/ 925 CE al-Nu‘man entered the service of ‘Abdullah al-Mahdi (d. 322 AH/ 934 CE), the Ismaili Imam who had founded the Fatimid caliphate in Ifriqiya in 297 AH/ 909 CE.
Located In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is located.
Source Al-Nu'man, Al-Qadi (Institute of Ismaili Studies)Death in CairoQuote, Death in Cairo
Al-Qadi al-Nu‘man accompanied Imam-caliph al-Mu‘izz to Egypt in 362 AH/ 973 CE and died in Cairo, the new Fatimid capital, on the last day of Jumada II 363 AH/ 27 March 974 CE; his funeral prayer was led by Imam-caliph al-Mu’izz himself.
Sources
1. Al-Nu'man, Al-Qadi (Institute of Ismaili Studies)
Biography
Muhammad al-Tamimi, better known as al-Qadi al-Nu‘man , was born around 290 AH/ 903 CE into a learned family in Qayrawan See Kairouan , in North Africa.
Birth
The foremost Ismaili jurist and founder of Fatimid Ismaili jurisprudence, Abu Hanifa al-Nu‘man b. Muhammad al-Tamimi, better known as al-Qadi al-Nu‘man , was born around 290 AH/ 903 CE into a learned family in Qayrawan See Kairouan , in North Africa.
Death
Al-Qadi al-Nu‘man accompanied Imam-caliph al-Mu‘izz to Egypt in 362 AH/ 973 CE and died in Cairo, the new Fatimid capital, on the last day of Jumada II 363 AH/ 27 March 974 CE; his funeral prayer was led by Imam-caliph al-Mu’izz himself.
Service
He served the first four Fatimid imam-caliphs in different capacities, such as the keeper of the palace library, and judge of Tripoli and Mansuriyya, the new capital from 337 AH/ 948 CE under the Fatimid Imam-caliph al-Mansur.
Funeral
Al-Qadi al-Nu‘man accompanied Imam-caliph al-Mu‘izz to Egypt in 362 AH/ 973 CE and died in Cairo, the new Fatimid capital, on the last day of Jumada II 363 AH/ 27 March 974 CE; his funeral prayer was led by Imam-caliph al-Mu’izz himself.
Belongs to Tradition: Islam, Summary
The foremost Ismaili jurist and founder of Fatimid Ismaili jurisprudence
View the Source2. Ismaili Gnosis (amaana.org): Ismaili Heroes: Qadi an-Nu'man
Ismaili Gnosis (amaana.org)BiographyQuote, Biography
The 'Uyun does not discuss the question of his Madhab, for according to the Ismailis the Qadi was a pillar of their faith and the founder of their legal system.
Institute of Ismaili Studies: Ismaili Jurisprudence
Institute of Ismaili StudiesWorks Attributed: Da'a'im al-Islam, Authorship
He was commissioned by the fourth imam-caliph al-Mu‘izz al-Din-Allah (r. 341-65 AH/953-75 CE) to compose the Da‘a’im al-Islam , his magnum opus, which was officially promulgated as the Fatimid code.
Attributed Works: Da'a'im al-Islam, Attribution
He was commissioned by the fourth imam-caliph al-Mu‘izz al-Din-Allah (r. 341-65 AH/953-75 CE) to compose the Da‘a’im al-Islam , his magnum opus, which was officially promulgated as the Fatimid code.
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