Ibn Hajar al-Haytami

Ahmad Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, Egyptian Shafi'i jurist who settled in Mecca, author of «Tuhfat al-Muhtaj», one of the most important later commentaries in Shafi'i jurisprudence, not to be confused with Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani.

الإنجازات

Authored «Tuhfat al-Muhtaj bi-Sharh al-Minhaj», among the most important later Shafi'i references

Compiled «al-Zawajir 'an Iqtiraf al-Kaba'ir» on major sins

Began issuing legal opinions at age twenty due to his early mastery

Settled in Mecca, enriching its scholarly life for decades

Ahmad Ibn Hajar al-Haytami was born in 909 AH/1504 CE in the village of Abu Haytam, Egypt. Orphaned young, he was raised and educated by al-Azhar scholars, memorizing the Quran and studying Shafi'i jurisprudence to the point of issuing legal opinions by age twenty. He eventually settled in Mecca, where he spent most of his scholarly life.

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami was known for his prolific output in Shafi'i jurisprudence, most notably «Tuhfat al-Muhtaj bi-Sharh al-Minhaj», a commentary on al-Nawawi's «Minhaj al-Talibin» that became one of the most authoritative later commentaries in the Shafi'i school, alongside his work «al-Zawajir 'an Iqtiraf al-Kaba'ir» on major sins and their rulings.

His Legacy

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami died in Mecca in 973 AH/1567 CE. «Tuhfat al-Muhtaj», together with the glosses of al-Sharwani and Ibn Qasim al-'Abbadi upon it, remained a core reference for Shafi'i legal rulings and continues to be studied in Shafi'i seminaries today.