
Influential theologian who shaped modern Salafi thought.
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Ibn Taymiyyah issued a fatwa declaring that Muslims under Mongol rule should rebel, as the Mongols did not fully implement Sharia law. This fatwa justified jihad against the Ilkhanate and influenced later Salafi thought on legitimate authority.
Ibn Taymiyyah was imprisoned in the Citadel of Cairo for his anthropomorphic interpretations of God's attributes and his criticism of Sufi practices. He was tried before a council of scholars and confined for 18 months.
Ibn Taymiyyah was exiled to Alexandria by the Mamluk sultan after he condemned the veneration of saints and the practice of visiting tombs. He remained there for several years before being allowed to return to Cairo.
Ibn Taymiyyah wrote a major theological work defending the Salafi creed, arguing for a literal interpretation of the Quran and Hadith. He rejected allegorical interpretation (ta'wil) and criticized Ash'ari theology.
Ibn Taymiyyah was imprisoned in the Citadel of Damascus for his continued opposition to the veneration of saints and his criticism of the Ash'ari school. He died in confinement, his body reportedly refused burial in public cemeteries initially.
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