Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyya Hanbali theologian and mufti Family left Harran to avoid Mongol threat in 1269; thereafter brought up in Damascus 1284 Succeeded father as head of a madrasa (religious college) Ibn Taymiyya ( )

Also worked in various places as administrator and teacher. Employed by Mamluk sultans as jihad propagandist. Wrote many works, esp. fatwas on many legal topics. Advocate of Islamic reform 1293 onwards involved in number of political and theological disputes; repeatedly accused of anthropomorphism. Imprisoned several times Ibn Taymiyya ( )

Damascene astronomer, also timekeeper and chief mu’adhdhin (caller to prayer) at Great Umayyad Mosque Ibn al-Shatir ( )

Addressed issue of eccentric movement of planets. Solved problem by assuming planets move in own circular orbits while orbiting earth Geometry used by Ibn al-Shatir appears in Europe in mid-16th c. when Copernicus proposes heliocentric universe Ibn al-Shatir ( )

Ibn Khaldun (b. Tunis 1332, d. Cairo 1406) Famous Muslim historian, sociologist and philosopher Born in Tunis, standard religious education Parents died of plague when he was 17

Ibn Khaldun (b. Tunis 1332, d. Cairo 1406) Went to court at Fez and took up administrative position, but soon left it to travel. Had various adventures and worked in various courts in Spain and N. Africa Eventually went to Cairo to escape plot, arrived 1382 Became popular teacher, held various teaching and legal positions, incl. occasional work for Mamluk sultans. Met Timur Lang

Ibn Khaldun (b. Tunis 1332, d. Cairo 1406) Best known for two works: 1. Kitab al-‘Ibar - universal history 2. Al-Muqaddima - introduction to historian’s craft as scientific pursuit. Proposes link between historical development and environment, with instrumental factor being repeated invasions by then corruption of nomads

Hafez (c c. 1390) Famous Persian mystical poet, lived most of life in Shiraz Educated in religious sciences (hafiz = “one who has memorised the Qur’an”) and Persian poetry Sufi, but not ascetic. Lover of good life Wrote lyric poems in simple language, but replete with symbolic images

Muhammad ibn Battuta (b. Tangier 1304, d. Morocco btw and 1377) Shams al-Din Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Tanji Trained as qadi, then in 1325 set out to perform hajj and find teachers. By time returned to Morocco in 1349 had covered over 60,000 miles and done hajj three times

Muhammad ibn Battuta (b. Tangier 1304, d. Morocco btw and 1377) Travelled through most of Muslim world. Met Ottoman sultan Orhan (r ), Il-Khan Abu Sa‘id (r ) and Uzbeg, Khan of Golden Horde (r ) Served sultan of Delhi for 7 years as qadi, and spent several months in Maldives in same role. Visit to China may have been added to his travelogue (rihla) by his editor Later visited Mali and Granada