Madarij al-Salikin: Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s Spiritual Masterpiece

Introduction and Summary of Madarij al-Salikin

(This is an introduction of Ibn Al-Qayyim’s famous book on Madarij Al-Salikeen. To get access to future audio and textual coverage of this book, ensure to subscribe on this page!)

Introduction

Madarij al-Sālikīn (Ranks of Divine Seekers) stands as one of the most significant spiritual works of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (d. 751/1350), a prominent Ḥanbalite scholar and disciple of the renowned reformer Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328). This expansive commentary on Manāzil al-Sāʾirīn, a Sufi classic by Abū Ismāʿīl al-Harawī (d. 481/1089), is not merely an exegesis but a reimagining of its source material. Ibn Qayyim critiques, reorders, and reorients al-Harawī’s work, transforming it into an independent treatise that bridges the gap between Sufi spirituality and Salafi orthodoxy. Despite its prominence in the Arabic-speaking world, Madarij has received limited attention in Western scholarship, a gap this article seeks to address by exploring its key themes, historical context, and enduring legacy.

Madarij and Its Author

Madarij al-Salikin is a monumental work that expands upon al-Harawī’s Manāzil al-Sāʾirīn, a terse treatise outlining one hundred spiritual stations (maqāmāt). While al-Harawī’s work is concise, Ibn Qayyim’s commentary is voluminous, offering profound spiritual and psychological insights. As the text notes, Madarij is “formally written as a commentary, [but] its extensive prologue, critique, reordering, and reorientation of al-Harawī’s work suggest that it could be equally seen as an independent work in its own right.”

Ibn Qayyim’s Madarij is celebrated for its “piercing spiritual and psychological insight, literary charm, and its potential to bridge the division between modern Sufis and Salafis.” However, despite its significance, the work has been largely overlooked in Western academia, a fact lamented by the translator: “Madarij has hitherto received little attention in Western scholarship.”

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya: Background and Education

Born in 691/1292 in the village of Zurʿa near Damascus, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya was the son of the superintendent of the Ḥanbalite seminary established by Muḥyī al-Dīn, the son of the celebrated Ḥanbalite scholar ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201). This connection earned him the title “Ibn al-Qayyim,” meaning “the son of the superintendent of Jawziyya.”

Ibn Qayyim’s early life was marked by modest beginnings, but his intellectual pursuits soon set him apart. He discovered Ibn Taymiyya at the age of 21 and became his devoted student, a relationship that would shape his intellectual and spiritual trajectory. As the text notes, Ibn Qayyim “devoted himself fully to [Ibn Taymiyya’s] teachings as well as his reform project for the next fifteen years, staying by his side even in captivity until the latter’s death in 728/1328.”

Ibn Qayyim’s loyalty to his teacher was unwavering, even in the face of persecution. He was imprisoned alongside Ibn Taymiyya and released only after his teacher’s death. Despite his marginalization during his lifetime, Ibn Qayyim’s works gained widespread recognition posthumously, with his books “all in high demand by people of different communities.”

Intellectual Development

Ibn Qayyim’s education was extensive, encompassing Islamic jurisprudence, theology (Kalam), philosophy, and medicine. He studied under Ibn Taymiyya and other scholars, mastering a wide range of disciplines. His works reflect a deep engagement with Greek philosophy and medical sciences, though he remained critical of speculative theology and foreign influences that he believed conflicted with Islamic revelation.

The text highlights Ibn Qayyim’s intellectual breadth: “In Ḥanbalite jurisprudence, he studied al-Khiraqī’s Mukhtaṣar… inheritance law with his own father… and later with Ibn Taymiyya.” He also studied advanced texts in legal methodology (uṣūl al-fiqh) and speculative theology, including works by Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 607/1210), a key figure in Islamic intellectual history.

Ibn Qayyim’s writings are divided into three phases: early legal works, mid-career theological and spiritual treatises, and late critiques of speculative theology. His later works, including Madarij, reflect a mature synthesis of his earlier ideas, emphasizing the importance of scriptural grounding in spiritual practice.

Madarij’s Core Themes

At its core, Madarij al-Sālikīn seeks to balance spiritual experience (tasawwuf) with scriptural authority. Ibn Qayyim critiques mystical excesses while preserving the valuable insights of Sufism. As the text notes, Madarij is “a project to elucidate the proper affective response to God,” emphasizing worship (ʿibādah), knowledge (ʿilm), and the heart’s devotion to God.

Ibn Qayyim’s critique of Sufism is nuanced. He rejects outright rejection of Sufism but insists on purifying it from heresies. For example, he critiques al-Harawī’s denial of causality, a theme that recurs throughout Madarij. The text explains: “These topics reappear frequently in Madarij, as shown below, in the course of his critique of al-Harawī’s denial of causality.”

Ibn Taymiyya’s influence is evident throughout Madarij, shaping its arguments and conclusions. As the text notes, “On nearly every question raised in Madarij, his answer is based on Ibn Taymiyya’s scattered comments, insights, and devotional practices; yet the development, argumentation, and deployment are Ibn al-Qayyim’s own.”

Ibn Qayyim’s Relationship with Ibn Taymiyya

Ibn Qayyim’s relationship with Ibn Taymiyya was one of unwavering loyalty, though he occasionally disagreed with his teacher on minor legal and theological issues. For example, he disagreed with Ibn Taymiyya on whether the Prophet combined major and minor pilgrimages (ḥajj and ʿumra) in one ritual consecration (iḥrām).

Despite these minor disagreements, Ibn Taymiyya’s influence on Ibn Qayyim is profound. As the text notes, “Ibn al-Qayyim’s contribution is best appreciated not in the coin of his originality or difference from his teacher. Rather, his genius lay in his recognition of his master’s real project behind his digressive writings and tumultuous public engagements.”

Ibn Taymiyya and Sufism

Ibn Taymiyya did not reject Sufism outright but criticized its distortions and excesses. He praised early Sufi masters like Junayd (d. 298/910) and ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī (d. 561/1166) for their adherence to the Sunnah. As the text notes, “Both Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn al-Qayyim consistently praised a number of Sufi authorities, most noteworthy among them being al-Junayd… and ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī.”

However, Ibn Taymiyya opposed esoteric and antinomian tendencies within Sufism, as well as Greek philosophy and speculative theology. His teachings deeply influenced Ibn Qayyim’s perspective on spirituality, as reflected in Madarij.

Ibn Qayyim’s View on Sufism

Ibn Qayyim accepted the Sufi tradition’s emphasis on love of God but insisted on adherence to scripture. He saw true Sufism as compatible with Hadith and traditional Islamic scholarship. As the text notes, “Ibn al-Qayyim embodied what he advocated in Madarij: harmony between traditions of devotional experience and scripture, with the preference for the earlier, simpler devotion of the Predecessors yet without wishing to do away with the precious gems of Sufism.”

He criticized ecstatic utterances (shaṭaḥāt) but was more lenient toward them than al-Ghazālī, viewing them as signs of weakness or immaturity rather than outright heresy. As the text explains, “Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s apology for the shaṭaḥāt of several righteous Sufis… [shows] that a simple assignment of mystical or ecstatic essence to Sufism and then opposing it with an externalist sharīʿa is fraught with difficulties.”

Conclusion

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya and Ibn Taymiyya sought to reform Sufism rather than abolish it, reclaiming its essence while purging it of harmful innovations. Madarij al-Sālikīn serves as a bridge between spirituality and orthodoxy, offering a balanced approach to faith and devotion. As the text concludes, “Ibn al-Qayyim’s legacy lies in his ability to synthesize and articulate Ibn Taymiyya’s reformist vision.”

Ibn Qayyim’s works, including Madarij, remain influential in contemporary Islamic thought, offering profound insights into the nature of worship, knowledge, and the heart’s devotion to God. By grounding spirituality in scripture and tradition, Ibn Qayyim provides a timeless model for navigating the complexities of faith in a changing world.