6.3.5 - Sadruddin al-Qunawi (Damascus)

Also one of the students who accompanied the Shaykh in Damascus was his stepson Muhammad Ibn Ishaq Ibn Muhammad Ibn Yusuf al-Rumi, known as Sadr al-Din al-Qunawi. When his father Majd al-Din died in 617/1220 the Greatest Shaykh took care of him beside the care of Shaykh Awhaduddin al-Kirmani.

We do not know exactly when Shaykh Sadr al-Din was born, but this was around 610 AH, but he died in Konya in 672 or 673, in the same period as Jalaluddin al-Rumi and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi. Sadruddin recommended that after he dies his coffin to be curried to Damascus and be buried with his Shaykh Ibn al-Arabi, but this could not be fulfilled.

Al-Qunawi is one of the best scholars who explained the books of Shaykh Muhyiddin and he was credited with the dissemination of his science, especially in the countries of Turkey and Persia. His books were taught in the last six centuries, with dozens of Sufis, who had a major impact on Islamic history, graduated on his hands, including Jalal al-Din al-Rumi, the author of the famous book “Al-Mathnawi”.

We shall have more discussion about Sadruddin al-Qunawi in section

efal-qunawi of Chapter VII when we mention his role in the diffusion of the Akbarian teachings.