HANBALI CRITICISM OF AL-RAFIḊA IN IBN AL-JAWZĪ’S TALBĪS IBLĪS (THE DEVIL’S DECEIT)

Abstract

The treatise “Talbīs Iblīs” (The Devil’s Deceit) by Ibn al-Jawzi (1116-1201), a representative of the Hanbali religious jurisprudence of Sunni Islam, exemplifies the mapping of religious and intellectual contradictions in 12th-century Baghdad. During this period, in the intellectual environment of the city, various Shiite (al-rāfiḍa) movements maintained their activity alongside the four Sunni religious and legal schools, theological directions, and the gradually strengthening presence of Sufis in the public sphere. The competition between the mentioned religious and ideological groups, as well as political developments, is inevitably reflected in the works of Ibn al-Jawzi, a preacher involved in court life. The aim of the article is to examine Ibn al-Jawzi’s approaches to Shiite circles (al-Rāfiḍa) through an analysis of relevant sections of Talbīs Iblīs. By situating Ibn al-Jawzi within the religious and political developments of 12th-century Baghdad, the article demonstrates his fundamental criticism of the Shiites at both ideological and practical levels.