Abu Bakr al-Kalabadhi

Abu Bakr al - Kalabadhi (* unknown, but very likely in Bukhara, † depending on the source 990, 994 or 995 also in Bukhara; actually Abu Bakr ibn Abi Ishaq, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ya ʿ qub al -Bukhari al - Kalabadhi / أبو بكر بن أبي إسحاق محمد بن إبراهيم بن يعقوب البخاري الكلاباذي / Abu Bakr b. Abī Ishaq Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm b. Ya ʿ qūb al - Bukhari al - Kalābāḏī ) was the author of Kitab at- ta'arruf, one of the most important works on Sufism ( Islamic mysticism ) in the first three centuries of Islam.

Life

About the life of Abu Bakr al - Kalabadhi very little is known. His Nisba indicates that he lived in Kalabadh, a district of Bukhara and was probably of Persian origin. Bukhara was a city in Transoxiana, then Persia, and today Uzbekistan. Depending on the source, he died in 990, 994 or 995 ( for details, see the introduction of Arberry ). The grave in Bukhara is visited to this day to worship and devotion.

Al - Kalabadhi studied Sufism under Abu al - Husayn al - Farisi and hanafitisches Fiqh under Muhammad ibn Fadl.

Works

Of his five or six plants two Arab to date are obtained:

On the Kitab at- ta'arruf based fame al - Kalabadhis. To the very short work of several detailed comments were written that exceed the scope of the Kitab at- ta'arruf far. The Kitab at- ta'arruf consists of 75 mostly short chapters. The book was written primarily for two purposes: It leads to a sober ( Sufi technical term) in the Sufism of the first three centuries of Islam. On the other hand wants al - Kalabadhi occupy in it that do not contradict Islamic orthodoxy and Sufism.

Especially the second point was the time al - Kalabadhis of great importance, given the risk that Sufism could be declared a heresy. Not long ago, in the year 922, the famous Sufi al - Hallaj was executed public appeal for alleged heresy. That this must have had an impact on al - Kalabadhi, it can be concluded from two references: al- Kalabadhis teacher Abu al - Husayn al - Farisi was a friend of al - Hallaj. Although al - al - Hallaj Kalabadhi often quoted, he never calls him by name. Instead, he usually uses the cipher One of the great Sufis.

The book is still understandable to modern readers. For Islamic Studies, it is especially because of the many quotes used by importance, which are a major source of insight into the first three centuries of Sufism.