The Encounter of Two Renowned Grammarians – Ibn Taymiyyah and Abu Hayyan.

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

وقد بَحَثَ بَحْثًا فَائِضًا فِي الفَرْقِ بَينَ المَدْحِ والحَمْدِ، كَتَبَ كِتَابَةً فَائِقَةً فِي ذلك، وقال : كَانَ شَيْخُنَا إِذَا بَحَثَ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا أَتَى بِالعَجَبِ العُجَابِ.
ولكنه كما قيل
تَأَلَّقَ البَرْقُ نَجْدِيًّا فَقُلْتُ لَهُ
إِلَيكَ عَنِّي فَإِنِّي عَنْكَ مَشْغُولُ

يعني أنه أي شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله – مُنْشَغل بما هُوَ أعم من التحقيق في اللغة العربية، وإلا فهو أعني شيخ الإسلام رحمه الله – آية في اللغة العربية، فإنه لما قَدِمَ مصر واجْتَمَعَ بأبي حَيَّانَ المصري الشهير صاحب (البحر المحيط) في التفسير، وكان أبو حَيَّان يثني على شيخ الإسلام ثناء عاطرًا وَيَمْدَحُهُ
بقصَائِدَ عِصَامِيَّة ومن جملة ما يقول فيه:

قَامَ ابْنُ تَيْمِيةَ فِي نَصْرِ شِرْعَتِنَا مَقَامَ سَيِّدِ تَيْمِ إِذْ عَصَتْ مُضَرُ

يعني أبا بكر – رضي الله عنه – يومَ الرِّدَّةِ.

فلما قَدِمَ شيخ الإسلام مِصرَ اجْتَمَعَ بِأَبِي حَيَّانَ وتَنَاظَرَ مَعَهُ فِي مَسْأَلَةٍ نَحْوية،
واحتج عليه أبو حيان بقول سيبويه في كتابه
قال: إن سيبويه قال كذا وكذا، فَكَيْفَ تُخَالِفُهُ؟
فقال له شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية: وهل سِيبَوَيْهِ نَبِيُّ النَّحْو حَتَّى يُحِبَ عَلَيْنَا
اتباعه ؟!
ثم قال: لقد غَلط في الكِتَابِ في أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَمَانِينَ مَوْضِعًا لَا تَعْلَمُهَا أَنت
ولا هو، بعد ذلك أَخَذَ أبو حَيَّان عليه وهَجَاهُ، وَأَنْشَأَ قَصِيدَةً يَهْجُو فيها شيخ
الإسلام ابن تيمية ، نسأل الله العَافِيةَ، عفا الله عنَّا وعَنْهُمْ جَمِيعًا

While speaking about Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim’s, may Allāh have mercy upon him, book “Bada’i Al-Fawa’id”, Imam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allāh have mercy upon him, said: Indeed, he conducted an extensive research on the difference between [المَدْحِ] and [الحَمْدِ], and wrote an exceptional written work on the subject. He (Ibn Al-Qayyim) said: “When our Shaikh (i.e Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah) used to research on the likes of this (topic), he presented (some) of the most amazing of things. However, as it is said: ‘The lightning shone brightly in Najd, and I said to it, ‘Depart from me, for I am preoccupied (with other matters)’”. That is, Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, was engaged in matters that extend beyond the mere investigation of the Arabic language, but apart from that he was an Ayah (a sign) in the Arabic language. When he arrived in Egypt, he met with Abu Hayyan Al-Misri, may Allāh have mercy upon him, the well-known author of “Al-Bahr Al-Muhit” in Tafsir.  Abu Hayyan used to praise Shaikh Al-Islam with heartfelt (or excellent) commendations and praising him in lines of poetry. From what he said was: “”Ibn Taymiyyah stood in defense of our (Islamic) Shariah in a manner akin to that of Sayyid of Taym, when Mudar rebelled”. (Sayyid Taym) meaning Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, during the Apostasy Wars.

So, when Shaikh Al-Islam Islam arrived in Egypt, he convened with Abu Hayyan and engaged in a debate (or mutual discussion) with him regarding a grammatical issue. Abu Hayyan cited the words of Sibawayh from his book as evidence, stating, “Sibawayh said so and so; how can you contradict him?” Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said to him, “Is Sibawayh a  prophet of grammar, thus it is obligated to us to follow him?” He (Shaikh Al-Islam) further said, “He (Sibawayh) has made errors in the book in more than eighty instances, which neither you nor he are aware of”. After this, Abu Hayyan censured and disparaged him (in this affair) – composed a poem in which he disparaged Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. We ask Allah for wellbeing, and may Allah pardon us and all of them. [Paraphrased]

Sharh Hilya Talib Al-Ilm pages 175-176