Kâdî el-Fâzıl

Kâdî el-Fâzıl (d. 596/1200) is a scribe, statesman, and scholar, one of the most influential bureaucrats and intellectuals of the Ayyubid ruler Selâhaddîn's era.

Political Influence and Career

His position with Selâhaddîn was extremely powerful; so much so that even those to be appointed to head other dîvâns were appointed according to his preferences. This situation is noteworthy in terms of demonstrating el-Kâdî's influence in the sultan's administration (Cilt 1, s. 156). From 585 to 586 (1189-90), he remained in Mısır to control the financial administration and reorganize the army and navy; he then returned to Suriye. El-Kâdî, who stayed with Selâhaddîn until his death in 1193, returned to Kâhire when he could not agree with Ziyâeddîn İbnü'l-Esîr, the vizier of Selâhaddîn's successor, his son el-Melikü'l-Efdal. Here, he took on the role of scribe for Selâhaddîn's other son, el-Melikü'l-Azîz, and continued in this position until his death in 596/1200 (Cilt 1, s. 156).

Scholarly and Cultural Contributions

His contributions in the scholarly and cultural fields were at least as decisive as his political influence. In Mısır, he established a madrasa named after himself, where the fiqh of two madhhabs was taught together; in this madrasa, he created a library of one hundred thousand volumes, a large part of which was inherited from the Fâtımî era (Cilt 1, s. 156).

Works and Letters

Kâdî el-Fâzıl is the author of one of the most important first-hand sources for the history of the Selâhaddîn period. His letters are among the foremost first-hand sources for the political and cultural history of the era; these letters include those sent by Selâhaddîn to rulers and emirs, especially Nûreddîn Zengî, correspondence related to conquests, correspondence with scholars, condolence letters, and letters in which el-Kâdî expressed his views on private matters (Cilt 1, s. 157). Although his work titled el-Muyâvamât, also known as el-Müteceddîdât, in which he recorded his activities in the Mısır dîvâns and economic developments in the form of diaries, has not survived to the present day, İbn Hallikân and Makrîzî quoted extensively from this work (Cilt 1, s. 157). This work is particularly valuable for the early periods of Selâhaddîn's rule over Mısır (Cilt 1, s. 203).

Place Among Period Sources

Kâdî el-Fâzıl's works, along with those of İbnü'l-Esîr, Bahâeddîn b. Şeddâd, İmâdüddîn el-İsfahânî, and İbn Ebî Tayyi', who were contemporaries of Selâhaddîn, are among the primary sources for the Selâhaddîn period (Cilt 1, s. 202). Indeed, 'Aynî, one of the later period historians, also utilized the works of Kâdî el-Fâzıl, İmâdüddîn el-İsfahanî, İbn Şeddâd, İbnü'l-Esîr, and Ebû Şâme when discussing the Ayyubid period (Cilt 1, s. 201).