Sıbt İbnü’l-Cevzî

Sıbt İbnü’l-Cevzî was one of the leading preachers and historians of the Ayyubid-era Suriye-Mısır geography, who lived in the 13th century. He passed away in Dımaşk in 654/1256 (Vol. 1, p. 173). He was known by this nisba ("sıbt" meaning maternal grandson) because he was the grandson of the famous preacher and historian İbnü’l-Cevzî (Vol. 1, pp. 106, 172).

Education and Duties

İbnü’l-Cevzî, who came to Dımaşk at a young age and settled there, began giving fiqh lessons and was appointed as a mudarris to the Şibliyye and Bedriyye madrasas, having been favored by the children of the Ayyubid ruler el-Melikü’l-Âdil (Vol. 1, p. 173). Although initially belonging to the Hanbelî madhhab, he converted to the Hanefî madhhab at the encouragement of the Ayyubid ruler el-Melikü’l-Muazzam, who was himself a Hanefî (Vol. 1, p. 173).

Preaching and Jihad

İbnü’l-Cevzî, considered an unparalleled scholar of his time in the art of preaching and oratory, served as a preacher at the Emevî Camii in Dımaşk for a long period (Vol. 1, p. 173). He preached in many places such as Dımaşk, Kahire, Halep, Urfa, and Rakka (Vol. 1, p. 125). Through his sermons, he encouraged the public to jihad against the Haçlılar, and he himself participated in the wars against the Haçlılar (Vol. 1, p. 173).

Mir’âtü’z-Zamân and His Historiography

His historical records are considered among the important sources of the period (Vol. 1, p. 107). His main work is the history book titled Mir’âtü’z-Zamân fî Tevârihi’l-A‘yân (Vol. 1, p. 173). This work became one of the primary reference sources for later historians; Sıbt İbnü’l-Cevzî is the historian most frequently consulted by Nüveyrî, who extensively covered the late Ayyubid period, and Mir’âtü’z-Zamân is among the fundamental sources, especially for the periods of el-Melikü’s-Sâlih Necmeddîn and el-Melikü’l-Muazzam Tûrânşâh (Vol. 1, p. 192).

Contribution to Şeddâdîler History

İbnü’l-Cevzî’s records are also valuable for Şeddâdîler history; some information not found in other sources has reached us through his accounts. We learn from his records that after Sultan Alp Arslan divorced the daughter of the Armenian Taşir-Dzoraget King Kuirike, the Şeddâdî Emir II. Fadl (II. Fadlûn) married this woman; furthermore, information regarding Alp Arslan’s arrival in Gence during his II. Gürcistan campaign was also narrated by Sıbt İbnü’l-Cevzî (Vol. 1, p. 107).