Yaqut Shihab al-Din ibn Abdullah al-Rumi al-Hamawi یاقوت شہاب الدین ابن عبداللہ الرومی الحماوی

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Yaqut Shihab al-Din ibn Abdullah al-Rumi al-Hamawi

Assalamu Alaikum, sisters, brothers, friends and elders, we welcome you to a series of videos on Muslim heritage and Islamic scholars. and today in this video we will describe biography Yaqut Shihab al-Din ibn Abdullah al-Rumi al-Hamawi

Yaqut Shihab al-Din ibn Abdullah al-Rumi al-Hamawi was one of the most celebrated geographers, historians, and scholars of the Islamic Golden Age. His life is an inspiring story of resilience, dedication to learning, and service to knowledge. He was born in Constantinople, present-day Istanbul, in the year 1179. His epithet “al-Rumi” indicates his Byzantine Greek origin, as “Rumi” meant “from the lands of Rome” or Byzantium. The name Yaqut, meaning ruby or hyacinth, was given to him later and became a lasting part of his identity. He was not born into a life of privilege but rather came into the world during a time of cultural exchanges between Byzantium and the Islamic world, which would shape his destiny.

During his youth, Yaqut was taken into slavery and eventually brought to Baghdad. There he came into the household of a trader named al-Hamawi, from whom he took the nisbah “al-Hamawi.” His master recognized his intelligence and provided him opportunities for education. After gaining literacy and showing his talent for learning, he was later emancipated. Freed from servitude, Yaqut dedicated himself to scholarship, building a career as one of the foremost geographers and historians of his era. His personal journey from slavery to freedom and then to scholarly prominence is remarkable and often cited as an example of how knowledge and perseverance elevate a person’s status in society.

Yaqut spent much of his life traveling across the Islamic world, gathering information and experiences that would shape his great works. He visited Persia, Syria, and other regions, observing the culture, geography, and languages of the people he encountered. His wide travels provided him with a depth of knowledge rarely matched by others of his time. Yaqut was also fluent in both Greek and Arabic, a skill that helped him bridge two worlds and enrich his writings. His exposure to different lands allowed him to compile vast geographical and historical knowledge that became invaluable for later generations.

His most famous work is “Mu‘jam al-Buldan,” meaning “Dictionary of Countries.” This monumental encyclopedia of geography contains descriptions of cities, regions, rivers, mountains, and tribes, along with historical notes and literary references. It remains one of the most important sources of medieval geography and local history. In addition to this, Yaqut compiled “Mu‘jam al-Udaba,” a dictionary of scholars, poets, and writers, which preserves the biographies of hundreds of intellectuals. These works established him as not just a geographer but also a historian of culture and literature. The thoroughness and detail of his writings demonstrate his commitment to preserving knowledge for posterity.

Yaqut lived during a time of great upheaval. The Mongol invasions were sweeping across Asia and threatening the very heart of the Islamic world. In 1229, as the Mongol armies advanced, Yaqut fled from his base in Merv, one of the greatest cities of knowledge at the time, and found refuge in Aleppo under the patronage of Badr al-Din Lu’lu. Despite the turbulence of his age, he continued writing and compiling his works, ensuring that precious knowledge would not be lost even in times of destruction.

Yaqut Shihab al-Din ibn Abdullah al-Rumi al-Hamawi died in the year 1229 in Aleppo, Syria. His death marked the end of a life dedicated to scholarship, but his writings ensured his name lived on as one of the greatest encyclopedic minds of the medieval Islamic world. His final resting place is in Aleppo, where his grave became a place of remembrance. Over centuries, his tomb has been visited by scholars and admirers who respected his contributions. While his shrine was more modest compared to those of religious saints, it symbolized honor for a man who dedicated his life to knowledge. In Aleppo, the memory of Yaqut has remained tied to the city’s proud history as a center of learning.

The legacy of Yaqut al-Hamawi is vast and enduring. His works continue to be referenced by historians, geographers, and linguists to this day. Modern researchers rely on his encyclopedic compilations to understand the medieval Islamic world and the geography of cities that have since changed or disappeared. He is remembered as a man who overcame the limitations of birth and circumstance to become a towering figure of learning. His story is proof that intellectual effort and the pursuit of knowledge are timeless paths to greatness.

With this, we ask for your permission until tomorrow and tomorrow we will narrate biography of . we will also narrate the history of her shrine. Finally, we pray to Allah Almighty to grant us the ability to act on the Quran and Hadith, Amen.

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