Mentioning some of the virtues of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him)

The Shaykh : This book by Sibawayhi is an authority for grammarians. It is mentioned that Abu Hayyan, the famous author of *al-Bahr al-Muhit*, who was one of the scholars of grammar, was in Egypt and loved Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) with great love. He composed a magnificent poem about him, in which he said, among other things: "Ibn Taymiyyah rose to defend our Shari'ah *** In the position of the Master of Taym when Mudar rebelled" Who is the Master of Taym? Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). When Mudar rebelled, meaning they apostatized from Islam, Abu Bakr defended the Muslims against the apostasy by the will of Allah. So Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Ibn Taymiyyah rose to defend our Shari'ah *** In the position of the Master of Taym when Mudar rebelled" Allah the Exalted willed that Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah traveled to Egypt, and by the bond of affection and love, he met with Abu Hayyan and they debated a grammatical issue. Shaykh al-Islam was a grammarian, yes, what Allah willed; he was an imam in everything, even in grammar. His student Ibn al-Qayyim said in *Bada'i' al-Fawa'id*, when he spoke about the difference between *hamd* (praise) and *madh* (commendation) and mentioned subtle distinctions: "And our Shaykh Abu al-Abbas, when he spoke on this, would produce wonders upon wonders. But as it was said: "The lightning flashed in Najd, and I said to it: *** Leave me alone, for I am occupied with something else" Meaning Shaykh al-Islam was occupied with matters greater than grammar and language, because he (may Allah have mercy on him) would debate the philosophers, logicians, and theologians and confound them. The point is that he met with Abu Hayyan and argued with him in a debate on a grammatical issue. Shaykh al-Islam said, "Yes," and Abu Hayyan said: "Mention this issue in the book" By "the book," he meant Sibawayhi's book. Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said to him: "Is Sibawayhi the prophet of grammar such that we must follow his opinion? He has erred in this book of his in more than eighty places, which neither you nor he knows" When he said this, enmity arose. How could he say this about Sibawayhi, the imam of grammarians? So the point is that the book, in the view of grammarians, if you see "the book" in the commentaries on *al-Afial* or others, it refers to Sibawayhi's book. I say that the term "al-Munawwarah" (the illuminated one) includes every town that Islam entered, for it is illuminated by it. It is permissible to specify a general term and name a specific thing with it, but I say the expression of the early scholars is better: "The city, what is it? The Prophet's city (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), the purest greeting." I ask Allah the Exalted to make me and you among his followers, outwardly and inwardly. Sit down. And glory be to You, O our Lord, and praise be to You. We bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance. Until we meet tomorrow morning, if Allah wills.