جمال الدين القاسمي

Jamal al-Din ibn Muhammad Sa'id al-Qasimi (1866–1914 CE), born and died in Damascus, of the line of al-Husayn. Al-Zirikli describes him as "the imam of Syria in his age" in knowledge of religion and in mastery of the arts of literature. ¹

Al-Zirikli attributes to him that he was a Salafi in creed, who did not hold to imitation. The government commissioned him to travel and give public lessons in the villages and towns of Syria for four years (1308–1312 AH). He then went to Egypt and visited Medina. ¹

After his return, his rivals accused him of founding a new school they called "the Jamali school". The government arrested him in 1313 AH and questioned him. He rejected the charge and was released, and the governor of Damascus apologised to him. He then withdrew to his house to write and teach. ¹

Al-Zirikli counts seventy-two of his writings, among them Dala'il al-Tawhid (Proofs of the Oneness of God), Islah al-Masajid min al-Bida' wa al-Awa'id (Reforming the Mosques from Innovations and Customs), Qawa'id al-Tahdith (Rules of Narration), and Mahasin al-Ta'wil (The Beauties of Interpretation), a commentary in twelve volumes. ¹