Ibn al-Aquli

Jamāl al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn al-‘Āqūlī (1240/41–1327) also known as Ibn al-‘Āqūlī, was an Islamic scholar and jurist of the Shafi'i school from Baghdad, Iraq. Living during the Ilkhanate, he served as the head mufti and a chief qāḍī of Baghdad, starting during the reign of Abaqa Khan and ending during the early years of the reign of Abu Sa'id.

Biography Jamal al-Din Muhammad ibn al-Aquli was born in the year 638 of the Islamic calendar, which corresponds to between 1240 and 1241 in Gregorian years. He was a scholar of the Shafi'i school and an alumni of the Mustansiriyya Madrasa, with an ijazah to teach the topics of jurisprudence and Islamic law. Ibn al-Aquli survived the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258 and was appointed as a scholar of the reformed Islamic court under Mongol suzerainty, although his firstborn son was killed by Mongol troops.

Ibn al-Aquli was first appointed as the qāḍī of Baghdad during the rule of Abaqa Khan in 1265 and later re-appointed as the qāḍī during the rule of Tekuder.

Ibn al-Aquli died in 1327 during the reign of Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan.

Legacy Al-Aqoli Mosque Upon his death in 1327, a mosque was built next to the grave of Ibn al-Aquli, incorporating the orphanage and his former residence into the structure. The mosque, later named the Al-Aqoli Mosque, was rebuilt during the Ottoman period with its most recent renovation done in 2010. Built primarily in brown marble and concrete, the mosque has a single minaret and two main prayer halls for the seasons of winter and summer, while being a highlight of Ilkhanid and Ottoman architectural styles. The Al-Aqoli Mosque is held under the purview of the Sunni Endowment Office, although Shi'as are welcomed to learn more about Sunnis in the mosque.

The wooden cenotaph of Ibn al-Aquli, which dates back to the Ilkhanid period, is currently held in the collection of the Iraq Museum. The present mosque has a concrete cenotaph over the grave of Ibn al-Aquli.