Khayr al-Din al-Ramli

Khayr al-Din ibn Ahmad ibn Nur al-Din Ali ibn Zayn al-Din ibn Abd al-Wahab al-Ayubi al-Farooqui (1585–1671), better known as Khayr al-Din al-Ramli , was a 17th-century Islamic jurist, teacher and writer in then Ottoman-ruled Palestine. He is well known for issuing a collection of fatwas that became highly influential in Hanafi (one of four major schools of thought in Sunni Islam) jurisprudence in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Early life and Islamic studies Khayr al-Din al-Ramli was born in al-Ramla in Ottoman Palestine. At that time, al-Ramla was a major garrison town (and in the early years of Islamic rule it had been the administrative capital of the Jund Filastin, or military district of Palestine). Al-Ramli receives his name from the town; al-Ramli translates as "from Ramla." Not much is known about al-Ramli's early life other than he began reading the Qur'an as young child.

In 1598-99 CE, al-Ramli traveled to Egypt with his elder brothers to study in al-Azhar, the highest scholarly authority in Sunni Islam. There he befriended Sheikh Fayed, a well-known sage in Egypt. Fayed taught him lessons on Islam as well as how to cut hair. At the time, al-Ramli was interested in studying the Shafi'i school of Sunni Muslim thought (madhab), but was discouraged by his older brother, Taj al-Din, who preferred he focus on the Hanafi madhab. According to his biographer Muhammad al-Muhibbi, al-Ramli had a dream in which the founder of the Shafi'i madhab, Imam Shafi'i, stated to him "We are all on the straight path." A senior figure in the 'ulema (council of scholars) of al-Azhar told al-Ramli that the dream signaled he should follow his brother's advice and study the Hanafi madhab.

Al-Ramli immediately issued numerous fatawa once he settled in al-Ramla, although he was not officially appointed the position of mufti by the state. Nonetheless, his rulings—which apparently were able to override fatawa issued by official muftis—reportedly reached Jerusalem, Damascus, Mecca, Istanbul and the Maghreb (northwestern Africa). He awarded legal certificates of approval to several Muslim scholars from these places. According to Muhibbi, "anyone who asked received one, either orally or in written form." Muhammad al-Ashari, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem who adhered to the Shafi'i madhab, was one of many high-ranking Muslim jurists who requested a certificate from him. During this time period, al-Ramli also began importing various seeds from Egypt, and introduced them to Ramla.

Legacy Al-Ramli died in his hometown in 1671 at the age of 86. Al-Muhibbi described him as "the last of the great 'ulema." Al-Ramli's fatawa ("multiple edicts") were compiled into final form in 1670, in a collection entitled al-Fatawa al-Khayriyah. His fatawa reference the Roman province of Palaestina Prima, or as it was known in the early Islamic period, Jund Filastin. It was originally thought that term died out during the Mamluk and Ottoman states, as they did not use this concept, however, the way that al-Ramli used the term suggests otherwise. When it is brought up, he never defines the term, and uses it only in passing, suggesting that his audience would have an understanding of what he meant.

Khayr al-Din al-Ramli is a descendant of Umar ibn al-Khattāb (Through his son Abdullah ibn Umar), the second Muslim Caliph after the prophet Muhammad's death. Today the Palestinian family, El Khairi-Farouki, trace back their ancestry to Khayr al-Din al Ramli.