Bishr al-Marisi
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Bishr ibn Ghiyath al-Marisi | |
|---|---|
| Personal life | |
| Born | 755 CE |
| Died | 833 CE |
| Region | Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) |
| Main interest(s) | Philosophy |
| Notable idea(s) | Creation of the Qur'an, Metaphorical Interpretations of God's Attributes |
| Occupation | Scholar and theologian |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam (formerly) |
| Denomination | Murji'ah, Jahmiyyah[1] |
| Senior posting | |
Influenced by | |
Bishr al-Marisi (Arabic: بشر المريسي born 755, died 833) full name Abu 'Abd al-Rahman Bishr ibn Ghiyath ibn Abi Karimah al-Marisi[2] or simply Bishr ibn Ghiyath al-Marisi was a 9th-century religious scholar and theologian.[2][1][3] He was infamous for his controversial views which earned him the scorn of his contemporary Muslim scholars.[4][5][6]
Early life
Bishr's father, Ghiyath, was a Jewish slave or jeweller from Kufa[7][8] who had reverted to Islam and become a mawla of the Quraysh tribe.[9][4]
Pursuit of knowledge and asceticism
In adulthood, Bishr became an ascetic, and he took scholarly knowledge from Hanafi scholars, such as Abu Yusuf.[9][5][7] However, he later adopted the Jahmite views after he learned them from a group of Jahm bin Safwan's students.[8][10] Abu Yusuf disassociated with Bishr after finding out that he had Jahmite or Murji'ite tendencies.[5]
Bishr also conducted theological debates with Al-Shafi'i, and in his free time he made offensive melodies and poetry.
Death
Bishr al-Marisi died in the year 833.[4][8] According to Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, the people of Baghdad (whom were influenced by Bishr's opponents) rejoiced upon hearing news of his death.[11]