The famous jurisprudent, Shaheed Thani

Compiled by: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On 13th of the Islamic month of Shawwal in 911 AH, the famous jurisprudent, Shaikh Zayn od-Din al-Juba'i al-Ameli, known as Shaheed Thani (Second Martyr), was born in Jabal Amel in Lebanon. He is believed to have some connection with Tous in Khorasan, because he occasionally signed his name as "at-Tousi ash-Shami" – the second part pertaining to Greater Syria since Lebanon like Palestine and Jordan is actually a part of Syria.
He visited Egypt, Hijaz, Damascus, Bayt al-Moqaddas, Iraq and Istanbul in pursuit of knowledge, and studied under both Sunni and Shi'ite ulema. He became a Mujtahid at the age of 33 and taught at the Nouriyah Islamic School according to the five schools of Islamic jurisprudence, that is, Ja'fari, Hanafi, Shafei, Maliki and Hambali.
Apart from proficiency in jurisprudence, he was well versed in theology, philosophy, Gnosis, medicine and astronomy. He was a man of piety, known for his austere way of life. His students have recorded in his biography that he maintained his family by selling wood that he cut during the nights, and then sat to teach during the day. Some pseudo ulema, adverse to Islamic unity, conspired against him, labeled false accusations, and complained to the Ottoman Sultan.
In Rajab 965 AH, he was brutally beheaded on his way to see the Sultan, and a shrine was built by Turkmens on the site as they realised his stature. His assassin was killed on the Sultan's orders. He is the author of several books, but his greatest work is the commentary he wrote on the jurisprudential manual "Lum'at-ad-Dimashqiyya" (The Damascene Glitter) of the First Martyr Mohammad Jamal od-Din al-Makki al-Ameli titled "ar-Rawdhat-al-Bahiyah fi Sharh al-Lum'at-ad-Dimashqiyya" (The Beautiful Garden in Interpreting the Damascene Glitter).