Taki Isā b. Yūsuf

Taki Isā b. Yūsuf b. Aḥmad al-ʿIrāqī. He was a blind person. He also taught as a mudarris (teacher) in Eminiyya. He used to stay at the lower part of the western minaret of Eminiyya. There was a young man with him who served him and would hold his hand and guide him whenever he was going somewhere. Shaykh Taki Isā had lost a few dirhams. He claimed that the money was stolen by the young man with him. However, he could not prove it. The young man, in turn, alleged that Shaykh Taki Isā had engaged in a sexual relationship with him. People thought that Shaykh Taki Isā had no money. Thus, Shaykh Taki Isā both lost his money and his honor was stained. On the morning of Friday, the seventh of Dhu al-Qi'dah of that year, he was found hanging in his house located under the minaret on the western side of the mosque. People were reluctant to perform the funeral prayer because they thought he had committed suicide. Shaykh Fahreddīn ʿAbdurraḥmān b. Asakīr stepped forward and led the funeral prayer. Following his lead, some others also performed the funeral prayer. Abū Shāma said: The reason that drove him to suicide was the loss of his money and the stain on his honor. A similar incident had happened to me as well. However, by the grace of Almighty Allah, He protected me from accusations. After his death, Cemāl al-Miṣrī, the trustee of Bayt al-Māl, began teaching at the Eminiyya madrasa.