Throughout his life, Imam Nawawi served as a teacher in some of the most renowned centers of learning in Damascus. But no place was more closely tied to his life and legacy than the Rawāḥiyyah Madrasa—the school where he lived, taught, and eventually passed away.

Another of his major teaching posts was at Madrasa al-Iqbāliyya, a vast and prestigious university particularly known for its instruction in the Shāfiʿī school of jurisprudence. It had hosted many eminent scholars—including the great Shams al-Dīn Ibn Khallikān himself. Imam Nawawi was appointed as his successor and continued teaching there until the year 669 AH.

Yet it was at Dār al-Ḥadīth al-Ashrafiyya that Imam Nawawi’s scholarly brilliance found its most enduring platform. This institution, situated in the heart of Damascus, was one of the most revered Hadith colleges of the entire Shām region. It had been built by the Ayyubid king al-Malik al-Ashraf Mūzaffar al-Dīn, who spared no expense—two full years of construction, with countless endowments (waqf) set up for its operation.

The stipulations of its endowment were clear: “Only the most distinguished master of Hadith shall be appointed principal here.”

And that man was none other than Imam Nawawi. He served at al-Ashrafiyya until his final breath—until 676 AH.

And he accepted the position only after being compelled by insistence from the community. He received no salary, no stipend, and asked for no worldly gain.

During his time, the university reached new heights. Khuṭub al-Yūnīnī records that Imam Nawawi’s era was among its most vibrant. His classes on Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim became legendary. His student Ibn al-ʿAṭṭār writes: “I was present in nearly all his classes. I still remember the diverse subjects we explored and the detailed notes I took from him.”

Tāj al-Subkī would later declare: “No one more knowledgeable than Nawawi ever taught at al-Ashrafiyya. Not only did he never accept a salary, he never took a single fil—not even the smallest coin—from the school.”

Though Nawawi generally avoided debate, he was not afraid of scholarly disagreement when it was grounded in evidence. On one occasion, he even opposed his own teacher, Tāj al-Fizārī, in a matter of legal interpretation concerning war booty. Nawawi presented his reasoning with such clarity, rooted in textual sources, that it was difficult to refute. Yet he never compromised his respect for his teacher.

This balance—of intellectual courage and moral humility—became the hallmark of his scholarship.

But Imam Nawawi was not simply someone who studied and taught. He lived what he learned.

His knowledge flowed seamlessly into his daily life. His piety, his renunciation of the world (zuhd), and his sense of duty to the Divine were not postures—they were the very rhythm of his being.

He saw the seeking and sharing of knowledge as the greatest act of worship.

“If you want to stay away from what is forbidden,” he told his students,

“you must first gain knowledge.” He wasn’t just a scholar—he was a servant of worship.

In the book Badr al-Sāfir, it is mentioned that Imam Nawawi was devoted to acts of remembrance (dhikr), regular in reciting the Qur’an, and constantly engaged in spiritual reflection. He had withdrawn from worldly attachments and prioritized the Hereafter in all things.

Abū ʿAbd Allāh narrates a moving scene: “One night, in the last third of the night, I entered the Umayyad Mosque. I saw a man, hidden in the shadows, leaning toward a pillar and praying. He was reciting a single verse from the Qur’an, over and over again, with deep pain and devotion. The verse was: وَقِفُوهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُم مَّسْئُولُونَ “And detain them—they will be questioned.” [Surah al-Ṣāffāt, 37:24]

I drew closer and realized—it was Imam Nawawi.”

Ibn Kathīr testifies: “He fasted perpetually, rarely slept at night. His hours were filled with Qur’ān, writing, and worship.”

He did not chase reputation. He did not seek wealth. He taught for free, lived simply, and gave more than he ever took.

His life was the proof of what he taught.

He wasn’t merely Imam Nawawi, the scholar.
He was Imam Nawawi, the embodiment of sacred knowledge.