who was ibn abi al izz who wrote sharah tahawiya? i read Ibn Abi al-`Izz was imprisoned for saying the Messenger of Allah is not the Best of Creationas related by Ibn Hajar in his Inba' al-Ghumr (1:258-260). who from scholars praised him?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Ibn Abi Al-‘Izz was the prominent Imaam, Sadr Ad-Deen, Abul-Hasan ‘Ali, son of ‘Alaa' Ad-Deen ‘Ali, son of Shams Ad-Deen Abu ‘Abdullaah Muhammad, son of Sharaf Ad-Deen Abul-Barakaat Muhammad, son of ‘Izz Ad-Deen Abu Al-‘Izz Saalih, son of Abu Al-‘Izz, son of Wuhayb, son of ‘Attaa', son of Jubayr, son of Jaabir ibn Wahb, Al-Athra‘i, Ad-Dimashqi, As-Saalihi, Al-Hanafi, known as Ibn Abi Al-‘Izz. He was born on 22 Thul-Hijjah, 731 AH.

He grew up in the care of a family whose members followed the School of Abu Haneefah, and most of whom assumed the office of judges. He mastered this School at the hands of his father, and this qualified him to assume the office of judge.

Many who have written on his biography mentioned that he had vast knowledge, he had a high status and position, and that he was a Faqeeh (expert in Fiqh). He taught at schools and he assumed the office of judge in Damascus and then in Egypt. You may refer to his biography in Kitaab Al-A‘laam by Az-Zirikli, and in the book Fawaa’id fi Taraajim Mukhtasarah Mutanawwi‘ah.

As regards the issue which you referred to in the question which Ibn Hajar mentioned, Ibn Abi Al-‘Izz clarified what he had meant, as Ibn Hajar said after that: "Ibn Abi Al-‘Izz was asked what he meant by what he had written and he replied: 'I meant nothing other than respect for the Prophet, and to follow his command by not going beyond what is right. The Qaadhi Shihaab Ad-Deen Az-Zuhri issued a Fatwa that this was enough to accept his statement although he had made the wrong choice of words." [End of quote]

So, he intended to prevent exaggeration about the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, not to detract from his status.

Allaah Knows best.