Part 12

ABU HURAYRAH: ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dusi. His name is greatly differed over. He accepted Islam in the year 7H and reported the most hadith from the Prophet (g). He died in the year 59H.

‘ALI BIN ABI TALIB: ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim al-Qurashi al-Hashimi, the fourth Rightly Guided Khalifah and one of ten promised Paradise. He accepted Islam at the age of thirteen and was famous for his chivalry, bravery and knowledge. He married Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet (ig) and was martyred in the year 40H.

AL-BARA’A BIN MALIK: ibn an-Nadr al-Ansari. He witnessed Ubud and gave the pledge of allegiance under the tree. He

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was martyred in the year 20H on the Day of Tustor.

ABU HAKIM IBRAHIM IBN DINAR: The great exemplary scholar Abi Hakim Ibrahim ibn Dinar al-Nahruwani al-Hanbali, one of the Imams of Baghdad, a godly ascetic, who was benevolent and forbearing. He was one of the greatest scholars in the field of inheritance. He established a school by Bab a/- Aaj ingata’a biba_yata’abbadu. He preferred to be unknown, and was always content with his condition. He used to earn his bread as a tailor, taking only two coins for a garment. Some individuals attempted to anger him but to no avail, and he would serve the disabled and old timers with a joyful face. His hearing of hadith was correct. He passed away in 556 AH. (al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi: Styar a/-A ‘lam al-Nubula’, 20/396. For his biography, refer to: Ibn al-Jawzi: a/-Muntazam, 10/201, 202, Thail Tabagat al-Hanabila, 1/231-241, Shatharat al-Thahab, 4/ 176, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah, 12/245)

ABU AL-KHATTAB: The Shaikh, Imam and great God fearing scholar of the Hanbalites, Abi al-Khattab Mahfuz ibn Ahmad ibn Hasan ibn Hasan al-‘Iraqi al-Kalwadhini at first, then alBaghdadi later on (d. 510 AH). Al-Hiafiz al-Dhahabi said: ‘Abia: al-Khattab was a fine scholar. He was benevolent, truthful, well mannered and spoke extraordinarily eloquent Arabic. He was a smart man who narrated many ahadith and studied and recorded hadith as well.’ Ibn Rajab said (a/-Thail, 1/120): ‘Aba al-Khattab was a great jurist who used to focus much on verification of matters. He has checked and investigated numerous matters of jurisprudence and legal theory and differs with the majority view of the Hanbalites in some issues.’ After this he went on to mention many examples of that. For his biography, refer to: Siyar al-A ‘Tam al-Nubula’, 19/348, Ibn al-Jawzi:

al-Muntazam,9/190-193, al-Kamil, 10/524, al-\Tbar, 4/21, Mirét al-_Zamin, 8/41-42, al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihayah, 12/180, Thail Tabaqat al-Hanabila, 1/116-127, Shatharat al-Thahab, 4/27-28.

ABU MUH AMMAD AL-HALAWANI: The jurist ‘Abdu’lRahman ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-HalawAni, the jurist and Imam Abu Muhammad ibn Abi al-Fath. AlMunthiti said: ‘He was one of scholars of the Hanbalites and was versed in jutisprudence, Quranic exegesis and hadith.’ Ibn Rajab said: ‘I saw something that was written in his handwriting and that indicates that he has authored a major commentary on the differed upon issues. He has also written a 41 volume commentary on the Quran which he has talked about.’ For his biography, refer to: Ibn Rajab: Thail Tabagat al-Hanabila,

AHMAD IBN HANBAL: Ibn Hilal ash-Shaybani, Aba ‘Abdullah, the Imam of the Sunnah and author of the famous Musnad. He was known for his knowledge of hadith, figh, and his taqua and asceticism. He was put to test in the days of Caliph alMa‘min concerning the calamity of Qur’an’s creation. He stood firm and did not answer the way he was told to, and by this earned a high position in this world and the Hereafter. Ibn al-Jawzi has dedicated a volume to his life and virtues, so refer to it. He died in the year 241H.

‘AMIR IBN ‘ABD QAIS: Imam Abii ‘Abd Allah (and it is said: Aba ‘Amr) al-Tamimi al-‘Anbari ‘Amir ibn ‘Abd Qais al-Basri. AlHafiz al-Dhahabi described him as: The example, the wa/#and the ascetic. He is one of the eight leading Tabi‘in in ascetism. Ka‘b al-Ahbar once saw him and said: ‘This is the devotee of this nation.’ Qatada said: ‘When ‘Amir was on the verge of death he cried.’ He was asked: ‘Why are you crying?’ so he

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said: ‘I am not crying because I fear death or crave this world. Tt is the thirst, of the midday heat and the standing at night that I cry for.’ He is said to have died in the time of Mu‘awiya. (Refer to his biography: Ibn Sa‘d: a/-Tabagat, 7/103, Ahmad: al-Zuhd, 218, Hilyatu’l_Auliyd’ , 2/87, Siyar al-A lam al-Nubula’, 4/15, ‘Alqama ibn Murthid: Zubd al-Thamaniya min al-Tabi‘n,

‘ATA IBN ABU RABAH: ‘Ata ibn Abii Rabah Aslam. Al-Hafiz alDhahabi said: ‘The Imam, Shaikh al-Islam and the Mufti of Haram, Abi Muhammad al-Qurashi, their freed slave from Makkah. His loyalty is said to have been for people of Jumah. He was raised with al-Janad and grew up in Makkah. He was born during the caliphate of ‘Uthman.’ ‘Ata was black, one eyed, snub-nosed, lame and limping and finally became blind as well. He was a trustworthy narrator, a jurist, a scholar, a narrator of many Hadeeths and was the most knowledgeable concerning the rules of pilgrimage. Refer to his biography: Tbn Sa‘d: a/-Tabagat, 5/467, Tadhib al-Kamal, 938, al-Tbar, 1/ 141, Styar al-A ‘lam al-Nubula’, 5/78, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah,9/ 306, al-‘Agd al-Thamin, 6/84, Shatharat al-Thahab, 1/147. The narration was related by: al-Khatib al-Baghdadi: a/-Fagth wa alMutafaqgih, 1/31, who made this chapter heading regarding it: ‘Those who rised from being slaves to sitting in the gatherings of the kings.’

Al-Bukhari: Muhammad bin Isma‘il bin Ibrahim bin al-Mughirah, Abii ‘Abdullah. He was born in the year 194H and became one of the Jmams of hadith and was nicknamed ‘The Leader of the Believers in Hadith.’ He died in the yeat 256H.

AL-HASAN IBN ABU’L-HASAN AL-BASRI ABU SAID: The freed

slave of Zayd ibn Thabit, the example of ascetic scholars and one of the great characters of the Tabi‘in. He died in 110. Ayyab al-Sakhtiyani said: ‘Had you seen him you would have said that you have never sat with a scholar of jurisprudence.’ Abu Ja‘far al-Bagit said: ‘That is the person whose speech resembles that of the Prophets.’ Refer to his biography: Ibn Sa‘d: al-Tabagat, 7/156, Hilyatu’)-Auliya’, 2/131, Ahmad: alZuhd, 2/225, Siyar al-AVam al-Nubula’, 4/563, Tathkirat alHuffaz, 1/66. Ibn al-Jawzi has dedicated a book for the life and virtues of this Imam which is printed and available.

IBRAHIM IBN ADHAM: The exemplary Imam, the knower and the master of ascetics, Abi Ishaq al-‘Ajli al-Khurasani alBakhli, the resident of Syria (approximately 100-662). Abu Nu‘aym said: ‘I heard Sufyan say: Ibrahim ibn Adham resembled Ibrahim al-Khalil. Had he been a Sahabi he would have surely been a virtuous man.” His biography can be found in Hibatu'lAuliya (1/367-8/58), Tabagat al-Auliya’ (5/15), Siyar al-Aam al-Nubula’ (7/387), Ibn Athis’s a/-Kamil (6/56), alBidayah wa’l-Nibayah (10/135-145) and Shatharat al-Thahab (1/

IBN HIBBAN: Abi Hatim Muhammad ibn Hibban al-Tamimi alBusti, the Hafiz, Mujtahid and author of the famous Sabih ibn Hibban. He died in the year 354H.

KAHMAS IBN AL-HASAN AL-TAMIMI: The Hanafite from alBasra, the worshipper Abii al-Hasan, one of the major figures of the trustworthy. He was a pious worshiper who died in 149. From the examples of his plentiful worship is that he would pray 1000 units every day, and when he got weary he would say (to his soul): ‘Get up, you abode of all evil, for by

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Allah I have never been pleased with you for Allah.’ (Refer to his biography: Tathkirat al-Huffaz, 1/174, Siyar al-Alam alNubula 6/316, Khulasa al-Tabthib al-Kamal, 322, Tabthib alTabthib, 5408, Shatharat al-Dhahab, 1/225.)

MAKHUL: the scholar of Syria. His name is Makhil ibn Abi Muslim Shahrab ibn Shathil ibn Sind ibn Shirwan ibn Yazdak ibn Yaghuth ibn Kisra. He was taken prisoner in Kabul but his master’s identity is disputed over, but the most correct of opinions is that he was the slave of a Huthali woman. He was from the middle of the Tabi‘in and died in 112, 113, or 114. Abi Hatim said: ‘Nobody in Syria is as knowledgeable in jurisprudence as Makhil.’ For his biography, refer to: Ibn Sa‘d: al-Tabagat, 7/453, Hilyatu’l-Auliya’, 5/177, Tabthib al-Asmai wa al-Lughat, 2/113, 114, Siyar al-A Tam al-Nubula’, 5/155, Tathkirat al-Fluffaz, 1/107, al-‘Tbar, 1/140, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah, 9/305, Htusn al-Mubadara, 1/119.

MA‘RUF AL-KARKHI: Abi Mahfiz al-Baghdadi described by alHafiz al-Dhahabi as: ‘The authority of the ascetics, the blessing of our times.’ Al-Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi has gathered his virtues in a book that has been printed. He passed away in 200 AH. Imam Ahmad said that he is a person whose dy“ is answered. ‘Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: ‘I said to my father: Did Ma‘raf have any knowledge?” to which he replied: ‘My son, he had the basis of all knowledge and that is fear of Allah.” (Refer to his biography: Tabagat al.Auliya’, 280, 285, Tabagat al-Sifiyya, 83-90, Tabagat al-Hanabila, 1/381, 389, Sifat al-Safwa, 2/79-83, Hilyatu'l-Auliya@ , 8/360, 368, Siyar al-A lam

MUHAMMAD IBN SIRIN: The Imam and Shaikh al-Islam, Aba

Bakr al-Ansari al-Anasi al-Basri, the freed slave of Anas ibn Malik, the companion and servant of Allah’s Messenger (3). He died in 110. Abi ‘Uwana said: ‘I saw Muhammad ibs Sirtin in the marketplace, and nobody saw him without him mentioning Allah.’ For his biography, refer to: Ibn Sa‘d: a/-Tabagat, 7/193, Hilatu’l-Auliya’, 2/263, Tarikh Baghdad, 5/331, Tathkirat al-Huffaz, 1/73, Siyar al-AYam al-Nubula’, 4/606, al-‘Tbar, 1/ 135, Mir‘at al-Jandn, 1/232, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nibayah, 9/267, Shatharat al-Thahab, 1/138.

MUSLIM: Ibn al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim al-Qushayri, Aba al-Husain an-Naisabiri, the Hafiz and one of the great Imams of this nation. He is the author of the Sahih which is the most authentic book of hadith after Al-Bukhari. He died in the year 261H.

AN-NASAT: Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu‘ayb ibn ‘Ali alKhurasani The author of the famous Sunan, the mujabid and Hafiz, He was known for his strictness in grading hadith narrators.

SAD BIN ABI WAQQAS: Sa‘d ibn Malik ibn Ahib ibn ‘Abd Munaf al-Qurashi al-Zuhri Abii Ishaq ibn Abi Waqqis. One of the ten who were promised Paradise and one whose supplications were answered. He was the last of the ten to pass away in the year 55H.

SATD BIN AL-MUSAYYAB: Aba Muhammad al-Qurashi alMakhziimi: The great Imam and scholar of Madinah and the best of the Tabi‘in in his time (d. 73). Al-Dhahabi said (a/- Siyar, 4/219): ‘He had outstanding knowledge and application of it.’ For his biography, refer to: Hilyatn’-Auliya’, 2/161, Siyar al-Alam al-Nubula’, 4/217, 246, Tathkirat al-Huffag, 1/51, tbn

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Sa‘d: al-Tabagat 5/119. Ibn al-Jawzi has dedicated a two volume book for his life and virtues as mentioned in Styar alAlam al-Nubula’, 21/369, and al-Thail, 1/418.