al-Mundhiri

Zakiyy ad-Din Abu Muhammad Abd al-Azim ibn Abd al-Qawi al-Mundhiri (581-656 AH / 1185-1258 CE) was one of the leading hadith scholars of Egypt and the rector of the Dar al-Hadith al-Kamilliyyah in Cairo. Born in Egypt, he studied under major scholars in Egypt and Syria, received ijazahs from numerous hadith masters, and became one of the most authoritative transmitters of hadith in his era.

Al-Mundhiri is best known for his al-Targhib wat-Tarhib min al-Hadith ash-Sharif (Encouragement and Deterrence from the Noble Hadith), a large compilation of hadiths on virtuous deeds and their spiritual rewards, and on forbidden acts and their punishments. This work became one of the most widely used collections of motivational hadith literature in the Islamic world and is still studied and published today. He was meticulous about indicating the grade of each hadith he cited.

He also authored Mukhtasar Sahih Muslim, an abridgment of Imam Muslim's Sahih; Mukhtasar as-Sunan (an abridgment of Sunan Abi Dawud); and a comprehensive work on the biographical evaluation of hadith narrators. His expertise in the rijal literature (biographies of hadith transmitters) was extensive and his judgments on narrators were respected.

Al-Mundhiri taught for many years at the Dar al-Hadith al-Kamilliyyah, training many students in the hadith sciences. He passed away in Cairo in 656 AH as one of the most accomplished hadith scholars of his era, and his at-Targhib wat-Tarhib remains among the most beloved collections of hadith literature for general Muslim readership.