al-Qasim ibn Muhammad

Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr (38-108 AH / 660-728 CE) was one of the Seven Fuqaha (jurists) of Medina among the Tabiin and one of the most respected legal and religious authorities in the city of the Prophet during the late first and early second Islamic centuries. He was the grandson of the first caliph Abu Bakr as-Siddiq through his father Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, who had been killed in Egypt during the civil conflicts. Orphaned at a young age, al-Qasim was raised by his paternal aunt Aisha bint Abi Bakr, the Prophet's wife and the greatest female scholar of Islamic history.

Al-Qasim's upbringing in Aisha's household gave him a unique scholarly formation. He absorbed hadith and religious knowledge directly from one of the most authoritative sources in Islam, and Aisha treated him as a son, educating him in the details of the Prophet's household, worship practices, and personal conduct. Through her, al-Qasim became one of the most important transmitters of Aisha's narrations to the next generation, and his chain of narration from Aisha is among the most frequently cited in the canonical collections.

He was unanimously considered by his contemporaries to be among the most knowledgeable persons in Medina. Imam Malik ibn Anas, who himself was one of the greatest scholars of the Medinan tradition, cited al-Qasim frequently in al-Muwatta and regarded him with the deepest respect. One of al-Qasim's most celebrated scholarly qualities was his readiness to say "I do not know" when he lacked certainty on a matter — a quality that scholars praised as a sign of true learning and taqwa.

Al-Qasim lost his eyesight in his later years but continued to teach and issue legal rulings. He was the grandfather of the great Imam Jafar as-Sadiq through his daughter Umm Farwah, thus connecting the Bakri and Hashimite lineages. He was known for his piety, generosity, and humility. He died while traveling near Qudayd, between Mecca and Medina, in approximately 108 AH (728 CE).