Muhammad ibn Shihab al-Zuhri

Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Ubaydallah ibn Abd Allah ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (51–124 AH) was universally regarded as the most important hadith scholar among the Tabi'un. He narrated from over 200 companions and companion-students, and his hadiths form the backbone of the six canonical collections. By order of Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (the 'fifth rightly guided caliph'), he undertook the first formal collection of hadith on a large scale — the first time hadith was officially written down in a systematic way. This is why his role in preserving the Prophetic tradition cannot be overstated. He was noted for his mastery of seerah, genealogy, and law alongside hadith.