Saeed bn Musayyab, Ibn Seereen, Fudayl bn Iyaad and Other Notable Salaf (2)

Thursday 03-Nov-2022, 3:56PM / 548


Click HERE for Part One of this Article

Umar bn Abdul-Azeez
Imam Mizzi said about him: ‘Umar bn Abdul-Azeez bn al-Hakam…Ameerul-Mumineen, Al-Imaam Al-Aadil, Al-Khaaleefah As-Saalihah…’. He became the Khaleefah after his uncle sulayman bn Abdul-maalik bn Mir’waan. His reign lasted 2 years, 5 months and 15 days. 

Ismaeel bn Ayaash reported from Amr bn Muhaajir that Umar bn Abdul-Azeez said the day he became the Khaleefah he said (after praising Allâh and mentioning His Attributes): ‘O people, verily there is no book (of guidance) after the Qur’aan, no prophet after Muhammad. Nay, I am not a punisher but an enforcer (of the Shariah); nay I am not an innovator but a follower (of the Sunnah). Indeed, he that runs away from an unjust leader is not unjust, it is the unjust leader that is unjust. Nay there is no obedience to any creature in disobedience to the Creator.’

He reported Ahadith from Anas bn Maalik, and others. Anas bn Maalik once prayed behind him and said afterwards: ‘I have not seen anyone who prays like the Messenger of allaah did than this chap.’

He was born 61st year of Hijrah. His mother was Ummu Aasim, the daughter of Aasim who was a son of Umar bn al-Khataab.

He died 101 Hijrah. When his death was announced Al-Hassan Al-Basree said: ‘The best of the people has died.’ May Allaah bestow His mercy on him.

Atâ bn Abî Rabâh 
His father’s name was Aslam. Attaa used to be a slave. He was born in the reign of Uthmaan bn Affan. He and Mujaahid were the leading scholars of Makkah in their time; he was more respected than Mujaahid. He was a black man with squinted eyes, he was snub-nosed. He later became paralyzed and blind, yet he was trustworthy, regarded as a jurist and a scholar of hadith. He had his hand cut while defending Abdullah bn Zubayr. He met about 200 Companions of the Prophet.

When Ibn abbass vivted Makkaah, people came to him to take knowledge. He said to them: ‘O people of Makkkah, you agther round me while Atta lives among you?!’

Yahya bn Sa’eed said: ‘The mosque served as Atta’s bed for twenty years, and he was among the best at observing the Salat.’

He died 114 Hijrah. May Allaah bestow His mercy on him.

Ahmad bn Har'b
He was Ahmad bn Har’b bn Muhammad bn Alee. He was born 173 Hijrah – in the beginning of Harun Rasheed’s reign. His grandfather, Maazin Ibn Al-Ghaduubah, was a Sahabi. He was better in narration that his brother Alee bn Har’b. He is regarded as a Saduuq (just above the mildest level of weakness). He died 263 Hijrah.


Al-Hasan Al-Basree (More about him)
He is Al-Hasan bn Abee Al-Hasan. His mother was a slave to Ummu Salamah (one of the wives of the Messenger of Allaah). There was an occasion when Ummu Salamah sent Hasan’s mother on an errand, and before she could come back, Al-Hasan (an infant then) had begun to cry. When Ummu Salamah could not see the mother on time, she gave him her breast to suck so as to make him quiet. Ummu Salamah used to take Al-Hasan to the Companions, as a boy, and the latter would supplicate for him. Umar bn Al-Khattab supplicated for him one day: ‘O Allaah make him understand the Deen and endear people to him.’ 

Anas bn Maaailk was asked as regard a matter, he said: ‘Ask our former slave, Al-Hasan.’ People then said to him: ‘O Abu Hamzah, we asked you a question and you said we should ask your former slave Al-Hasan.’ He responded: ‘Ask our former slave Al-Hasan; he heard narrations as we heard but he retained his in memory while we forgot.’

Al-Hasan Al-Basree was also a black man.

Al-Ash’ash wanted to visit Basrah to meet Al-Hasan whom he never knew then. He asked Ash-Sha’bi to describe Al-Hasan to him. The latter said: ‘When you get to Basrah, go to its (Main) Mosque, then look around, if you see any man in the Mosuqe whom there is none else like him then be sure that is Al-Hasan. Al-Ash’ash said when he got to Basrah, he never asked of Al-Hasan from anybody until he found him as Ash-Sha’bi described him.’

Al-Hasan Al-Basree died 110 Hijrah. May Allâh bestow His mercy on him.

Utbah bn Abbaan Al-Basree
He is Utbah bn Abbaan Al-Basree. He was called Al-Ghulaam because he became devouted to worship of Allaah at a tender age. He was one of the ascetic persons of Basrah, he used to be in the gathering of Hasan Al-Basree, and he had few Ahadith to his credit – most of which are inauthentic because of his asceticem, as many other ascetic people are. He died towards the end of 170 Hijrah.

Ibraahim An-Nakhaee
He is Ibrahim bn Suwaid An-Nakha'ee al-Kufi. He is regarded as one of the greatest Taabiun.

He was born at Kabul (now capital of Afghanistan) and lived at Shaam as a scholar. He was accused of falling into Qadar issue but Imam Al-Auzaai refuted it; he said: ‘It never came to us that any of the Taabiun spoke as regard Qadar except these two: Al-Hasan and Mak’huul; but we investigated that and found out is a lie. ’

He  died 100 after Hijrah.

Sulayman bn Mihraan, Al-A'mash
He is Sulayman bn Mihraan. He was one of the best scholars of Qur’aan and hadith. He was a resident of Kuufah born 61 Hijrah. Sufyan bn Uyaynah said about him: ‘Al-A’mash preceded his contemporaries with four things: He was their best in Qur’ân, their best in hadith memorization, their best in the knowledge of inheritance’ and he mentioned the fourth trait. 

Despite his vast knowledge, he was known for mild Tadlees. He died 147/148 Hijrah, may Allaah bestow His mercy on him.

Ikrimah Maula Ibn Abbaas
He is Abu Muhammad, a slave of Ibn Abbaass (even until the dead of the latter), and one of his greatest students. He was of North African origin, he was made as a gift to Ibn abbass when the latter arrived in Basrah as Governor of the city during the reign of Alee bn Abee Taalib.

Ibn Hajar said about him: ‘He is trustworthy and a scholar of Tafseer. The allegation that Ibn Umar said he was a liar is not authentic neither was it authentic that he fell into an innovation.’

AbdurRahman bn Hassan said about him: ‘I heard Ikrimah said: I quested for knowledge for forty years (such that later) I would pass verdict by the door of whose house Ibn abbass was.’

Sufyaan bn Saeed bn Mas’ruuq Ath-Thawree
He is Sufyaan bn Saeed bn Mas’ruuq Ath-Thawree. 

Imam Dhahabi  said about him: ‘(He was) Imam, one of the knowledgeable ones.’ Ibn Mubarak said: ‘I never wrote from anyone greater than Sufyaan.’ Waraqaa said: ‘Sufyaan did not see the like of himself.’

Abdur-Razaaq said: ‘I heard Sufyaan say: ‘I never memorized anything with my heart then forgot it.’’

Yahyaa bn Maeen said: ‘Sufyaan would not contradict anyone except that sufyan’s view would reign superior.’

Ibn Al-Mubaarak regarded him as his foremost teacher. Yahyaa Al-Qattaan used to rate Sufyaan over Imaam Maalik.

Sufyaan was reported to have said: 'The scholars is the physician of the Deen, Dirham (unit of money) is its ailment, but when the physician takes the ailment for himself how will he treat other than himself?'

Dam'rah said he heard Maalik say: 'Iraaq used to get exciting to us because of its Dir'ham and clothes and later because of Sufyaan Ath-Thauree.'

Sufyaan was born in year 77 Hijrah and began to learn early. His father was one of the scholars of Kuufah. May Allâh bestow mercy on Sufyaan.

Taawuus (or Taawus) bn Keesaan Al-Yamanee
He is Taawuus (or Taawus) bn Keesaan Al-Yamaanee. It is said his real name is Zakwaan that ‘Taawuus (peackock)’ is his nickname. He belonged to the middle level of the Taabiun he met about 500 Companions of the Messenger of Allaah. Ibn Abbass once said about him: ‘I think Taawus is among the people of Jannah.’

Taawus said: ‘When you learn something, learn it for yourself because trust has gone off the people.’

He died 106 Hijrah, may Allaah be pleased with him.

Bakr bn Abdillaah Al-Muzanee
He is Bakr bn Abdillaah Al-Muzanee, he is regarded as a very trustworthy person with regard to Islamic knowledge. Alee bn al-Madeenee said about him: ‘He is among the best of the people; he has about 500 hadiths.’

Mutarrif bn Abdilllah Ibn Ash-Shikhir
He is Mutarrif bn Abdilllah Ibn Ash-Shikhir. Imam Dhahabi said about him in Siyar: ‘He is Imam, an exemplar, Hujjah…’

Abdullah bn Mubarak 
He is Ibn Waadih, the Imam, Shaykhul-Islam, the foremost scholar of his time, the leader of the pious people of his time, a writer and a warrior. He was born 118 Hijrah. He died while returning from a war he, and the Muslims, fought against the Romans. He was one of the teachers of Imam Al-Bukhaari’s teachers. He died in 181 Hijrah. He lived at Khurasan.

Mas’ruuq bn Al-Aj’da’ bn Maalik
He is Mas’ruuq bn Al-Aj’da’ bn Maalik. He was one of the oldest Taabiun. He was one of the leading students of Abdullah bn Mas’uud. Imam Sha’bi said about him: ‘I do not know anyone who quested for knowledge far and wide as Mas’ruuq.’ He died 63 Hijrah. May Allaah bestow His mercy on him.

Yahya bn Muaadh Ar-Raazee
He is Yahya bn Muaadh Ar-Raazee. He was a famous admonisher. He had a number of lofty statements to his credit such as: ‘Life – from beginning to end – does not weigh a worry of an hour.’ He died 258 Hijrah.

Maalik bn Deenar As-Saami An-Naaji
He is Maalik bn Deenar As-Saami An-Naaji. He was famous for asceticism. Alee bn Al-Madeenee (Imam Al-Bukhaari’s main teacher) said he reported just about forty hadiths. He died 130 Hijrah or thereabout.

Ka’b bn Maati’ Al-Humayree abu Ishaaq
He is Ka’b bn Maati’ Al-Humayree abu Ishaaq. He was from Yemen but came to live in Shaam. He met the time of the Prophet but accepted Islam in the reign of Abu Bakr As-Sideeq. He was a knowledgeable figure with respect to the Jewish religion (his religion before accepting Islam). He was such a great scholar that a number of Sahabah heard some Jewish accounts whose bases were in Islam from him. Among such Sahabah were Abu Hurairah, Ibn abbas, Ibn Umar, abdullaah bn Zubayr, etc.

He died towards the end of Uthman’s reign. 

Abdurrahman bn Hurmuz Al-A’raj
He was a middle-level Taabi.’ He was trustworthy such that Al-Bukhaari and Muslim, and other collectors of hadith reported from him. He was among the foremost students of Abu Hurairah. He died at Alexandria (Egypt) 117 Hijrah.

Yunus bn Ubayd
He was a Taabi’. Abu Dawud, Trimidhi and Nassai reported Ahadith through him. Ibn Hajar said he was acceptable.

Thaabit bn Aslam Al-Bunaanee
He is Thaabit bn Aslam Al-Bunaanee. He was a Taabi’ just below the middle level. Imam Ahmad was asked: ‘Who is more authentic; Thaabit or Qataadah?’ the Imam replied: ‘Thaabit.’ He was one of the students of Anas bn Maalik. In Basrah, during his time, he was well-respected for his vast knowledge and piety. He died around 100 HiJrah, may Allâh be pleased with him.

AbdurRahman bn Abî Lailah
He was among the older Taabiun. He was the scholar of Kuufah during his time. He died in the Battle of Al-Jamaajim.

Abu Muslim Al-Khaulânî
He was a Mukhdaram – a  person that lived during the time of the Prophet () but did not see him. In effect such is a Taabi. So Abu Muslim was one of them. In fact he witnessed Jaahiliyyah. He arrived in Madinah when the Prophet () just died. He was a devout worshipper and an ascetic figure. His actual name was Abdullah bn Thaub, some said it was Abdullah bn Auf. He was regarded as the chief of the Taabiun at sham. He died in year 60 of the Hijrah during the reign of Muaawiyyah. May Allâh be pleased with him.

Wahb bn Munnabbah
He was born 34 Hijrah. He was a middle-level Taabi'. Ibn Hajar regarded him as being trustworthy. He died some months after 100 Hijrah.

Mujâhid Ibn Jabr
He was Ibn Jabr (or Jubayr), but that he is called Ibn Jabr is more acceptable. He belonged to to the middle-level Taabiun. He was a trustworthy figure and an Imam in the field of Tafseer. He took the  bulk of his Tafseer from Ibn Abbass. He died 101 or 102 or 103 or 104 Hijrah.