Islamic Knowledge Reference Library
1. Qur'an (القرآن)
Category: Primary Source of Islam
Era: Revealed between 610 CE - 632 CE
Summary: The final revelation of Allah and the highest authority in Islam.
Key Contributions
- Foundation of Islamic law
- Guidance for humanity
- Primary source of aqidah and fiqh
Sources
2. Sunnah (السنة)
Category: Prophetic Teachings
Era: 610 CE - 632 CE
Summary: Teachings, actions, and approvals of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Key Contributions
- Explains the Qur'an
- Detailed implementation of Islam
- Second source of Islamic law
Sources
- Authentic Hadith collections
3. Ijma' (الإجماع)
Category: Islamic Jurisprudence Principle
Era: Early Islamic Scholarship
Summary: Consensus of qualified Islamic scholars on religious matters.
Key Contributions
- Preservation of orthodoxy
- Legal consistency
- Scholarly unity
Sources
- Al-Risala by Imam al-Shafi'i
- Usul al-Fiqh literature
4. Qiyas (القياس)
Category: Islamic Jurisprudence Principle
Era: Early Islamic Scholarship
Summary: Analogical reasoning used to derive rulings.
Major Works
Key Contributions
- Extension of rulings
- Legal analogy
- Identification of illah
Sources
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (محمد بن جرير الطبري)
Category: Scholar / Historian / Jurist
Era: 839 CE - 923 CE
Summary: Major scholar known for tafsir, history, and jurisprudence.
Major Works
- Tafsir al-Tabari
- Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk
Key Contributions
- Comparative fiqh
- Historical preservation
- Classical tafsir methodology
Sources
- Classical Sunni literature
Abd Allah ibn Abbas (عبد الله بن عباس)
Category: Companion / Scholar of Tafsir
Era: 619 CE - 687 CE
Summary: Cousin of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and leading authority in tafsir.
Teachers
Students
Key Contributions
- Tafsir
- Fiqh
- Hadith
- Arabic language
Sources
- Classical tafsir and hadith collections
Sa’id ibn Jubayr (سعيد بن جبير)
Category: Tabi'i Scholar
Era: 665 CE - 714 CE
Summary: Prominent student of Ibn Abbas and scholar of tafsir.
Teachers
Key Contributions
- Hadith transmission
- Qur'anic tafsir
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari
- Sahih Muslim
Ibn Abi Hatim al-Razi (ابن أبي حاتم)
Category: Hadith Scholar
Era: 854 CE - 938 CE
Summary: Scholar of hadith criticism and tafsir.
Major Works
- Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim
- Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil
Key Contributions
- Narrator criticism
- Preservation of early tafsir
Sources
- Hadith sciences literature
Muhammad ibn Sirin (ابن سيرين)
Category: Tabi'i / Hadith Scholar
Era: 653 CE - 729 CE
Summary: Known for dream interpretation and hadith narration.
Teachers
Major Works
Key Contributions
- Dream interpretation
- Hadith narration
Sources
- Classical Islamic literature
Mujahid ibn Jabr (مجاهد بن جبر)
Category: Tafsir, Hadith, Islamic Legal Uderstanding
Era: 642 CE - 722 CE. Tabi'in generation
Summary: Mujahid stands very close to the earliest understaning of Qur'an in Islamic History. Leading student of Abd Allah ibn Abbas.
Teachers
- Ibn Abbas
- learned from companions directly
Major Works
- Explanations of verses of Qur'an
- Arabic meanings
- understaning of revelation contents
Key Contributions
- Tafsir Mujahid
- Mujahid's interpretation became foundational in Sunni tafsir tradition
- Mujahid reviewed the Qur'an with Ibn Abbas verse by verse, stopping to ask meanings.
Sources
- Mujahid is frequently qouted in al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir and others.
Qatadah ibn Di'amah (قتادة بن دعامة السدوسي)
Category: Tafsir, Arabic Language, Hadith
Era: 680-735 CE. Tabi'i. Major Scholar of Tabi'in generation.
Summary: Born in Basra (Iraq). He was blind and among the great early scholars of Basra. He was from the Tabi'in generation.
Teachers
- Anas ibn Malik
- Sa'id ibn al-Musayyid
- al-Hasan al-Basri
Major Works
- concise explanations of Qur'anic verses
- linguistic interpretation
- Narrations about earlier prophets and nations
- Important Haidth Transmitter
- One of the major bridges between early Muslim generations and later classical tafsir scholarship
Key Contributions
- One of the major scholars of Tabi'in generation
- linguistic understaning
- knowledge of Arab usage
- explanations of verses
- knowledgeable in Hadiths
- prophetic narrations
- historical traditions
- classical scholars praised him for intelligence, precision and breath of knowledge.
Mutarrif ibn Abdullah ibn al-Shikhkhir (مطرف بن عبد الله بن الشخير)
Category: zuhd (ascetic spirituality)
Era: 713-714 CE. During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, Tabi'i generation.
Summary: Respected scholar, worshipper known for wisdom, piety, humility, deep spritiual insight.
Teachers
- His father Abdullah ibn al-Shikhkhir who was a companion of Prophet ﷺ.
Major Works
- Narrated Hadiths from companions, scholars of Basra and early muslim scholars
- sincerity, wisdom, fear of Allah and thoughtful speech
- known for character and devotion
Key Contributions
- Lived during the time of:
- al-Hasan al-Basri
- Qatadah
- Ibn Sirin
- Reports and sayings appear in:
- books of zuhud
- biographical dictionaries
- hadith literature
- spritial writings
- Famous qoute:
- "The goodness of the heart comes from the goodness of action.”
Aisha bint Abi Bakr (عائشة بنت أبي بكر رضي الله عنها)
Category: Wife of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,
Era: 613/614 CE - 678 CE. Companion (Sahabiyah)
Summary: Umm al-Mu'minin. Daughter of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. One of the greatest transmitters of prophetic knowledge
Teachers
Major Works
- Marriage to the Prophet ﷺ:
- -> Hadith
- -> Fiqh
- -> Medicine
- -> poetry
- -> Islamic Law
- -> worship
- -> family life
- -> legal rulings
- -> ethics
- -> personal conduct
- Hadith Scholarship:
- -> Sahih al-Bukhari
- -> Sahih Muslim
- -> family matters
- -> worship
- -> purification
- -> character
- -> private aspects of the Prophet's life
Key Contributions
- Aisha became one of the leading jurists among the companions
- Senior companions and later scholars:
- -> consulted her
- -> sought legal opinions from her
- -> learned hadith from her
- Knowledge and Intelligence:
- -> Qur'an
- -> inheritance law
- -> genealogy
- -> medicine
- -> poetry
- -> Arabic Expression
- Her Students:
- -> Urwah ibn al-Zubayr
- -> al-Qasim ibn Muhammad
- -> Masruq
- -> and many tabi'in
Sabrah ibn Abi al-Fakih (سَبْرَة بن أبي الفاكه)
Category: hadith transmission
Era: Sahabi - Prophetic era
Summary: Also known as Saburah bin Abi al-Fakih. Very little biological information survives about him. Known for hadith describing how Shaytan attempts to block a person on different paths of righteousness.
Teachers
Major Works
- The famous Hadith describing how Shaytan sits on the paths of the son of Adam and says things like:
- "Will you accept Islam and leave your forefathers?
- "Will you migrate and leave your land?"
- "Will you struggle and risk death?"
Key Contributions
- His narration appears in Musnad Ahmad
- Not among companions with large number of narrations. His preserved Hadith became important because:
- -> it discusses spritual struggle
- -> temptation
- -> perseverance
- -> obedience to Allah
- Quoted in Tafsir Ibn Kathir in discussion of Shaytan misleading humanity.
Sources
Ali ibn Abi Talhah (علي بن أبي طلحة)
Category: Transmitting Explanations of Qur'an
Era: 8th Century CE
Summary: He transmitted many Qur'anic tafsir attributed to Ibn 'Abbas
Teachers
- Likely received tafsir material through students of Ibn 'Abbas:
- -> Mujahid ibn Jabr
- -> Ikrimah
- -> Sa'id ibn Jubayr
- -> other transmitters connected to ibn 'Abbas
- It should be noted that most scholars say that Ali ibn Abi Talhah did not directly meet Ibn 'Abbas
Key Contributions
- Ali ibn Abi Talhah's reports became one of the major pathways through which:
- -> Ibn 'Abbas's Qur'anic explations reached later generations
- classical tafsir books quote him frequently
- His narrations appear heavily:
- -> Tafsir al-Tabari
- -> Tafsir ibn Kathir
- -> Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and others respected his tafsir material
Sources
- Since majority of the scholars believe that Ali ibn Abi Talhah did not directly meet Ibn 'Abbas, therefore many of his narrations are considered mursal or disconnected in chain structure.
A-Hakam ibn Aban (الحكم بن أبان)
Category: Hadith Transmission, Tafsir Narrations, Transmitting reports for early scholars
Era: 8th Century CE, post-Companion generation
Summary: Al-Ḥakam ibn Abān helped preserve early tafsīr and hadith traditions during a formative period of Islamic scholarship. Even when not among the most famous scholars
Teachers
Key Contributions
- Al-Ḥakam ibn Abān represents one of the important transmission links between:
- -> the early tābiʿīn generation,
- -> and later scholars who compiled Islamic literature.
- -> preservation and transmission
- Hadith Evaluation:
- many scholars regard him as acceptable and trustworthy in narration, however, amongst the very highest-tier hadith authorities do not accept his transmission or regard them as trustworthy
Sources
- He can found in Narrator criticism books such as:
- -> Tahdhīb al-Kamāl
- -> Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb
- -> Al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʿdīl
Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath Abu Dawud al-Sijistani (أبو داود السجستاني)
Category: Hadith , Fiqh, Rulings, Worship, Transactions
Era: 817 CE - 889 CE
Summary: Abu Dawud helped organize prophetic traditions into practical legal framework for Muslim Scholars
Teachers
- Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
- Yahya ibn Ma'in
- Ali ibn Al-Madini
Key Contributions
- Sunam Abu Dawud which became one of the Kutub al-Sittah
- -> Sunam Abu Dawud contains approximately 4,800 selected hadiths heavily focussed on:
- --> fiqh (islamic Law)
- --> rulings
- --> worship
- --> transactions
- --> practical Islamic guidance
Sources
- Abu Dawud had close scholarly ties to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
- Highly influenced by Hanbali hadith methodology
- Abu Dawud said that "only a small number of hadiths are necessary for a person's religion if understood properly."
Ahmad ibn Shuʿayb al-Nasa’i (الإمام النسائي)
Category: hadith
Era: 829 CE - 915 CE
Summary: Imam al-Nasai was respected for precision in hadith criticism, strong authentication standards and deep knowledge of narrators.
Teachers
- Qutaybah ibn Sa'id
- Ishaq ibn Rahawayh
Key Contributions
- To attain the Hadith Knowledge al-Nasa'i travelled through:
- -> Iraq
- -> Hijaz
- -> Syria
- -> Egypt
- -> Khurasan
- -> Al-Nasa'i compiled two versions of his Hadith collections:
- ---->1. Al-Sunan al-Kubra (The Larger Sunan"
- ---->2. Al-Mujtaba or Al-Sunan al-Sughra (The Selected/Smaller Sunan
- The Six Books of Hadiths, Sunan al-Nasa'i (The selected/Smaller Sunan") is ranked 5th
- ->1. Sahih al-Bukhari
- ->2. Sahih Muslim
- ->3. Sunan Abu Dawud
- ->4. Jami' al-Tirmidi
- ->5. Sunan al-Nasa'i
- ->6. Sunan Ibn Majah
Sources
- Classical scholars praised al-Nasa'i for:
- => intelligence
- => precision
- => honesty
- => worship
- => deep mastery of hadith sciences.
Muhammad ibn Yazid Ibn Majah (ابن ماجه)
Category: hadith
Era: 824 CE - 887 CE
Summary: Ibn Majah helped preserve a wider range of prophetic narrations,including reports not found in the other major collections.
Teachers
- He studdied under many schools of Hadith which included schools from:
- => Iraq
- => Hijaz
- => Syria
- => Egypt
- => Khurassan
Key Contributions
- Sunan Ibn Majah
- Sunam Ibn Majah holds the 6th position amongs the six books of hadith:
- ->1. Sahih al-Bukhari
- ->2. Sahih Muslim
- ->3. Sunan Abu Dawud
- ->4. Jami' al-Tirmidi
- ->5. Sunan al-Nasa'i
- ->6. Sunan Ibn Majah
- His work became part of the foundational hadith canon studied throughout Sunni Islamic scholarship for centuries.
Sources
- Kutub al-Sittah (“The Six Major Sunni Hadith Collections”)
- Ibn Majah travelled for Hadith (rihlah fi talab al-hadith)
- Sunan Ibn Majah contains:
- ---> authentic hadith
- ---> acceptable narrations
- ---> weaker reports
- ---> some narations scholars classified as weak
- Hadith scholars carefully evaluate individual narrations within the book.
Muhammad ibn Hibban al-Busti (ابن حبان)
Category: hadith
Era: 884 CE - 965 CE
Summary: One of the major classical Sunni Hadith scholars know for hadith authentication, narrator evaluation, fiqh. Famous for compiling Sahih Ibn Hibban.
Teachers
- Ibn Hibban studied under a very large number of scholars
- Classical biographical works describe hime as traveling extensively in search of hadith knowledge.
- Because of his travel:
- --> He had many teachers
- --> His teachers span in multiple regions.
- --> also across different scholarly traditions.
- Notable among them were:
- => Abu Ya'la al-Mawsili ---> Hadith compilation
- => Ibn Khuzaymah ---> Hadith and theology
- => Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Sarraj ---> Hadith transmission
- => Abu al-Abbas al-Siraj ---> Narration and hadith
- => al-Hasan ibn Sufian al-Nasa'i ---> Hadith Scholarship
- => Abu Khalifah al-Jumahi ---> Hadith narration
Key Contributions
- Ibn Hibban belonged to a major scholarly transmission chain connecting:
- => earlier muhaddith scholars,
- => the great compilers of hadith,
- => and later hadith criticism traditions
- His teachers themselves often studied from:
- ===> students of Imam Ahmad
- ===> Nukhari
- ===> Muslim
- ===> and earlier hadith masters.
Sources
- From his teachers, Ibn Hibban developed expertise in:
- => hadith authentication
- => narrator criticism
- => chain analysis
- => fiqh
- => biographical evaluation
- This later shaped works such as:
- ===> Sahih Ibn Hibban
- ===> Kitab al-Thiqat
- ===> Kitab al-Majruhin
Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Hakim al-Naysaburi (الحاكم النيسابوري)
Category: hadith
Era: 933 CE - 1014 CE
Summary: Another hadith scholar from Khurasan Region. He was regarded as the major hadith masters (huffaz) of his era.
Teachers
- Al-Hakim studdied under many scholars across Khurasan and surrounding regions
- One of his famous teachers was Ibn Hibban
Key Contributions
- Among the famous scholars connected to his transmission traditions were:
- ==> al-Bayhaqi
- ==> al-Daraqutni (scholarly interaction)
- ==> and later hadith authorities
- wrote Al-Mustadrak
- Ma'rifat 'Ulum al-Hadith
- Hadith methodology
Sources
- Classical scholars praised him for:
- memory
- scholarships
- vast hadith knowledge
Ismaʿil ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Suddi (إسماعيل بن عبد الرحمن السدي)
Category: Tafsir, Narration and Transmitting explanations from early generations
Era: 8th Century CE, Early Tabi' / Tabi' al-Tabi'
Summary: As-Suddi was an early Muslim Scholar known for tafsir, narration and transmitting explanations from early generations
Teachers
- Abd Allah ibn Abbas
- Abd Allah ibn Masud
- Abu Malik
- Abu Salih
- Murrah al-Hamdani
Key Contributions
- His narrations appear in:
- ==> Al-Tabari
- ==> Ibn Kathir
- ==> al-Baghawi
- ==> and many later tafsir works.
- narrative explanations
- historical context
- stories of earlier prophets
- explanation of verses
- Isra’iliyyat
Sources
- Belongs to Iaqi/Kufan scholarly environment which became one of the greatest centers of:
- Qura'anic interpretation
- Arabic Language
- fiqh
- hadith transmission
Ata ibn Abi Muslim al-Khurasani (عطاء الخراساني)
Category: tafsir, hadith narration, worship
Era: Tabi'i. 670 CE - 752 CE
Summary: Qura'anic interpretation, an early mufassir/ He helped preserve and transmit early islamic scholarship during the formative period of tafsir and hadith development. He became part of the important scholarly bridge between the companions, the Tabi\in and later classical islamic scholarship.
Teachers
- Abd Allah ibn Abbas
- Abu Hurayrah (based on some reports)
- Wathilah ibn al-Asqa
- and early scholars of the Tabi\in generation
Key Contributions
- Qur'anic explanation
- reflections on verses
- transmission of early tafsir traditions
- His reports appear in:
- ==> tafsir al-Tabari
- ==> other tafsir compilations
- scholar of worship and asceticism
Sources
- His tile:
- "al-Khurāsānī" connects him with the Khurasan region
- religious sincereity
- humility
- and devotion
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (ابن جرير الطبري)
Category: tafsir, history, hadith, fiqh and scholalry analysis
Era: 839 CE - 923 CE
Summary: One of the greatest mufassirun and one of the greatest historians in Islam
Teachers
- A-Tabari travelled extensively in pursuit of knowledge and studdiwd under scholars:
- ---> Baghdad
- ---> Egypt
- ---> Syria
- ---> Persia
- Scholars from many regions were part of his knowledge gathering
Key Contributions
- Tafsir al-Tabari(Jamiʿ al-Bayan fi Ta’wil al-Qur’an)
- Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk
Sources
- He relied on :
- ==> companions
- ==> tābi'ʿīn
- ==> hadith scholars
- ==> linguistics
- ==> jurists
Sufyan ibn Saʿid al-Thawri (سفيان الثوري)
Category: Hadith, Legal scholarship, deep spiritualty, independence from political power
Era: 716 CE - 778 CE
Summary: Sufyan al-Thawri became one of the defining scholarly figures of early Sunni Islam. He combined: deep knowledge, strong hadith expertise, legal reasoning, and spiritual sincerity. He was connected to important early Iraqi chains of transmission. This made him one of the most admired scholars of early generations.
Teachers
- Ja'far al-Sadiq
- Mansur ibn al-Mu'tamir
- Al-A'mash
- Qatadah
- Abu Ishaq al-Sabiʿi
Key Contributions
- One of the strongest hadith memorisers of his era
- He was praised for his precision, reliability and understanding of narrations.
- His narrations appear in Shih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and other major collections
Sources
- His students include:
- Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak
- Yahya ibn Saʿid al-Qattan
- Wakiʿ ibn al-Jarrah
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi
Yahya ibn Saʿid Abu Hayyan al-Taymi (أبو حيان التيمي)
Category: hadith transmission, Qur'anic narration
Era: 8th Century CE
Summary: Abu Hayyan al-Taymi helped preserve early Islamic narrations during a foundational period of hadith transmission
Teachers
- Ali ibn Abi Talib
- Zirr ibn Hubaysh
- Mujahid
- Abu Zurʿah ibn ʿAmr
Key Contributions
- Transmitting hadith
- preserving narrations from early scholars
- legal narrations
- participation in Kufan scholalry tradition.
- His dicussions are found in:
- ---> Tahdhib al-Kamal
- ---> Tahdhib al-Tahdhib
- ---> Al-Jarh wa al-Taʿdil
- His students:
- ==> Sufyan al-Thawri
- ==> Shuʿbah ibn al-Hajjaj
Sources
- His narrations appear in:
- ===> Sahih Al-Bukhari
- ===> Shaih Muslim
Abu Rifa'ah al-Zuraqi (أبو رفاعة الزرقي)
Category: hadith transmission
Era: Tabi'in
Summary: Although not among the most famous companions or narrators, Abu Rifa'ah al-Zuraqi helped preserve prophetic teachings, Madinian scholarly traditions, family-based transmission chains.
Teachers
- His father Abu Rifa'ah who was the companion of the Prophet ﷺ at Battle of Uhud
Key Contributions
- Hadith transmission
- Early Madinan chains of narration
- Narrations associated with the al-Zuraqi appear in:
- ==> Sunan Abi Dawud
- ==> Sunan Ibn Majah
- Narrations invlove:
- --> manners
- --> supplication
- --> sneezing etiquette
- --> ruqyah
Sources
- In rijal literature members of al-Zuraqi family are reliable narrators
- connected to Ansari transmission narrations
- The name is associated with the Ansar of Madinah
- They are from tribe Banu Zurayq (بنو زريق)
- Family is also called al-Zuraqi/az-Zuraqi
- Name Abu Rifa'ah means Father of Rifa'ah
- Banu Zurayqa is a clan from Khazraj tribe of Madinah
- They were among the Ansar who supported Prophet ﷺ after Hijrah
Abū ʿUmar Yūsuf ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Barr al-Namarī al-Qurṭubī (أبو عمر يوسف بن عبد الله بن محمد بن عبد البر النمري القرطبي)
Category: Hadith, Fiqh, Biograhical Works, Genealogy and History
Era: Birth Place - Cordoba(Qurtubah), al-Andalus 978 CE Death - Shatibah(Xativa) 1071 CE
Summary: He is often regarded as one of the foremost Maliki scholars in Islamic history and among the leading hadith scholars of the Islamic West (al-Andalus).
Teachers
- Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-ʿAbbās
- Saʿīd ibn Naṣr
- Khalaf ibn al-Qāsim
Students
- His work became influential throughout:
- al-Andalus
- North Africa
- Broader Sunni world
Key Contributions
- Al-Tamhid
- Monumental commentary on Imam Malik's Muwaṭṭaʾ
- التمهيد لما في الموطأ من المعاني والأسانيد
- Al-Istidhkar
- Another major commentary on Muwatta, focusing heavily on legal discussions and scholarly opinions
- الاستذكار
- Jāmiʿ Bayān al-ʿIlm wa Faḍlih
- جامع بيان العلم وفضله
- One of the most famous classical books on:
- ===> knowledge
- ===> scholars
- ===> teaching
- ===> seeking knowledge
- ===> etiquate of learning
- Many quotations of commonly attributed to the Salaf are preserved through this work
- Al-Istīʿāb fī Maʿrifat al-Aṣḥāb
- الاستيعاب في معرفة الأصحاب
- A major biographical dictionary of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ.
Sources
- He ultimately became a leading scholar of the Maliki school, though reports indicate that in his earlier years he was influenced by the Ẓāhirī approach before adopting and excelling in Maliki scholarship.
Muqātil ibn Ḥayyān al-Nabaṭī al-Khurāsānī (مقاتل بن حيان النبطي الخراساني)
Category: hadith, tafsir, exhortation, early scholarly reports
Era: Tābiʿ al-Tābiʿīn 767CE
Summary: The hadith critics generaly regard him as Sadiq (truthful and reliable. He represents an early Khurāsānī stream of Qur'anic interpretation that was preserved in later works like those of al-Ṭabarī and Ibn Abī Ḥātim.
Teachers
- ʿIkrimah, the student of Ibn ʿAbbās
- ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ
- Mujāhid ibn Jabr
- others among the Tābiʿūn
- Because of these connections, many of his tafsīr reports trace back toward the school of Ibn ʿAbbās.
Students
- Among those who narrated from him were scholars of the next generation, helping preserve his tafsīr and reports.
Key Contributions
- Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī
- Ibn Abī Ḥātim
- al-Baghawī
- Ibn Kathīr
Sources
- Companions (Ṣaḥābah) -> Ibn ʿAbbās, Ibn Masʿūd
- Tābiʿūn -> Mujāhid, Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī
- Tābiʿ al-Tābiʿīn -> Muqātil ibn Ḥayyān, Sufyān al-Thawrī, al-Awzāʿī
- Major Hadith Imams -> Mālik, Ibn al-Mubārak
- Six Books Era -> al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawod
Ad-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim al-Khurāsānī (أبو القاسم الضحاك بن مزاحم الهلالي الخراساني)
Category: tafsir authority
Era: Younger Tabi'un. Died around 720 -723 CE
Summary: If you are tracing early tafsīr reports, Ad-Ḍaḥḥāk is one of the names that appears repeatedly. He represents an early stream of Qur'anic interpretation.
Teachers
- Sa'id ibn Jubayr
- Other Tabiun of Khurasan an d Iraq
Students
- Muqātil ibn Ḥayyān
- Juwaybir ibn Saʿīd
- Others who transmitted early tafsīr material
Sources
- Sometimes you see قال الضحاك. You are lookking at very early exegetical tradition, only a generation or two removed from the Companions.
- You will find Ad-Ḍaḥḥāk frequently in:
- Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī
- Tafsīr Ibn Abī Ḥātim
- Tafsīr al-Baghawī
- Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr
- Often you will see statements like;
- قال الضحاك
- "Ad-Dahhak said..."
- These are usually explanations of verses rather than prophetic hadith.