Introduction to Imam Ibn Hibban
Imam Muhammad ibn Hibban ibn Ahmad ibn Hibban ibn Mu’adh ibn Ma’bad al-Tamimi, known as Abu Hatim al-Busti, is a distinguished Islamic scholar and hadith compiler. He was born in Bist, part of the ancient region of Sistan, in the year 273 AH (After Hijra). Throughout his lifetime, he traveled extensively to acquire knowledge, benefiting from numerous scholars and teachers during his journeys. He later returned to his homeland where he passed away in 354 AH. Ibn Hibban authored several significant works, including: the Sahih al-Masnad (The Correct Hadith Compilation), Rawdat al-Aqliya (The Garden of Intellectuals), Al-Anwa’ wal-Qasaim (Categories and Classifications), which consolidates the content from the six main hadith collections while omitting their chains of transmission, as well as works on the trustworthy narrators, the criticisms of historical narrators, and books focusing on the companions, successors, and their followers.
Notable Teachers of Ibn Hibban
Abu Abdul Rahman al-Nasa’i
Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Shu’ayb ibn Ali ibn Sinan ibn Bahir ibn Dinar, known as Abu Abdul Rahman, and often referred to as al-Nasa’i, is one of the foremost scholars in the field of hadith. He was born in 215 AH in Khorasan and traveled extensively in search of knowledge, gaining numerous disciples who learned from him. He passed away in Makkah in 303 AH. His most notable works include:
- Al-Sunan al-Kubra (The Major Compilations of Hadith).
- Al-Mujtaba (The Selected Hadiths), commonly known as Al-Sunan al-Sughra (The Minor Collections).
- Al-Du’afa wal-Matrukin (On Weak and Abandoned Narrators in Hadith).
- Khassais Ali (The Characteristics of Ali).
- Musnad Ali.
- Musnad Malik.
Al-Hasan ibn Sufyan al-Shaybani al-Nasawi
Al-Hasan ibn Sufyan ibn ‘Amir al-Shaybani al-Nasawi, known as Abu Abbas, is a renowned hadith scholar and was recognized as the hadith authority of his time in Khorasan. He was born in Nisa, a city in Khorasan, in 213 AH. His notable work, Al-Musnad (The Hadith Compilation), remains influential. He passed away in 303 AH.
Abu Khalifa al-Fadl ibn al-Habab al-Jumahi al-Basri
Abu Khalifa al-Fadl ibn al-Habab ibn Muhammad ibn Shu’ayb, also known as Ibn al-Habab, was a prominent hadith scholar born in 206 AH. He served as a judge in Basra and was well-versed in various literary forms, including news, poetry, and genealogy. He died in 305 AH and authored several significant texts, including:
- A section on hadith.
- Al-Fursan (The Knights).
- The Classes of Pre-Islamic Poets.
Abu Hafs Umar ibn Bijir al-Hamdani al-Bujayri al-Samarqandi
Umar ibn Muhammad ibn Bijir ibn Hazim al-Samarqandi al-Bujayri, known as Abu Hafs al-Hamdani, was born in a village near Samarkand in 223 AH. As a distinguished hadith scholar, he traveled to various regions, including Khorasan and Basra, to seek knowledge, acquiring extensive learning from many renowned scholars. Gold zain al-Dhabi praised him, stating: “He gathered knowledge that others did not.” He passed away in 311 AH and contributed several essential works, including:
- Al-Sahih (The Authentic Hadiths).
- A Comprehensive Tafsir (Interpretation).
- Al-Jami’ al-Musnad (The Comprehensive Hadith Collection).
Al-Husayn ibn Idris ibn Mubarak Abu Ali al-Ansari al-Harawi
Al-Husayn ibn Idris ibn Mubarak ibn al-Haytham al-Ansari al-Harawi, commonly known as Abu Ali, was one of the notable hadith scholars, born in 301 AH. Among his significant contributions is a work titled “History,” which follows a format similar to that of al-Bukhari’s historic compilation.