Key Figures in the Legacy of Al-Tabari
Imam Al-Tabari, renowned for his scholarly contributions to Islamic history and exegesis, is Muhammad ibn Jarir Al-Tabari. He is best known for his works “Tafsir Al-Tabari” (Al-Tabari’s Commentary) and “Tarikh Al-Tabari” (Al-Tabari’s History). Below, we highlight some of the prominent scholars from whom he acquired knowledge:
Mohammad ibn Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Al-Shawarib
Known as Abu Abdullah, Muhammad ibn Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Al-Shawarib hailed from the Qurashi Umayyad lineage and was born after the year 150 AH. He was a revered hadith scholar and jurist based in Basra.
Among his teachers were notable figures such as Kathir ibn Suleiman, Abdul-Aziz ibn Al-Mukhtar, Hamad ibn Zayd, Abdul-Wahid ibn Ziyad, Yusuf ibn Al-Majshun, and Abu Awanah. His contributions were recognized by prominent scholars such as Muslim, Al-Nasa’i, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Qazwini, Al-Baghawi, and of course, Al-Tabari.
Isaac ibn Abi Israel
Isaac ibn Abi Israel, also known as Ibrahim ibn Kamjar, was a faithful and reliable scholar, as documented by Al-Dhahabi in his “Siyar A’lam al-Nubalā.” He was born in the year 150 AH and studied under prominent figures including Sharik, Hamad ibn Zayd, Abdul-Rahman ibn Abi Al-Zinad, Abdul-Wahid ibn Ziyad, Jaafar ibn Suleiman, and Abdul-Quddus ibn Habib.
His teachings reached notable scholars such as Abu Dawood, Muhammad ibn Ismail Al-Bukhari, Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Ali Al-Marozi, Musa ibn Haroon, Abdullah ibn Najiah, Abu Ya’la Al-Mawsili, Abu Abbas Al-Tha’qafi, Abu Hamid Al-Hadrami, and Abu Al-Qasim Al-Baghawi, among others.
Mohammad ibn Hamid ibn Hayan
Abu Abdullah Al-Razi, born in Iran, later settled in Baghdad, where he studied under Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak, Ya’qub ibn Abdullah Al-Qummi, Jareer ibn Abdul-Hamid, Ibrahim ibn Al-Mukhtaar, Mehraan ibn Abi Umar, and Hakim ibn Salim. His teachings were passed on by notable scholars like Ahmad ibn Hanbal, his son Abdullah ibn Ahmad, Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Shabeeb Al-Ma’mari, Ahmad ibn Ali Al-‘Abaar, Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al-Baghawi, and Mohammad ibn Muhammad Al-Baghandi, among others.
Ahmad ibn Mani’ Al-Baghawi
Ahmad ibn Mani’ ibn Abdul-Rahman, also known as Abu Ja’far Al-Asamm, was born in the year 160 AH in Baghdad. He was esteemed as a reliable hadith scholar with a significant collection of hadiths, as noted by Al-Zerkeeli. He is often recognized as a contemporary of Ahmad ibn Hanbal in the field of Islamic knowledge. Despite facing financial hardships at the end of his life, resulting in the sale of his possessions (excluding his books) for a mere twenty-four dirhams, his legacy remains influential.
Among his esteemed teachers were Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak and Sufyan ibn Uyaynah. He was also a mentor to Al-Tabari, alongside figures such as Abu Hammam Walid ibn Shuja, Abu Kharib Muhammad ibn Al-Ala, Ya’qub ibn Ibrahim Al-Durqi, Abu Sa’id Al-Ashajj, Amr ibn Ali, Muhammad ibn Bashar, Muhammad ibn Al-Muthanna, and others. His notable students included Abu Ya’qub Isaac ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Jameel Al-Asbahani and Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Khuzaymah Al-Sulami Al-Nisaburi.