Abu Hatim Al-Razi
Imam, expert, critic, and the esteemed master of hadith among the Hanadili tribe of the Ghatafan. He hailed from the Tamim tribe, specifically Tamim bin Handhala bin Yarbu, and it is said he was known as Al-Hanadili due to his residence in the district of Handhala in the city of Rey. Renowned for his vast knowledge, he traveled extensively and excelled in both textual analysis and chain of narration. Furthermore, he was an accomplished compiler and classifier of hadith, proficient in evaluating their authenticity.
Born in the year 195 AH, his initial work in hadith compilation began in 209 AH. He was a contemporary of Al-Bukhari and belonged to the same scholarly class, though he outlived Al-Bukhari by more than twenty years.
His Students
Among those who narrated hadith from him are: Ubaidullah bin Musa, Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Ansari, Al-Asma’i, Qabeesa, Abu Naim, Iffan, Uthman bin Al-Haytham (the muezzin), Abu Masher Al-Ghasani, Abu Al-Yaman, Sa’id bin Abu Mariam, Zuhair bin Abbad, Yahya bin Bakir, Abu Al-Walid, Adam bin Abi Iyas, Thabit bin Muhammad Al-Zahid, Abu Zayd Al-Ansari (the grammarian), Abdullah bin Salih Al-Ajli, Abdullah bin Salih the scribe, Abu Al-Jamaher Muhammad bin Uthman, Huzaifah bin Khalifah, Yahya Al-Wuhdhi, Abu Tawbah Al-Halabi, Abu Hafs Al-Falas, Al-Rabi Al-Maradi, Ibn Wara, and Muhammad bin Awf, among others. It is indeed challenging to enumerate all his teachers. Al-Khily noted that Abu Hatim Al-Laban Al-Hafidh stated he had collected nearly three thousand narrators from whom Abu Hatim Al-Razi received hadith.
Notable Scholars Who Related from Him
Among the eminent scholars who narrated from him are his son, the Hafidh Imam Abu Muhammad Abdul Rahman bin Abu Hatim, Yunus bin Abdul A’la, and Al-Rabi bin Suleiman Al-Muezzin. Others include Abu Zar’ah Al-Razi, his colleague and relative, Abu Zar’ah Al-Dimashqi, Ibrahim Al-Harbi, Ahmad Al-Ramadi, Musa bin Ishaq Al-Ansari, Abu Bakr bin Abi Al-Dunya, and possibly Abu Abdullah Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawood, and Abu Abdul Rahman Al-Nasai in their compilations, Ibn Sa’id, Abu Awanah Al-Isfira’yini, Hajib bin Arkyn, Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Kanani, Zakariya bin Ahmad Al-Balkhi, Al-Qadi Al-Mahmili, Muhammad bin Makhlad Al-Attar, Abu Al-Hassan Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Qattan, Abu Amr Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Hakim, Sulayman bin Yazid Al-Fami, Al-Qasim bin Safwan, Abu Bishr Al-Dulabi, Abu Hamid bin Hasanwi, and many more.
Additionally, during his journeys with his son, many others also narrated from him. He encountered the disciples of Ibn Uyaynah and Waki’ Ibn Al-Jarrah. Al-Hafidh Abu Naim Abdul Malik bin Muhammad bin ‘Adi recorded: Al-Rabi Al-Maradi narrated to us; Abu Hatim Al-Razi narrated to us; Dawood Al-Ja’fari narrated to us; Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad, from Ibrahim bin ‘Uqbah, from Kuraib, from Ibn Abbas: the Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him – stated, “The best women of the worlds are Maryam, Asia, the wife of Pharaoh, Khadijah, and Fatimah.” Ibn ‘Adi then mentioned that Abu Hatim stated that Salih bin Ahmad Al-Hamadhani Al-Hafidh narrated to him, saying that Al-Qasim bin Abu Salih and Sulayman bin Yazid stated: “Abu Hatim narrated to us; he reported that Abu Zar’ah narrated from Abu Al-Jamaher, informing us that Ismail bin ‘Ayash narrated from Abdul Aziz bin ‘Abdullah, from Mujahid, from Ibn Abbas, who said: The pen has been lifted from three.”
His Contributions
- Abu Hatim noted: “I had this on parchment, but it was lost.” This was related by Al-Hafidh Abu Bakr Al-Khateeb. Ali bin Talhah narrated to us; Salih reported that Abdul Rahman bin Abu Hatim said: “I heard Musa bin Ishaq Al-Qadhi say: I have never seen anyone more knowledgeable than your father.” He had also met Abu Bakr bin Abu Shaybah, Ibn Numayr, Ibn Ma’in, and Yahya Al-Hamadi.
- Al-Khateeb reported: “Abu Hatim was one of the most trustworthy and accurate scholars. His first hearing of hadith was in 209 AH.”
- Ibn ‘Adi stated: “I heard Al-Qasim bin Safwan narrate that Abu Hatim said: ‘The most pious I have seen are four: Adam, Ahmad bin Hanbal, Thabit bin Muhammad Al-Zahid, and Abu Zar’ah Al-Razi.’ Al-Qasim remarked that he mentioned this to Uthman bin Kharzadh, who responded: ‘I would say that the most accurate of those I have seen are Muhammad bin Al-Munhal, Ibrahim bin ‘Arirah, Abu Zar’ah, and Abu Hatim.’
Additionally, Ibn Abu Hatim reported: “I heard Yunus bin Abdul A’la say that Abu Zar’ah and Abu Hatim are the leaders of Khorasan, and he prayed for their success, proclaiming that their presence is beneficial for the Muslims.”
- Moreover, Muhammad bin Al-Husayn bin Makram said: “I heard Hajjaj bin Al-Sha’ar mention Abu Zar’ah, Ibn Wara, and Abu Ja’far Al-Darimi, stating: ‘There is no one more distinguished in the East than them.’