IMAM ZUHRI(R)
THE MASTER OF SCIENCE AND WISDOM
The beginning of the systematic collection and compilation of hadith began during the time of the second generation of Muslims, that of the Followers. Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Ubaydullah, commonly known as ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, was a prolific and prominent hadith narrator from the Followers whom Ibn Hajar identified as a tabi'i. According to Ibn Hajar, “Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri was the first to compile hadith at the beginning of the first century after the Migration acting on the order of Umar ibn AbdulAziz. It was after this that the compilation, then the authoring of books of hadith became commonplace, resulting in much good.”
Ummayad rule was interrupted by a second civil war (the Second Fitna), re-established, then ended in 758, when the Abbasid dynasty seized the caliphate, to hold it, at least in name, until 1517(the last Caliph was Al-Mutawakkil III 1508–1517, in Cairo and not in Baghdad).
Muslim historians say that hadith collection and evaluation continued during the first Fitna and the Umayyad period. However, much of this activity was presumably oral transmission from early Muslims to later collectors, or from teachers to students.
The scholars of the Abbasid period were faced with a huge corpus of miscellaneous traditions, some of them flatly contradicting each other. Many of these traditions supported differing views on a variety of controversial matters. Scholars had to decide which hadith were to be trusted as authentic narrations and which had been invented for various political or theological purposes. For this purpose, they used a number of techniques in hadith studies.In 134 AH (751–752), paper was introduced into the Muslim world.
Generally, Umar II is credited with having ordered the first collection of hadith material in an official manner, fearing that some of it might be lost. Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Hazm and Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, are among those who compiled hadiths at `Umar II’s behest
CLASSIFICATION OF HADITH
Hadith (sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad) have been categorized in different taxonomies by various scholars. The muhaddithūn (experts in the science of hadīth criticism) generally use two terms - taqrīr for tacit approvals, and khabar for sayings and acts ascribed to the Prophet.
The term taqrir implies that that, in the presence of the Prophet, a believer did something, which the Prophet noticed but did not disapprove or condemn. Thus, the act done by a believer acquired tacit approval from the Prophet. It is commonly acknowledged that a khabar can be true or false. The scholars of the science of hadīth criticism hold that a khabar and, therefore, a hadīth can be a true report or a concoction. It is on the basis of this premise that the Muslim scholars hold that a hadīth offers a zannī (inconclusive/probably true) evidence. It is as though a hadīth may have many possibilities on the plane of reliability
swahih- transmitted through an unbroken chain of narrators all of whom are of sound character and memory. Such a hadīth should not clash with a more reliable report and must not suffer from any other hidden defect.
hasan-transmitted through an unbroken chain of narrators all of whom are of sound character but weak memory. This hadīth should not clash with a more reliable report and must not suffer from any other hidden defect
dae'f-which cannot gain the status of hasan because it lacks one or more elements of a hasan hadīth. (For example, if the narrator is not of sound memory and sound character, or if there is a hidden fault in the narrative or if the chain of narrators is broken).
mawdu-fabricated and wrongly ascribed to the Prophet
maqlub-It is that hadīth, in two different narrations of which the names of narrators have been changed
THE MASTER OF SCIENCE AND WISDOM
 |  Anas Hlayhel is an auther on Imam Zuhri(r) from Lebanon. He has been active in da'wah for several years in the Bay Area, Texas, and Arizona |
Imam Shihabuddin Zuhri (May Allaah have Mercy on him) was one of the collectors of hadith. He was born in 50 H and died in 125 H. His life and dedication is an indication of the Promise of Allaah (A) that He will preserve this religion by the trustworthy people.
Imam Zuhri learned from great personalities including some sahabah like Anas Ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him). He also studied under the great mountain of knowledge, Sayeed Ibn Musayyib.
One of his students, Imam Maalik Ibn Anas said, "I have seen so many scholars of old age in Al-Medinah, but everyone was taking from Ibn Shihab, although he was young at that time."
Let's learn from this great personality the love of the Sunnah and the importance of working to preserve the blessed Prophetic ahaadeeth.
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Imam Az-Zuhri(r) When he died - may Allah have mercy upon him, there was no one on the surface of the earth more knowledgeable than him. Ibn Taymiyyah sufficiently described him in these succinct by remarkable words: "Az-Zuhri has guarded Islam for about seventy years."
This towering personality, Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Shihab AzZuhri (r)was a model for the scholars and an exemplar for the pious. He was an embodiment of the generosity. When he was in a difficult situation, he did not deviate from the truth and when the bounties of the world were opened for him he did not stray. May Allah bestow His expansive mercy upon him and upon the scholars of this Ummah in particular and all the Muslims in general.
By: Salaahud-Deen 'Ali Abdul Mawjood
http://www.masnoonazkars.com/books/imam-az-zuhri.php---------------------------------------------
IMAM ZUHRI
LIFE AND MISSION
Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Ubaydullah ibn Shihab al-Zuhri ( ابن شهاب الزهري) usually called simply Ibn Shihab or al-Zuhri. He was a central figure among the early collectors of hadith and the representer of the classification of islamic science.
No connected account of al-Zuhris life after that has come down to us. There is no evidence he ever again lived in Madinah. Abd al-Malik died in AH 86 (705 CE) and al-Zuhri continued to serve the Umayyid court the rest of his life. He died in AH 124 (741–2 CE).
In the initial conversation with Abd al-Malik the names of earlier Islamic scholars whom al-Zuhri had come in contact with in Madinah are mentioned: 'Abdullah ibn Tha'laba al-'Adawi (though he is disparaged), Said ibn al-Musayyib, Urwah ibn Zubayr, 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Utba, Abu Bakr ibn 'Abdul-Rahman ibn al-Harith, Kharija ibn Zayd ibn Thabit and 'Abdul-Rahman ibn Yazid ibn Jariya. There are many stories about the strength of al-Zuhri's learning and all the scholar's in the west who were alive when he died quoted from him in their own works.
Some sources, but not Ibn Sa'd, say that he had a son named Ahmad ibn Abu Bakr al-Zuhri
Ibn Sa'd has an account purporting to be in al-Zuhri's own words describing how he left his home in Madinah, went to Damascus to seek his fortune and was recruited into the administration of the Caliph Abd al-Malik. The Caliph observed that his father had supported Ibn al-Zubayr against him in the recent civil war. But the Caliph'a policy toward the Zubayrites was reconciliation and his father's politics were not held against him.
Some accuse al-Zuhri of having flattered the Umayyads. He taught the son of Caliph Hisham (died AH 125/743). but this does not mean that he supported the Umayyads uncritically. His relationship with the heir to the caliphate Walid (ruled for one year 125 after al-Zuhri's death) was so bad that Walid was only restrained from killing him by the Caliph's intervention
Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri is regarded as one of the greatest Sunni authorities on Hadith. The leading critics of Hadith such as Ibn al-Madini, Ibn Hibban, Abu Hatim, Al-Dhahabi and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani are all agreed upon his indisputable authority. He received ahadith from many Sahaba (Companions) and numerous scholars among the first and second generations after the Companions narrated from him.
In his famous letter to Malik ibn Anas, Laith ibn Sa`d writes:
- Ibn Shihab would give many contradicting statements, when we would meet him. While if any one of us would ask him something in writing, he, in spite of being so learned, would give three contradictory answers to the same question. He would not even be aware of what he had said about the issue in the past. This is what prompted me to give up what you do not approve of
- The father of systematic hadith studies
Ummayad rule was interrupted by a second civil war (the Second Fitna), re-established, then ended in 758, when the Abbasid dynasty seized the caliphate, to hold it, at least in name, until 1517(the last Caliph was Al-Mutawakkil III 1508–1517, in Cairo and not in Baghdad).
Muslim historians say that hadith collection and evaluation continued during the first Fitna and the Umayyad period. However, much of this activity was presumably oral transmission from early Muslims to later collectors, or from teachers to students.
The scholars of the Abbasid period were faced with a huge corpus of miscellaneous traditions, some of them flatly contradicting each other. Many of these traditions supported differing views on a variety of controversial matters. Scholars had to decide which hadith were to be trusted as authentic narrations and which had been invented for various political or theological purposes. For this purpose, they used a number of techniques in hadith studies.In 134 AH (751–752), paper was introduced into the Muslim world.
Generally, Umar II is credited with having ordered the first collection of hadith material in an official manner, fearing that some of it might be lost. Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Hazm and Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, are among those who compiled hadiths at `Umar II’s behest
CLASSIFICATION OF HADITH
Hadith (sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad) have been categorized in different taxonomies by various scholars. The muhaddithūn (experts in the science of hadīth criticism) generally use two terms - taqrīr for tacit approvals, and khabar for sayings and acts ascribed to the Prophet.
The term taqrir implies that that, in the presence of the Prophet, a believer did something, which the Prophet noticed but did not disapprove or condemn. Thus, the act done by a believer acquired tacit approval from the Prophet. It is commonly acknowledged that a khabar can be true or false. The scholars of the science of hadīth criticism hold that a khabar and, therefore, a hadīth can be a true report or a concoction. It is on the basis of this premise that the Muslim scholars hold that a hadīth offers a zannī (inconclusive/probably true) evidence. It is as though a hadīth may have many possibilities on the plane of reliability
swahih- transmitted through an unbroken chain of narrators all of whom are of sound character and memory. Such a hadīth should not clash with a more reliable report and must not suffer from any other hidden defect.
hasan-transmitted through an unbroken chain of narrators all of whom are of sound character but weak memory. This hadīth should not clash with a more reliable report and must not suffer from any other hidden defect
dae'f-which cannot gain the status of hasan because it lacks one or more elements of a hasan hadīth. (For example, if the narrator is not of sound memory and sound character, or if there is a hidden fault in the narrative or if the chain of narrators is broken).
mawdu-fabricated and wrongly ascribed to the Prophet
maqlub-It is that hadīth, in two different narrations of which the names of narrators have been changed
