Imam Daraqutni Rahimahullah

Name and lineage:

Abul Hassan Ali ibn Umar ibn Ahmed ibn Mehdi ibn Mas’ood ibn Nu’man ibn Deenar ibn Abdillah al-Baghdadi ad-Daraqutnee rahimahullaj

Birth:

306 hijri (Tareekh Baghdad 12/39)

Teachers:

Abul Qasim al-Baghawee, Abu Bakr ibn Abee Dawood, Yahya ibn Saa’ad & Isma’eel ibn Muhammad al-Saffar and others.

Students:

Abu Nuaym al-Asbahanee, Abu Bakr al-Barqanee, Haakim, author of Mustadrak, al-Azharee, Khallal, Jawhari, Tannukhee, Ateeqee, Qaadhi Abu at-Tayyab al-Tabaree & Hafidh Abdul Ghanee bin Sa’eed and others.

Works:

Sunan Daraqutnee, Kitab al-Ilal, al-Mutalif wa al-Mukhtalif, Fadhail Sahabah, al-Mustajaad min fa’alaat al-Ajwaad, Ta’leeqaat ad-Daraqutnee alaa al-Majruheen li Ibn Hibban, ad-Dhuafa wa al-Matrukeen, al-Ifraad wa al-Gharaaib, Dhikr asmaa at-Tabi’een and others. He was an author of many books of knowledge.

Status of his knowledge:

All the hadeeth scholars are unanimous on his leadership, truthfulness and honor.

Qaadhi, Sheikhul Islam Abu at-Tayyab Taahir ibn Abdillah at-Tabaree rahimahullah (d. 405 hijri) said:

Daraqutnee was the leader of believers in the field of hadeeth.(Tareekh Baghdad 12/36, its chain is saheeh).

Khateeb Baghdadee besides declaring him the Imam of his time, has attributed truthfulness, fulfilment of trust, having understanding of Deen and Adaalah.And has called him correct in Aqeedah and madhhab. (Tareekh Baghdad 12/34).

Haafidh ad-Dhahabee said about him:

The Imaam, the Haafidh, the Reciter, Sheikhul Islam, the Genius,..the Quran Reciter, the Muhaddith. (Siyaar a’laam al-Nubalaa 16/449)

Haafidh Dhahabee additionally says:

Infact he was ‘Salafee’. (Siyaar a’laam al-Nubalaa 16/457)

Haakim Neeshaburee has praised him immensely. (Itraaf al-Gharaaib wa al-Ifraad al-Muhammad ibn Taahir al-Maqdisee 1/21, its chain is saheeh)

Imam Daraqutnee said about Saheeh al-Bukharee:

And with this, from these books, there is no book better than the book of Muhammad ibn Isma’eel al-Bukharee rahimahullah. (Itraaf al-Gharaaib wa al-Ifraad 1/20, its chain is saheeh).

His memory:

Allah ta’aala provided Imam daraqutnee with an unmatched memory as has been mentioned in the books of History with sound chain of narrations. For e.g. see an-Nubalaa (16/456)

Khateeb Baghdadee said:

I asked the famous Imam Barqanee: Did Imam Daraqutnee make you write his book Kitaab al-Ilal orally (from his memory)? He replied: Yes. (Tareekh Baghdad 12/37)

This book i.e. Kitab al-Ilal has been published in 11 volumes and more volumes are being published. It is the most difficult knowledge to obtain in the Science of Hadeeth, and Darqutnee made his students write by just orating them from his memory! [This book is now available in 16 volumes. Alhumdulillah]

Hence it is understood that in his time, he was the greatest Haafidh on the face of the earth. This is the reason why Dhahabee has shown his amazement at this great feat. See an-Nubalaa (16/455)

Death:

Imam Daraqutnee died on 8th Dhul Qaadah 385 hijri on Wednesday. Rahimahullah.

Author: Hafiz Zubair Alizai Rahimahullah

Translated by: taalibeilm via (sheikhzubairalizai dot wordpress dot com)

Reference: AlHadith #47 Page #46 and #47