Abu al-Hasan al-Madaini
- Died
- 225 AH
- Born in
- Basra
Abu al-Hasan al-Madaini (135–225 AH / 752–840 CE) was an early Muslim historian and transmitter of historical reports (akhbar) renowned for his extensive compilations on Islamic history, tribal affairs, and military conquests .
Origin and Life
His full name was Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Abi Sayf . He was a client (mawla) of Abd al-Rahman ibn Samura al-Qurashi, though other reports link his clientage to Samura ibn Jundab or to Samura ibn Habib ibn Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf . He was born in Basra in 135 AH (752/753 CE)—with another report placing his birth in 132 AH—and grew up there . He later relocated to al-Madain, after which he received his relative adjective (nisba) "al-Madaini," before settling permanently in Baghdad until his death .
In his intellectual formation, Abu Bakr ibn al-Ikhshid recorded that he was initially a theological disputant (mutakallim) among the disciples of Mu'ammar ibn al-Ash'ath alongside figures such as Hafs al-Fard and Abu Bakr al-Asamm . He maintained a close and dedicated patronage relationship in Baghdad with the musician and scholar Ishaq ibn Ibrahim al-Mawsili, who provided for him generously .
Scholarly Transmission
He transmitted narrations from teachers including Ja'far ibn Hilal (Abu Khabbab) and Abu al-Hakam al-Laythi . His historical and literary transmissions were relayed by prominent scholars and traditionists, including al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar, Ahmad ibn Abi Khaythama, al-Harith ibn Abi Usama, and al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn al-Mutawakkil .
Scholarly Standing and Reception
Al-Madaini held a distinguished status among historical authorities. Ibn Jarir al-Tabari described him as deeply knowledgeable in the historical events of the Arabs (ayyam al-Arab), their genealogies, conquests (futuh), military expeditions (maghazi), and poetry, characterizing him as truthful in those fields . The grammarian Thalab (Ahmad ibn Yahya) remarked that whoever seeks the historical reports of the pre-Islamic period (Jahiliyya) should turn to the writings of Abu Ubayda, whereas whoever seeks the historical reports of Islam should turn to the works of al-Madaini .
In the assessment of hadith critics, Yahya ibn Main praised his reliability repeatedly, affirming him as trustworthy (thiqa) and advising students to copy his books . Abu Asim al-Nabil praised his reliability by declaring that al-Madaini himself served as an authoritative chain of transmission (isnad) . However, Ibn Adi noted that he was "not strong in hadith," explaining that he was primarily a master of historical reports with very few formal chain-supported (musnad) prophetic traditions .
Death
According to al-Harith ibn Abi Usama, al-Madaini observed continuous fasting for thirty years prior to his death . During his final illness, when asked what he desired, he replied: "I desire to live" . He died in 225 AH (840 CE)—though other reports state 215 AH or 224 AH—at the age of ninety-three, or nearing one hundred, residing at the home of Ishaq ibn Ibrahim al-Mawsili in Baghdad .
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Murdafat min Quraysh (The Successively Married Women of Quraysh) is a short historical treatise that documents notable women of the Quraysh tribe who married multiple husbands in succession. The work examines pre-Islamic and early Islamic social history through marital biographies, recording suitors, dowries, children, domestic or political anecdotes, and related poetry.
al-Taazi (The Condolences) is a classical Arabic work on bereavement and expressions of consolation. It gathers early historical reports, epistolary texts, maxims, and poetic verses on enduring grief and offering comfort.