Abu Bakr al-Bazzaz
- Died
- 345 AH
- Born in
- -
Abu Bakr al-Bazzaz (263–345 AH / 877–956 CE) was a Baghdadi hadith scholar and traditionist known for his narrations and his specialized monograph on the reports of Shu'ba ibn al-Hajjaj.
Identity and Early Life
He was Muhammad ibn al-Abbas ibn Najih ibn Sa'id ibn Najih, with the kunya Abu Bakr, and was also known as Ibn Najih. He bore the nisbas al-Bazzaz (also written as al-Bazzar), al-Najihi, and al-Baghdadi. According to his own account, he was born in Rajab 263 AH / 877 CE. In Baghdad, he resided on the eastern side of the city in Murabba'at al-Khursi (also recorded as Murabba'at al-Harsi).
Scholarly Career and Students
Al-Bazzaz transmitted hadith from a large circle of scholars, including Yahya ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad ibn al-Faraj al-Azraq, Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn al-Tabba', Ahmad ibn Sa'id al-Hammal, Abu Qilaba al-Raqashi, al-Harith ibn Abi Usama, Abu al-Ayna' al-Darir, Yahya ibn Ja'far, Abu al-Walid ibn Burd, Isa ibn Abd Allah al-Tayalisi, and Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sa'igh.
Prominent scholars of the next generation studied and transmitted hadith from him, including Abu al-Hasan al-Daraqutni—who cited him in his Sunan—Abu Ali ibn Shadhan, Ibn Rizqawayh, Abu al-Husayn ibn al-Fadl, and al-Hakim al-Naysaburi.
Standing and Death
Al-Bazzaz was regarded as a reliable traditionist and an accomplished hadith memorizer (hafiz). His students Ibn Rizqawayh and Abu Ali ibn Shadhan both testified to his status as a hafiz, and Talha ibn Muhammad ibn Ja'far affirmed his reliability (thiqa). Al-Sam'ani likewise described him as a hafiz, while al-Dhahabi characterized him as an imam and traditionist who engaged actively in memorization and scholarly review.
He died on Saturday, with three nights remaining in Jumada al-Akhira 345 AH / October 956 CE, and was buried the following morning on Sunday.
Answer updated
List of Works
Hadith Shuba li-Muhammad ibn al-Abbas ibn Najih al-Baghdadi (Hadith Shu'ba) is a specialized hadith compilation and focused monograph (juz') dedicated to assembling and verifying narrations transmitted on the authority of the prominent early traditionist Shu'ba ibn al-Hajjaj.