Abu Dawud

Abu Dawud (202–275 AH / 817–889 CE) was a Sunni hadith scholar and jurist from Sijistan who settled in Basra, best known for compiling the canonical legal hadith collection Sunan Abi Dawud Mujam al-Muallifin+1.

Name, Lineage, and Origin

His full lineage is Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath ibn Ishaq ibn Bashir ibn Shaddad ibn 'Amr ibn 'Imran al-Azdi al-Sijistani, with some biographers giving variations in his ancestral chain such as Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath ibn Shaddad ibn 'Amr ibn 'Amir Fasl al-Khitab fi al-Zuhd…+1. His ancestor 'Imran reportedly died alongside Ali ibn Abi Talib at the Battle of Siffin Fasl al-Khitab fi al-Zuhd…+1. He belonged to the Arab tribe of Azd Fasl al-Khitab fi al-Zuhd…. His nisba, al-Sijistani (also rendered irregularly as al-Sijzi), traces to Sijistan, an extensive province located south of Herat bordering Makran and Sind; biographers rejected the notion that it referred to a village near Basra Fasl al-Khitab fi al-Zuhd…+1.

Abu Dawud was born in 202 AH, a date recorded directly on his own authority Mukhtasar Tarikh Dimashq+1. He grew up in a household engaged in religious learning; his father al-Ash'ath transmitted hadith from Hammad ibn Zayd, and his elder brother Muhammad also traveled in search of traditions al-Athar al-Warida an al-….

Education, Travels, and Teachers

Abu Dawud began seeking hadith at an early age, traveling extensively across the Islamic world, including Khurasan, Iraq (Kufa, Basra, and Baghdad), the Hijaz, Syria, Egypt, and al-Jazira Mujam al-Muallifin+1.

Among his most prominent teachers were Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Yahya ibn Ma'in, Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, Ali ibn al-Madini, Qutaybah ibn Sa'id, Abu al-Walid al-Tayalisi, Musaddad ibn Musarhad, Uthman ibn Abi Shaybah, and Abd Allah ibn Maslamah al-Qa'nabi Hayat al-Tabiin+1. He maintained a close scholarly relationship with Ahmad ibn Hanbal, under whom he studied hadith and legal inquiries, recording a compilation of legal questions known as Masa'il al-Imam Ahmad; Ahmad in turn recorded at least one narration from him al-Arbaun ala al-Tabaqat …+1.

Scholarly Career and Students

Abu Dawud visited Baghdad several times, with his final recorded departure taking place in 271 AH Jami al-Usul+1. He eventually settled in Basra, where he taught his hadith compilations al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1. He presented his primary collection, Sunan Abi Dawud, to Ahmad ibn Hanbal, who praised and approved of it al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1. He also compiled al-Marasil, a specialized work gathering traditions with interrupted chains arranged by legal chapters.

A large number of scholars transmitted from him, including Abu Isa al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, his son Abu Bakr ibn Abi Dawud, Abu Ali al-Lu'lu'i, Abu Bakr ibn Dasah, Abu Ubayd al-Ajurri, Abu Awanah al-Isfarayini, and Ibn al-A'rabi Hayat al-Tabiin+1.

Standing and Character

Scholars regarded Abu Dawud as one of the preeminent hadith masters and critical authorities of his generation. Al-Hakim al-Naysaburi described him as "the undisputed imam of the people of hadith in his era" al-Hadith wal-Muhaddithun+1. Ibrahim al-Harbi and Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Saghani remarked that "hadith was made pliable for Abu Dawud just as iron was made pliable for Dawud" al-Wafi bil-Wafayat+1. Musa ibn Harun stated that Abu Dawud was created in this world for hadith and in the Hereafter for Paradise, adding that he had seen none more virtuous than him Fath al-Allam bi Sharh al…+1. Ibn Hibban characterized him as one of the world's leading figures in jurisprudence, knowledge, retention, asceticism, and precision Fath al-Allam bi Sharh al…+1.

He was noted for his piety, modesty, and resemblance in character to Ahmad ibn Hanbal Mirat al-Zaman fi Tawarik…. It is related that he had one wide sleeve and one narrow sleeve on his garment; when asked about it, he explained that the wide sleeve was meant to carry his notebooks, whereas widening the other would be wasteful Mirat al-Zaman fi Tawarik…+1.

Death

Abu Dawud died in Basra on Friday, with fourteen nights remaining in the month of Shawwal (16 Shawwal), 275 AH, at the age of seventy-three (with another report placing his death in 276 AH) Mujam al-Muallifin+1. He was buried beside the grave of Sufyan al-Thawri Bazl al-Majhud fi Hall Su….