Ahmad al-Amiri
- Died
- 1143 AH
- Born in
- -
Ahmad al-Amiri (d. 1143 AH / 1730 CE) was a Shafi'i jurist, grammarian, and mufti of Damascus, best known for his hadith critical work Al-Jadd al-Hathith fi Bayan ma Laysa bi-Hadith (The Earnest Effort in Clarifying What Is Not a Hadith) .
Lineage and Career
His full lineage is Abu al-Abbas Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Abd al-Karim ibn Sa'udi ibn Najm al-Din al-Ghazzi ibn Badr al-Din ibn Radi al-Din al-Ghazzi al-Amiri al-Dimashqi al-Shafi'i . Originally of Gazan descent, he was established in Damascus, where he pursued Islamic jurisprudence and Arabic grammar . He rose to hold the office of Shafi'i mufti in Damascus .
In hadith, he condensed his ancestor Najm al-Din al-Ghazzi's work Itqan ma Yahsun min al-Akhbar al-Da'irah 'ala al-Alsun into his compendium Al-Jadd al-Hathith fi Bayan ma Laysa bi-Hadith to distinguish widespread circulating sayings from authentic prophetic reports . He also authored a commentary on the versification of Nukhbat al-Fikar composed by his ancestor Radi al-Din al-Ghazzi .
Teaching and Students
Al-Amiri taught in Damascus, where several prominent scholars studied under his guidance. His cousin Khalil ibn Radi al-Din al-Ghazzi adhered closely to his study circles and benefited from him across multiple disciplines . Another cousin, Muhammad Zayn al-Din al-Ghazzi, studied Shafi'i jurisprudence with him . The Hanbali scholar and mufti Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Ba'li also received instruction and certifications from him in Damascus .
Death
Al-Amiri died in Damascus in 1143 AH (1730 CE) .
Answer updated
List of Works
Al-Jadd al-Hathith fi Bayan ma Laysa bi Hadith (The Earnest Effort in Clarifying What Is Not a Hadith) is a hadith critique dedicated to identifying widespread sayings and circulating maxims falsely attributed to the Prophet. Composed as a condensed abridgment of Itqan ma Yahsun min al-Akhbar al-Da'irah 'ala al-Alsun, the work serves as a concise reference demonstrating what among popular adages, proverbs, and expressions lacks an authentic basis as a prophetic report.