Ahmad bin Isam al-Asbahani
- Died
- 272 AH
- Born in
- -
Ahmad bin Isam al-Asbahani (d. 272 AH / 885–886 CE) was a hadith scholar from Isfahan known for his transmissions of prophetic traditions and his compilation Juz Ahmad ibn Isam.
Lineage and Family
His full name was Abu Yahya Ahmad ibn Isam ibn Abd al-Majid ibn Kathir ibn Abi Amrah al-Ansari, affiliated with the Ansar by clientage (al-Ansari mawlahum). His mother was Hind bint Yusuf ibn Abi Sulayman al-Sa'di, and he was the nephew of the ascetic scholars Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Asbahani and Abd al-Rahman ibn Yusuf. His brother was Muhammad ibn Isam ibn Abd al-Majid, and his grandson, Umar ibn Yahya ibn Ahmad ibn Isam, was among those who transmitted hadith on his authority.
Scholarly Career and Transmission
Ahmad ibn Isam studied under several prominent hadith authorities of his era. Among his teachers were Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi, Mu'adh ibn Hisham, Mu'ammal ibn Isma'il, Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri, Abu Bakr al-Hanafi Abd al-Kabir ibn Abd al-Majid, Wahb ibn Jarir, and Abd Allah ibn Ma'mar.
A substantial group of scholars narrated hadith from him, including Ibn Abi Hatim, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Dawud, Abd Allah ibn Ja'far ibn Faris, Ahmad ibn Ja'far al-Simsar, Muhammad ibn Sa'id al-Assal, Muhammad ibn Umar al-Dhakwani, Muhammad ibn Abd Allah al-Saffar, and Nasr ibn Abd Allah. His transmitted narrations were compiled into the collection titled Juz Ahmad ibn Isam.
Standing
Biographical authorities consistently regarded Ahmad ibn Isam as a dependable and upright traditionist. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded narrations from him directly, declaring him trustworthy and truthful (thiqah saduq). Abu al-Shaykh al-Asbahani and Abu Nu'aym al-Asbahani characterized him as acceptable in report and one of the trustworthy traditionists (maqbul al-qawl ahad al-thiqat). Later biographical scholars, including al-Dhahabi, described him as a knowledgeable and truthful traditionist, remarking that no adverse criticism or weakness was known against him.
Death
Ahmad ibn Isam died in the month of Ramadan in 272 AH (885–886 CE), having reached approximately ninety years of age.
Answer updated
List of Works
Juz Ahmad ibn Isam is a collection of hadith transmissions. The compilation opens with a narration of Abu Hurayrah concerning fasting three days of every month and concludes with a narration mentioning a red garment.