al-Darrab
- Died
- 392 AH
- Born in
- -
al-Hasan ibn Ismail al-Darrab (313–392 AH / 925–1002 CE) was an Egyptian hadith scholar and transmitter, best known as the transmitter of Kitab al-Mujalasa and the author of 'Uqala' al-Majanin wa-al-Muwaswisin ("The Wise Fools and the Obsessed") .
Life and education
Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Ismail ibn Muhammad ibn Ismail ibn Marwan ibn al-Ghamr al-Ghassani al-Misri, commonly known as al-Darrab or Ibn al-Darrab, was born in 313 AH (925/926 CE) . He served in the civil administration in Egypt, where he held the official post of overseer of the seal at the state mint (dar al-darb) .
Al-Darrab traveled extensively to collect hadith and studied under numerous scholars across various regions . His prominent teachers included Ahmad ibn Marwan al-Dinawari, from whom he transmitted Kitab al-Mujalasa, as well as al-Hasan ibn Rashiq al-Askari, Abu Sa'id ibn al-A'rabi, Da'laj ibn Ahmad al-Sijzi, and Muhammad ibn Bishr al-Ukbari .
He taught a wide circle of students, including his son Abd al-Aziz, Abu Sa'd al-Malini, Rasha' ibn Nazif, Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Hawfi, and Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Hashim . The eminent traditionist al-Daraqutni also transmitted hadith from him in his work Ghara'ib Malik, despite being older than al-Darrab in age and superior in rank .
Scholarly standing and death
Al-Darrab compiled several thematic treatises, including Kitab al-Muru'a ("The Book of Chivalry") and 'Uqala' al-Majanin wa-al-Muwaswisin, which recorded the sayings and poetry of eccentrics using traditional chains of transmission (isnads) . Ibn Makula characterized him as a prolific transmitter and compiler . Al-Dhahabi evaluated him as an imam and traditionist who was outwardly trustworthy (thiqa), possessing moderate critical knowledge in hadith . However, Ibn Hajar noted an implicit weakening by al-Daraqutni when evaluating a chain that included al-Darrab .
Al-Darrab died in Egypt in Rabi' al-Akhir 392 AH (1002 CE) , with his death specifically dated to Sunday, 22 Rabi' al-Akhir 392 AH .
Answer updated
List of Works
'Uqala' al-Majanin (also titled 'Uqala' al-Majanin wa-al-Muwaswisin) is a short treatise of Arabic belles-lettres (adab). The work compiles anecdotes, poetic verses, and wise utterances attributed to individuals considered mad, eccentric, or afflicted by obsessive melancholia (muwaswisun) who nonetheless voiced sharp spiritual insights, admonitions, and eloquent speech. The accounts are arranged according to classical hadith methodology and transmitted with full chains of narration (isnads).