al-Dawraqi

Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Dawraqi (168–246 AH / 784–860 CE; another report gives his birth in 178 AH / 794 CE) was a Baghdad-based hadith scholar and compiler, known for his transmissions in the canonical collections and his monographic hadith work Musnad Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1.

Lineage and Nisba

His full lineage is Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn Kathir ibn Zayd ibn Aflah ibn Mansur ibn Muzahim al-'Abdi al-Nukri al-Baghdadi, with the kunya Abu 'Abd Allah Tabaqat al-Hanabila - li-…+1. His family originated from Fars and resided in Baghdad al-Ansab - al-Samani. He was the younger brother of the hadith transmitter Ya'qub ibn Ibrahim al-Dawraqi Tabaqat al-Hanabila - li-…+1.

Scholars recorded several explanations for the nisba al-Dawraqi:

• Al-Dawraqi himself explained that in his father's time, young men who devoted themselves to asceticism (tanassuk) were called al-dawariqah, and his father was among them Tabaqat al-Hanabila - li-…+1.
• It was alternatively attributed to wearing or selling tall caps known as al-qalanis al-dawraqiyyah Tabaqat al-Hanabila - li-…+1.
• A third report traced the nisba to the town of Dawraq in Khuzestan Nisba wa Mansub.

Hadith Transmission and Standing

Al-Dawraqi studied under prominent hadith authorities of his era, including Isma'il ibn 'Ulayyah, Hushaym ibn Bashir, Yazid ibn Zuray', Waki' ibn al-Jarrah, Yazid ibn Harun, Hafs ibn Ghiyath, and Jarir Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1.

His narrations were taken by major compilers of hadith. He transmitted to Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj—who recorded eight hadiths from him in his Sahih—as well as Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Ya'la al-Mawsili, Abu al-Qasim al-Baghawi, and his own son 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1.

In biographical assessments, Abu Hatim al-Razi characterized him as truthful (saduq), and he was deemed reliable (thiqah) by Salih ibn Muhammad Jazara, al-'Uqayli, Ibn Hibban, and Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1.

Theological Inquiries and Creed

Al-Dawraqi was closely aligned with the circles of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. He famously remarked: "Whoever you hear mentioning Ahmad ibn Hanbal with evil, suspect his Islam" al-Ihtijaj bil-Athar ala …+1. He also consulted Ahmad ibn Hanbal regarding those who asserted that one's pronunciation of the Qur'an is created, reporting that Ahmad deemed this stance worse than that of the Jahmiyya Tabaqat al-Hanabila - li-….

Death

Al-Dawraqi died in al-'Askar (Samarra) on a Saturday, with seven nights remaining in the month of Sha'ban in 246 AH (860 CE) al-Ansab - al-Samani+1.