al-Muafa ibn Imran al-Mawsili

Abu Mas'ud al-Mu'afa ibn 'Imran al-Mawsili (c. 125–185 AH / c. 742–801 CE) was a hadith scholar, jurist, and ascetic based in Mosul, recognized for his adherence to the Sunnah and his compilation on renunciation, Kitab al-Zuhd (The Book of Renunciation) Hayat al-Tabiin+1.

Lineage and Early Life

His full lineage is recorded as al-Mu'afa ibn 'Imran ibn Nufayl ibn Jabir ibn Jabala al-Azdi al-Fahmi Hayat al-Tabiin+1. He was born around 125 AH (with other reports stating twenty-some and a hundred AH) in Mosul, where his family resided Hayat al-Tabiin+1. Ali ibn Harb described seeing him in his later years as an old man with white hair and beard, wearing a coarse tunic with sleeves that left his fingertips visible Tadhhib Tahdhib al-Kamal …+1.

Education and Scholarly Travels

Al-Mu'afa traveled extensively to gather hadith, journeying to the Hijaz, Basra, Kufa, the Levant, Egypt, al-Jazira, and Baghdad, where he met eight hundred teachers Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal+1. He attached himself closely to Sufyan al-Thawri, from whom he studied jurisprudence, adopted scholarly comportment, and transcribed a large corpus of traditions Mirat al-Zaman fi Tawarik…+1. Among his prominent teachers were al-Awza'i, Ibn Jurayj, Malik ibn Anas, Mis'ar ibn Kidam, Sa'id ibn Abi 'Aruba, and Hammad ibn Salama Hayat al-Tabiin+1. He subsequently authored collections organizing his transmissions, such as al-Sunan (The Legal Traditions) Tahdhib al-Tahdhib+1.

Students and Profile

A number of scholars senior to him transmitted hadith on his authority, including Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, Baqiyya ibn al-Walid, and Musa ibn A'yan, as did his peer Waki' ibn al-Jarrah Hayat al-Tabiin+1. Other prominent students included Bishr al-Hafi, Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Ammar, al-Haytham ibn Kharija, and his two sons, Ahmad and 'Abd al-Kabir Tadhhib Tahdhib al-Kamal …+1.

Al-Mu'afa was noted for combining asceticism with personal wealth and agricultural estates, which he depleted through charity and the support of his companions, providing yearly maintenance to thirty-four associates whenever his harvest was gathered Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal+1. When two of his sons were killed in an incident at Mosul—attributed in some accounts to Kharijites—he inquired if they had died as oppressors or as the oppressed; upon being told they were oppressed, he prostrated in gratitude, showed no outward lamentation, and instructed visitors to congratulate rather than console him, offering them meals and perfume Mirat al-Zaman fi Tawarik…+1.

Standing and Reception

Al-Mu'afa was regarded by his contemporaries as an authority in hadith and Sunnah. Sufyan al-Thawri remarked, "Test the people of Mosul by al-Mu'afa; whoever speaks well of him is a person of the Sunnah, and whoever faults him is an innovator," and referred to him as "the ruby of the scholars" Tadhhib Tahdhib al-Kamal …+1. Al-Awza'i stated that he placed no one ahead of al-Mu'afa Hayat al-Tabiin+1. When Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak related reports from him, he would introduce him as "the righteous man" Hayat al-Tabiin+1.

He was graded as trustworthy (thiqa) by Yahya ibn Ma'in, Abu Hatim al-Razi, al-'Ijli, and Ibn Khirash Hayat al-Tabiin+1. Ahmad ibn Hanbal praised his truthfulness and high standing, characterizing him as a righteous elder of significant stature Tadhhib Tahdhib al-Kamal …+1.

Death

Al-Mu'afa died in Mosul in 185 AH during the reign of Harun al-Rashid Mirat al-Zaman fi Tawarik…+1. Other accounts place his death in 184 AH or 186 AH, while an early variant transmitted by Rabah ibn al-Jarrah gave the year as 159 AH or 166 AH Mirat al-Zaman fi Tawarik…+1. His funeral prayer was led by 'Amr ibn al-Haytham Mirat al-Zaman fi Tawarik….