al-Rabi, Abu al-Hasan
- Died
- 444 AH
- Born in
- -
Abu al-Hasan al-Rabi'i (d. 444 AH / 1052 CE) was a Maliki hadith transmitter and historian from Damascus, best known for compiling the treatise Fada'il al-Sham wa Dimashq (The Merits of Greater Syria and Damascus) .
Lineage and Education
His full lineage is given as 'Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Safi ibn Shuja' ibn Muhammad ibn Harun al-Raba'i al-Dimashqi, and he was commonly known by the sobriquet Ibn Abi al-Hawl (or Ibn al-Hawl) . He was affiliated with the Maliki legal school in Damascus .
Al-Rabi'i transmitted hadith and historical lore from several scholars of his era, including Abu al-Husayn 'Abd al-Wahhab ibn al-Hasan al-Kilabi, Tammam ibn Muhammad al-Razi, Abu Bakr ibn Abi al-Hadid, 'Abd Allah ibn Bakr al-Tabarani, and Abu al-Hasan ibn Jahdam . Among those who studied with him and transmitted his narrations were Abd al-Aziz al-Kattani, Naja ibn Ahmad, Sahl ibn Bishr, 'Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Zuhayr, and Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Hinna'i .
Standing and Criticism
Biographers describe al-Rabi'i as an accomplished scholar who transmitted hadith, though his transmissions met with criticism among some traditionalists . He was accused of questionable claims regarding some of his auditions, specifically concerning the transmission of the text Hawatif al-Jann . A recorded biographical report also preserves a severe evaluation accusing him of mendacity .
Death
Al-Rabi'i died in Damascus on the night preceding Thursday, 9 Dhu al-Qa'da 444 AH (1052 CE) . Variant biographical accounts place his death in 443 AH or 435 AH .
Answer updated
List of Works
Fada'il al-Sham wa Dimashq (The Merits of Greater Syria and Damascus) is a treatise compiling prophetic hadiths, early reports, and historical lore concerning the spiritual excellence and sacred geography of al-Sham and the city of Damascus. Arranged as a traditional hadith compilation with full chains of transmission, the work brings together material illustrating the region's virtues, blessings, and sanctity, as well as accounts of its notable monuments, mosques, and topography.