Ali ibn Harb al-Ta'i
- Died
- 265 AH
- Born in
- -
Ali ibn Harb al-Ta'i (175–265 AH / 791–879 CE) was a hadith transmitter, historian of Arab genealogy, and poet based in Mosul .
Lineage and early life
Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Harb ibn Muhammad ibn Harb—given in another lineage as Ali ibn Harb ibn Muhammad ibn Ali—ibn Hayyan ibn Mazin ibn al-Ghaduba al-Ta'i al-Mawsili was born in Azerbaijan in Sha'ban 175 AH . His ancestor Mazin ibn al-Ghaduba was a Companion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who arrived as part of a delegation and embraced Islam .
Travels and scholarship
Ali ibn Harb traveled extensively with his father in pursuit of hadith, journeying through Iraq and the Hijaz . He studied under a wide circle of teachers, including his father Harb ibn Muhammad, Sufyan ibn Uyayna, Rawh ibn Ubada, Waki ibn al-Jarrah, and Abu Asim al-Nabil . He transmitted a compilation of hadiths received from Ibn Uyayna, and compiled a Musnad collection .
In addition to his hadith transmission, the local historian Abu Zakariyya Yazid ibn Muhammad al-Azdi described him as deeply versed in Arab tribal lore, historical reports, genealogy, and battle days (ayyam), as well as a cultivated man of letters and poet . In 254 AH, he visited Samarra, where the Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tazz received him and transcribed traditions directly from him in his own hand . Later in his life, he visited Baghdad, where prominent figures gathered to hear his transmissions .
Among those who transmitted from him were al-Nasa'i, Ibn Abi al-Dunya, al-Husayn al-Mahamili, Ibn Abi Hatim alongside his father Abu Hatim al-Razi, Abu al-Qasim al-Baghawi, and his own great-grandson Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Umar .
Theological dispute
When his brother Ahmad ibn Harb moved to the frontier outpost of Adana and became involved in theological debates regarding the pronunciation of the Quran (mas'alat al-lafz), Ali broke off relations with him and ceased corresponding with him over the matter .
Standing
Ali ibn Harb was widely regarded as a reliable traditionist. Al-Daraqutni declared him trustworthy (thiqa), and Abu Hatim al-Razi characterized him as truthful (saduq) . Al-Nasa'i evaluated him as acceptable (salih), though he noted a personal preference for his brother Ahmad over him . Later authorities noted his particular precision regarding transmissions from Sufyan ibn Uyayna .
Death
Ali ibn Harb died in Shawwal 265 AH, and his brother Mu'awiya ibn Harb led the funeral prayer over him . A variant report dates his death to 264 AH .
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Thani min Hadith Sufyan ibn Uyayna lil-Ta'i is a specialized hadith tract (juz') preserving narrations transmitted on the authority of the Meccan traditionist Sufyan ibn Uyayna. It forms the second part of this transmission line and contains 144 texts, comprising prophetic traditions, statements of Companions, and rulings and commentaries of early Successors covering legal, moral, and historical subjects.