Ibn Fahd
- Died
- 871 AH
- Born in
- -
Taqi al-Din Ibn Fahd (787–871 AH / 1385–1466 CE) was a Meccan Shafi'i hadith scholar and historian, best known for his biographical supplement Lahz al-Alhaz bi-Dhayl Tabaqat al-Huffaz .
Early Life and Lineage
His full name was Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Fahd, with the kunya Abu al-Fadl and the honorific Taqi al-Din . He was born on Tuesday, 5 Rabi' al-Awwal 787 AH—or in Rabi' al-Thani according to other reports—at Asfun al-Jabalayn near Isna in Upper Egypt . His father, hailing from Mecca, had traveled to Upper Egypt regarding properties left by the maternal grandfather Najm al-Din Abd al-Rahim al-Usfuni, where he married Fatima bint Muhammad al-Makhzumiyya . In 795 AH, his father brought him to Mecca via the Red Sea port of al-Qusayr, where he was raised .
His family traced their descent through Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya to Ali ibn Abi Talib . Some historians reported that the Banu Fahd had initially traced their lineage to 'Utba ibn Abi Lahab before asserting this Alid lineage, an affiliation that was challenged by several genealogists .
Education and Travels
In Mecca, Ibn Fahd memorized the Quran along with foundational texts, including al-Umdah, al-Tanbih, Zayn al-Din al-Iraqi's Alfiyyah, and Ibn Malik's Alfiyyah . He studied hadith extensively under local teachers and visiting scholars in Mecca, notably Abu Bakr al-Maraghi and Abu al-Yumn al-Tabari . He traveled to Medina to hear transmissions from its scholars, and later journeyed to Yemen, where he met prominent figures including the lexicographer al-Majd al-Firuzabadi and received transmissions from him .
Scholarly Standing
Ibn Fahd gained renown as the premier hadith authority (musnid) and traditionist of the Hijaz . He was noted for his deep expertise in hadith transmitters (rijal) and for the remarkable speed of his writing and reading . In addition to his continuation of al-Dhahabi's biographical work, Lahz al-Alhaz bi-Dhayl Tabaqat al-Huffaz, he compiled historical and biographical works, including al-Bahir al-Sati' on the Prophetic biography and Sirat al-Khulafa' wa-al-Muluk . His sons, notably the historian Najm al-Din Umar ibn Fahd, continued his intellectual legacy in Mecca .
Death
Ibn Fahd died in Mecca on Saturday, 7 Rabi' al-Awwal 871 AH .
Answer updated
List of Works
Lahz al-Alhaz bi-Dhayl Tabaqat al-Huffaz is a biographical dictionary of hadith masters that functions as a biographical continuation and critical rectification of earlier works dedicated to hadith transmission authorities. Designed to supplement earlier collections and extend the biographical record into later generations, it arranges entries chronologically by death date, beginning with omitted figures from preceding compilations before proceeding to subsequent scholars.