Ibn Fanjuyah
- Died
- 414 AH
- Born in
- -
Abu Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Fanjawayh al-Dinawari (c. 327–414 AH / 939–1023 CE) was a hadith scholar from Dinawar, known for his extensive transmissions and his narration of the Sunan of al-Nasa'i.
Lineage and Early Life
His full lineage is Abu Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn Abd Allah ibn Salih ibn Shu'ayb ibn Fanjawayh al-Thaqafi al-Dinawari, also attributed with the nisbas al-Damghani and al-Thawri. According to his son Sufyan, he lived to the age of eighty-seven.
Scholarly Career and Travels
Ibn Fanjawayh transmitted hadith for around forty years, studying under numerous masters across the Islamic East. Among his most prominent teachers were Ibn al-Sunni, Ahmad ibn Ja'far al-Qati'i, Harun ibn Muhammad al-Attar, Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Habash, Isa ibn Hamid al-Rukhkhaji, and Ubayd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Shanbah.
He entered Hamadhan in poverty, where the local scholars and residents collected financial aid for him. In 413 AH, he traveled to Nishapur and resided at the Khanqah of al-Tarsusi, where he was received with great honor and prestige. A large number of notable scholars transmitted hadith from him, including al-Bayhaqi, the Quranic commentator Abu Ishaq al-Tha'labi (who cited him in his Tafsir), Abd al-Rahman ibn Mandah, Abu al-Fath Abdus ibn Abd Allah, Abu Salih al-Mu'adhdhin, and his two sons, Sufyan and Muhammad.
Standing and Controversy
Biographical evaluations of Ibn Fanjawayh combined praise for his trustworthiness and vast learning with critiques regarding his critical selectivity. Shirawayh noted that he was trustworthy (thiqa), truthful (saduq), possessed fine handwriting, and authored numerous works, though he was frequent in transmitting anomalous and uncorroborated narrations (manakir). Abd al-Ghafir al-Farsi described him as a virtuous elder with extensive knowledge of hadith and many teachers, noting that senior masters such as Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami wrote down hadith from him. Ibn Nuqta also deemed him trustworthy and righteous. Conversely, his contemporary Abu Mansur ibn Dizawayh disparaged his critical acumen, asserting that he lacked expertise in transmitter criticism and the technical sciences of hadith.
During his time in Hamadhan, the hadith critic Abu al-Fadl al-Falaki questioned his integrity by claiming that Ibn Fanjawayh had never directly heard narrations from Ubayd Allah ibn Shanbah. Ibn Fanjawayh departed Hamadhan in anger over the accusation; though al-Falaki pursued him, retracted his statement, and apologized, Ibn Fanjawayh refused the apology and persistently invoked God against al-Falaki during his nocturnal prayers until his death.
Death
Ibn Fanjawayh remained in Nishapur until his death in the month of Rabi' al-Akhir 414 AH (1023 CE).
Answer updated
List of Works
Majlis min Amali Ibn Fanjawayh fi Fadl Ramadan is a short hadith compilation (juz' / majlis) devoted to the merits of Ramadan, fasting, and related rulings, originating from dictated teaching sessions.