Ibn Hazarmard

Ibn Hazarmard (384–469 AH / 994–1076 CE) was an Iraqi hadith scholar and preacher who served as the khatib of Sarifin and became a prominent destination for traditionalist travelers seeking elevated chains of transmission al-Ansab - al-Samani+1.

Life and transmission

His full name was Abu Muhammad ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar ibn Ahmad ibn al-Mujammi‘ al-Sarifini Majlis Ibn Hazar Mard+1. He was known by the patronymic Ibn Hazarmard after his father, who bore the Persian name Hazarmard (meaning "a thousand men") Taj al-Arus min Jawahir a…+1. According to a note in his father's handwriting, he was born in Baghdad on Friday night, 5 Safar 384 AH Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.

In his early youth, his father brought him to hear hadith from prominent elders of Baghdad, including Abu al-Qasim Ibn Hababa, Abu Tahir al-Mukhallis, Abu Hafs al-Kattani, Ibn Akhi Mimi al-Daqqaq, and Amat al-Salam bint Ahmad ibn Kamil Tarikh al-Islam+1. From al-Mukhallis, he heard several classic works, including Kitab al-Zuhd by Ibn al-Mubarak, Kitab al-Futuh, and Kitab al-Muzani Tarikh al-Islam+1.

Ibn Hazarmard later settled in the village of Sarifin near Baghdad and served as its congregational preacher al-Ansab - al-Samani+1. His scholarly transmissions were brought to broader public notice when the hadith scholar Hiba Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Warith al-Shirazi passed through Sarifin on his way from Baghdad to Syria or Mosul; encountering Ibn Hazarmard, al-Shirazi inquired about his teachers and was presented with old original manuscripts transcribed by Ibn al-Baqqal and others confirming his transmissions Tarikh al-Islam+1. Al-Shirazi copied his texts and sent word to ‘Ukbara and Baghdad, prompting leading scholars and notables to travel to Sarifin to study under him Tarikh al-Islam+1. He was recognized as the last surviving transmitter of the hadith corpus of ‘Ali ibn al-Ja‘d (al-Ja‘diyyat) in the region Tarikh al-Islam+1. Dictations from his teaching assemblies were preserved by his students in short collections, notably Majlis Ibn Hazarmard Majlis Ibn Hazar Mard+1.

Scholarly standing and students

Ibn Hazarmard was widely praised for his integrity and sound source texts. Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi noted that he traveled repeatedly to Baghdad, transmitted hadith there, and was truthful (saduq) Tarikh al-Islam. Abu al-Fadl ibn Khayrun graded him as trustworthy (thiqah) and commended the high quality of his original manuscripts Tarikh al-Islam+1. Abu Sa'd al-Sam'ani described him as a pious, upright elder of exemplary conduct and pure intention to whom students traveled from distant regions Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.

A large number of scholars narrated from him, including al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, the Chief Judge Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Damghani, Abu al-Muzaffar al-Sam'ani, Abu al-Hasan al-Humaydi, Ibn al-Qaysarani (Muhammad ibn Tahir al-Maqdisi), Abu Bakr al-Ansari, Abu al-Qasim ibn al-Samarqandi, and ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Anmati al-Ansab - al-Samani+1.

Death

Ibn Hazarmard died in Sarifin on 3 Jumada al-Akhira 469 AH (December 1076 CE) Tarikh al-Islam+1. He was buried there, where his tomb was later visited by Abu Sa‘d al-Sam‘ani al-Ansab - al-Samani.