Ibn Khalil

Yusuf ibn Khalil (555–648 AH / 1160–1250 CE) was a Syrian Hanbali hadith scholar and historian from Damascus who settled in Aleppo, known for his extensive scholarly travels and collections of elevated hadith transmissions Mujam al-Muallifin+1.

Life and travels

Shams al-Din Abu al-Hajjaj Yusuf ibn Khalil ibn Qaraja ibn Abd Allah al-Dimashqi, also called al-Adami, was born in Damascus in 555 AH (1160 CE) Mujam al-Muallifin+1. During his early life, he engaged in commercial trade until he reached about thirty years of age, after which he dedicated himself to hadith study and legal jurisprudence Mujam al-Muallifin+1. He trained under Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi and went on to undertake extensive journeys across several regions to collect traditions Mujam al-Muallifin.

In Damascus, he studied under scholars including Sharaf al-Din Ibn Abi Asrun and Ibn al-Mawazini Mujam al-Muallifin. Traveling to Baghdad, he heard from Abu al-Faraj Ibn Kulayb and Ibn Bush; in Isfahan, he received narrations from Mas'ud ibn Abi Mansur al-Jammal; and in Egypt, he transmitted from al-Busiri Mujam al-Muallifin. He compiled a biographical dictionary (Mu'jam) recording narrations from more than five hundred teachers whom he met during his travels al-Alam lil-Zirikli.

Teaching and students

In his later years, Ibn Khalil established residence in Aleppo and was recognized as its foremost hadith authority (muhaddith Halab) Mujam al-Muallifin+1. He held teaching sessions at the Great Mosque of Aleppo, where large numbers of scholars and students attended his dictations Mujam al-Muallifin+1. He also guided his brother, Ibrahim ibn Khalil, bringing him to study with prominent authorities and securing formal transmission licenses on his behalf Mashyakhat Ibn Jamaa - Ta….

A wide circle of scholars transmitted hadith from him, including Ibn al-Dubaythi, Ibn Nuqta, Ibn al-Anmati, Alam al-Din al-Birzali, and Abd al-Mu'min al-Dimyati Mujam al-Muallifin+1. His compilations focused on high chains of transmission (ʿuluww al-isnād), including Awali Abi Hanifa, which gathered elevated chains tracing back to Abu Hanifa, and Awali Hisham ibn Urwa Awali Abi Hanifa+1. Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi noted that numerous scholars transmitted from him, the last surviving of whom by general license (ijazah) was Zaynab bint al-Kamal al-Alam lil-Zirikli.

Standing and death

Ibn Khalil was regarded as one of the most widely traveled hadith collectors of his generation and was noted for the sheer volume of material he transcribed in his own hand al-Alam lil-Zirikli. He was especially sought after for his exclusive transmissions from the scholars of Isfahan, having outlived most contemporaries who shared those chains al-Alam lil-Zirikli.

He died in Aleppo in Jumada al-Akhira 648 AH (1250 CE) at the age of ninety-three, and was buried outside the city Mujam al-Muallifin+1.