Ibn Nujayd

Abu 'Amr Isma'il ibn Nujayd al-Sulami (272–365 AH / 885–975 CE) was a Khurasanian hadith scholar and Sufi master of Nishapur Siyar Aalam al-Nubala. He was affiliated with the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence and is known for his hadith collection Juz' Ibn Nujayd Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.

Life and Family

Isma'il ibn Nujayd ibn Ahmad ibn Yusuf ibn Khalid al-Sulami was born in 272 AH Siyar Aalam al-Nubala. His grandfather was the hadith preserver Ahmad ibn Yusuf al-Sulami, whose paternal lineage traced to the Azd tribe while his maternal descent was from the Banu Sulaym Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1. Ibn Nujayd was also the maternal grandfather of the prominent Sufi author Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami, who studied under him and transmitted from him extensively Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.

Education and Transmission

Ibn Nujayd studied hadith across several major scholarly centers al-Ansab - al-Samani. In Khurasan, he heard traditions from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Bushanji and Ibrahim ibn Abi Talib; in Rayy, from Muhammad ibn Ayyub al-Bajali and 'Ali ibn al-Junayd al-Razi; and in Baghdad, from 'Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Muslim al-Kajji, and Ja'far ibn Ahmad ibn Nasr Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1. In Sufism, he was a disciple of Abu 'Uthman al-Hiri in Khurasan and associated with al-Junayd al-Baghdadi in Iraq Kataib Alam al-Akhyar min…+1.

A prominent circle of scholars narrated hadith from him, including al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, 'Abd al-Qahir al-Baghdadi, Abu Nasr Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Saffar, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Hamdan al-Nasrawi, Abu Nasr 'Umar ibn Qatada, Abu al-'Ala' Sa'id ibn Muhammad al-Qadi, Abu Nasr Muhammad ibn 'Abdash, and Abu Hassan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Muzakki Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1. His last surviving direct transmitter was Abu Hafs 'Umar ibn Masrur al-Ansab - al-Samani. Ibn Nujayd's compilation, Juz' Ibn Nujayd, was esteemed among traditionists for containing short and elevated chains of transmission (ʿuluww al-isnad) Siyar Aalam al-Nubala.

Standing and Philanthropy

Ibn Nujayd served as the chief master of the Sufi community in Nishapur and was regarded as the foremost authority of hadith transmission (musnid) remaining in Khurasan in his era Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1. Ibn al-Jawzi deemed him trustworthy (thiqah) Mawsuat al-Qabail al-Arab….

He inherited substantial wealth from his family, retained only what was necessary for his basic sustenance, and expended the remainder on scholars and ascetics al-Ansab - al-Samani. When his teacher Abu 'Uthman al-Hiri appealed for funds to support frontier outposts and was moved to tears by the crowd's initial delay, Ibn Nujayd privately brought him two thousand dirhams after nightfall al-Ansab - al-Samani. The next morning, when al-Hiri publicly commended his deed, Ibn Nujayd stood up and claimed he had taken the money from his mother without her consent and requested its return so as to avoid public recognition, only to secretly deliver it back to al-Hiri the following night al-Ansab - al-Samani.

Death

Ibn Nujayd died in Rabi' al-Awwal 365 AH at the age of ninety-three Rijal al-Hakim fi al-Must…. Another report places his death in Mecca in 366 AH (977 CE) Mawsuat al-Qabail al-Arab…+1.