Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Daqqaq

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Daqqaq (c. 430s–516 AH / c. 1040s–1122 CE) was an Isfahani hadith scholar and traveler known for his extensive journeys in search of prophetic traditions Qiladat al-Nahr fi Wafaya…+1.

Background and Early Life

Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahid ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Asbahani was born in the Jarwa'an quarter of Isfahan during the 430s AH Qiladat al-Nahr fi Wafaya…+1. His father belonged to an ordinary, respectable family and was a pious man of the Quran and an interpreter of dreams who had acquired modest religious learning and transmitted from Abu Sa'id al-Naqqash Tarikh al-Islam.

Regarding his title al-Daqqaq, he explained that fellow students began identifying him by it due to his close association with his friend Abu Ali al-Daqqaq, choosing it when asked how his audition records should be registered Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1. Another account suggests it stemmed from his assertion that he would crush the heads of heretics Qiladat al-Nahr fi Wafaya….

Studies and Travels

He began hearing hadith in Isfahan in 447 AH, studying under Abu al-Qasim Abd al-Rahman ibn Mandah, Abu al-Muzaffar Abd Allah ibn Shabib al-Dabbi, Ahmad ibn al-Fadl al-Batirqani, Said al-Ayyar, Abu al-Fadl Abd al-Rahman ibn Ahmad al-Razi, and six disciples of Abu Bakr Ibn al-Muqri' Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1. He also studied under Abu Isma'il Abd Allah al-Ansari Qiladat al-Nahr fi Wafaya….

In 466 AH, he embarked on his travels across Khurasan and Transoxiana, visiting over 120 localities, including Nishapur, Tus, Sarakhs, Merv, Herat, Balkh, Gurgan, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Kerman, though he did not reach Iraq Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1. In total, he recorded traditions from over a thousand teachers in Isfahan and more than a thousand on his travels, including six hundred across Herat and Nishapur alone Siyar Aalam al-Nubala. He first held a dictation gathering (imla') in Sarakhs in 474 AH, where prominent scholars and several of his own teachers, such as Abu Abd Allah al-Umayri, Abu Uruba Abd al-Hadi al-Ansari, and Abu al-Fath Abd al-Razzaq ibn Hassan al-Mani'i, received narrations from him Tadhkirat al-Huffaz = Tab…+1.

Later scholars who transmitted hadith from him include Abu Tahir al-Silafi, Abu Musa al-Madini, Abu Sa'd Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Sa'igh, and Khalil ibn Badar al-Rarani Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.

Scholarly Standing and Creed

Al-Daqqaq was recognized as a prolific compiler and memorizer who lived in poverty, maintaining piety and self-restraint Qiladat al-Nahr fi Wafaya…+1. Isma'il ibn Muhammad al-Isfahani praised his command of hadith literature, remarking that he knew of no one with greater mastery over uncommon traditions (ghara'ib al-ahadith) and obscure chains of transmission (ghara'ib al-asanid) Tabaqat Ulama al-Hadith.

Theologically, he adhered strictly to traditionalist (athari) positions and the Sunnah Siyar Aalam al-Nubala. He was noted for his excessive devotion to his teacher Abd al-Rahman ibn Mandah and was known for his sharp antagonism toward the Ash'arites Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.

Death

Al-Daqqaq died on the night of Friday, the 6th of Shawwal, 516 AH Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.