Muslim

Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (206–261 AH / 821–875 CE; also reported as born in 204 AH / 819 CE) was a leading Sunni hadith master from Nishapur, best known for compiling the canonical collection Sahih Muslim Mawqif al-Imamayn al-Bukh…+1.

Lineage and Early Life

His full name was Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim ibn Ward ibn Kawshan (or Kawshadh) al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi Mawqif al-Imamayn al-Bukh…+1. Ibn al-Salah identified him as being of Arab descent from the tribe of Qushayr, while al-Dhahabi suggested that his family may have been clients (mawali) of Qushayr Mawqif al-Imamayn al-Bukh…+1. Ibn al-Salah and al-Nawawi preferred 206 AH as his birth year based on the report of Ibn al-Akhram that he died at fifty-five, whereas other authorities recorded his birth in 204 AH—the year al-Shafi'i died—putting his age at fifty-seven Mawqif al-Imamayn al-Bukh…+1. He resided in the upper district of al-Zamjar in Nishapur, conducted business at Khan Mahmash, and derived his livelihood from agricultural estates in Ustawa Talkhis Tarikh Naysabur -….

Education and Travels

Muslim began studying hadith at an early age around 218 AH Fath al-Allam bi Sharh al…+1. He performed the pilgrimage in 220 AH and heard narrations in Mecca from Abd Allah ibn Maslamah al-Qa'nabi, and in Kufa from Ahmad ibn Yunus, before returning to Khurasan and subsequently embarking on broader travels Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…. His journeys took him across Iraq, the Hijaz, the Levant, and Egypt Fath al-Allam bi Sharh al…+1. He entered Baghdad multiple times to teach, with his final recorded visit taking place in 257 AH or 259 AH al-Asas fi al-Sunna wa Fi…+1.

Among his foremost teachers were Yahya ibn Yahya al-Naysaburi, Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and Qutaybah ibn Sa'id al-Asas fi al-Sunna wa Fi…+1. A wide circle of scholars transmitted hadith from him, including Abu Isa al-Tirmidhi, Abu Hatim al-Razi, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ahmad ibn Salamah, and Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Sufyan Fath al-Allam bi Sharh al…+2.

Association with al-Bukhari and Trial in Nishapur

When Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari settled in Nishapur, Muslim closely attended his gatherings and studied his critical methodology Fath al-Allam bi Sharh al…+1. During the controversy between al-Bukhari and the local chief traditionalist Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Dhuhli regarding the pronunciation of the Quran (lafz al-Qur'an), public warnings were issued against al-Bukhari, and most people abandoned him al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1. Muslim remained loyal and continued visiting al-Bukhari Tarikh Baghdad.

When al-Dhuhli declared at the end of his circle that anyone adhering to al-Bukhari's doctrine on the issue was forbidden from attending, Muslim immediately rose, pulled his cloak over his turban, and walked out al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1. He collected all the notebooks containing transmissions he had previously heard from al-Dhuhli, sent them back to al-Dhuhli's residence on a porter's back, and permanently ceased narrating from him in his works al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1.

Scholarly Standing and Methodology

Muslim was recognized by his contemporaries as one of the preeminent authorities on hadith criticism. Muhammad ibn Bashshar counted him among the four supreme hadith memorizers of his era, alongside Abu Zur'ah in Rayy, al-Darimi in Samarkand, and al-Bukhari in Bukhara Sahih al-Bukhari - bi Has…. Ahmad ibn Salamah observed that Abu Zur'ah al-Razi and Abu Hatim al-Razi gave Muslim precedence over their contemporaries in identifying authentic traditions al-Asas fi al-Sunna wa Fi….

Muslim authored Sahih Muslim over a period of fifteen years, selecting its contents from 300,000 heard narrations al-Asas fi al-Sunna wa Fi…+1. Scholars praised his method for bringing all textual variants and transmission paths of a tradition together in a single place without fragmenting the texts across legal subheadings al-Maktaba al-Islamiyya+1. He also made notable contributions to the field of hidden defects ('ilal) and narrator criticism, authoring specialized treatises such as Kitab al-Tamyiz al-Maktaba al-Islamiyya+1.

Death

Muslim died on Sunday evening and was buried on Monday with five nights remaining in Rajab 261 AH (May 875 CE) in Nasrabadh, on the outskirts of Nishapur, with his burial place located at the head of Maydan Ziyad Mawqif al-Imamayn al-Bukh…+2.

Biographical sources record that during a scholarly review session, a hadith was mentioned that he did not immediately recognize al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1. He retired to his home, lit a lamp, and instructed his household not to disturb him al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1. Having been brought a basket of dates, he searched through his manuscripts throughout the night while eating the dates one by one; by morning he had found the narration and consumed the entire basket, which induced an illness that resulted in his death al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya+1.