Mutin

Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Sulayman al-Hadrami, known as Mutin (or Mutayyan; 202–297 AH / 817–909 CE), was a hadith scholar and hafiz based in Kufa al-Jami li-Kutub al-Duafa…+1. He was recognized as one of the major traditionists of his era and authored al-Musnad (The Hadith Collection Arranged by Companions) Tabaqat Ulama al-Hadith+1.

Life and Early Studies

Mutin was born in 202 AH (817/818 CE) Tabaqat Ulama al-Hadith+1. His nickname Mutayyan (the mud-covered) originated during his childhood: while playing and swimming in the water with other youths, his peers smeared mud on his back because he was the tallest among them Hadith Mutayyan+1. The traditionist Abu Nu'aym al-Fadl ibn Dukayn saw him in that condition and asked him why he did not attend scholarly circles Hadith Mutayyan+1. Although Abu Nu'aym died before Mutin could formally transmit from him, the encounter spurred him to study hadith, eventually writing traditions from more than five hundred shaykhs Hadith Mutayyan+1.

Among his principal teachers in Kufa and elsewhere were Ahmad ibn Yunus, Yahya al-Himmani, Yahya ibn Bishr al-Hariri, Sa'id ibn 'Amr al-Ash'athi, and the sons of Abu Shayba Tabaqat Ulama al-Hadith+1. He also compiled a concise biographical chronicle titled al-Tarikh (The History) Tabaqat Ulama al-Hadith+1.

Transmission and Students

Mutin became the preeminent hadith authority in Kufa, attracting students from various regions al-Jami li-Kutub al-Duafa…+1. Prominent scholars who transmitted traditions from him include Abu al-Qasim al-Tabarani, Abu Bakr al-Najjad, Abu Bakr al-Isma'ili, Ibn Uqdah, Ali ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Bukka'i, and Ali ibn Hassan al-Dimmami Tabaqat Ulama al-Hadith+1. The traditionist Abu Bakr ibn Abi Darim stated that he personally transcribed one hundred thousand hadiths from Mutin's dictation Tabaqat Ulama al-Hadith+1.

Scholarly Standing and Peer Disputes

Mutin enjoyed broad critical acclaim among hadith specialists. When asked about him, al-Daraqutni described him as "a mountain in trustworthiness" (thiqah jabal) Mawsuat Aqwal Abi al-Hasa…+1. Abu Ya'la al-Khalili similarly characterized him as a trustworthy and reliable memorizer al-Jami li Ulum al-Imam A….

His career witnessed notable scholarly rivalries, most prominently an intense mutual animosity with his contemporary Muhammad ibn Uthman ibn Abi Shayba al-Jami li-Kutub al-Duafa…+1. The dispute involved mutual accusations of transmission errors, leading the hadith critic Abu Nu'aym ibn Adi al-Jurjani to review the claims and conclude that the mutual criticisms of the two peers should be disregarded in favor of neutrality al-Jami li-Kutub al-Duafa…+1. Later critics observed that the wider scholarly community upheld Mutin’s reliability over the objections raised by Ibn Abi Shayba al-Jami li-Kutub al-Duafa…+1.

In another instance, the hafiz Musa ibn Harun cataloged three hundred narrations transmitted by Mutin that he deemed suspect Lisan al-Mizan. When Abu Turab al-Mawsili brought the list to Kufa, Mutin went through the narrations one by one and retrieved each one verbatim from his original, authenticated session manuscripts, vindicating the accuracy of his transmissions Lisan al-Mizan.

Death

Mutin died in Rabi' al-Akhar 297 AH (November/December 909 CE) at the age of ninety-five Tabaqat Ulama al-Hadith+1. His death coincided with the passing of three other prominent Kufan scholars in the same year—Musa ibn Ishaq, Muhammad ibn Uthman ibn Abi Shayba, and Ubayd ibn Ghannam—leading contemporary scholars to remark that the traditional hadith scholarship of Kufa had passed away with them Tabaqat al-Huffaz li al-S….