Said ibn Mansur

Said ibn Mansur (d. 227 AH / 842 CE) was a Khurasani hadith scholar and traditionist based in Mecca, best known for compiling legal traditions and early scholarly opinions in his hadith collection al-Sunan Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1.

Origins and Travels

His full name was Abu Uthman Said ibn Mansur ibn Shu'ba al-Khurasani Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…. He was associated with several regional designations, including al-Marwazi, al-Talaqani, al-Balkhi, and al-Juzjani; he was reportedly born in Juzjan and raised in Balkh Tahdhib al-Tahdhib+1. In pursuit of hadith, he traveled widely across Khurasan, the Hijaz, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and al-Jazira, holding a teaching circle in the mosque in Egypt that drew scholars from Khurasan and Iraq Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1. He eventually settled as a resident (mujawir) in Mecca, where he taught until his death Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1.

Teachers and Students

Said transmitted from prominent scholars of the Hijaz, Iraq, and Egypt, including Malik ibn Anas, Sufyan ibn Uyayna, al-Layth ibn Sa'd, Hammad ibn Zayd, Hushaym ibn Bashir, and Fudayl ibn Iyad Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1.

A prominent circle of hadith scholars took narrations from him, including Ahmad ibn Hanbal—who narrated from him during his lifetime—as well as Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, Abu Dawud, Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Dhuhli, and Abu Zur'a al-Razi Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1. His primary compilation, al-Sunan, which brought together prophetic reports alongside legal fatwas and opinions of the Companions and Successors, was transmitted directly from him by Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Zayd al-Sa'igh and Ahmad ibn Najda ibn al-'Uryan Tahdhib al-Tahdhib+1.

Scholarly Standing and Reception

Said was widely regarded as a trustworthy (thiqa) and meticulous transmitter by authorities such as Yahya ibn Ma'in, Ibn Sa'd, Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Numayr, Abu Hatim al-Razi, and Ibn Khirash Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1. Ahmad ibn Hanbal commended him highly, describing him as being from the people of virtue and truthfulness, and designated him as the leading authority in Mecca when asked who remained there Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1. Harb al-Kirmani reported that Said dictated around ten thousand hadiths from memory Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1.

Scholars noted that he was unyielding regarding the text in his written manuscripts; Ya'qub ibn Sufyan al-Fasawi observed that if Said found an apparent error in his book, he would not retract it, which Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani attributed to his intense confidence in the accuracy of his written records Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+1. Contemporary peers including al-Humaydi and Sulayman ibn Harb occasionally questioned some of his narrations from Sufyan ibn Uyayna and Hammad ibn Zayd Tarikh al-Islam.

Death

Said died in Mecca in the month of Ramadan in 227 AH (842 CE), aged over ninety Tarikh Dimashq li-Ibn Asa…+1. Other reports place his death in 226 AH, 228 AH, or 229 AH, while another view states that he died after 227 AH Awham al-Muhaddithin al-T…+2.