al-Kuna li-man la yuraf lahu ism lil-Azdi
- Author died
- 374 AH
- Editions
- al-Dār al-Salafīyah
Al-Kuna li-man la yu'raf lahu ism (The Agnomens of Those Whose Names Are Not Known) is a specialized biographical treatise on hadith transmitters by the hadith scholar Abu al-Fath Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Azdi (d. 374 AH / 984 CE), documenting the Companions of the Prophet who were known primarily by their agnomens (kunyas) and whose given names (ism) remained unknown .
Purpose and Scope
In his opening remarks, al-Azdi explains that he compiled this treatise as a sequel to another work of his titled Kitab man yu'raf bi-kunyatihi fi al-hadith wa-'arafna ismah (The Book of Those Known by Their Agnomens in Hadith Whose Names We Know) . The purpose of this volume was specifically to compile every Companion who is identified in transmissions solely by a kunya where no personal name is known and no textual evidence points to one .
Structure and Method
The work is arranged alphabetically according to the letters of the Arabic alphabet, beginning with the letter alif (Bab al-Alif) and concluding with the letters lam-alif and ya . In total, the text contains 170 numbered biographical entries .
For each entry, al-Azdi typically provides:
- The Companion's agnomen and tribal or regional affiliation (such as al-Anmari, al-Jurmi, al-Hanafi, or al-Sulami) .
- The place where the figure settled, when recorded, such as Egypt, al-Sham, Kufa, or Medina .
- Key Successors (tabi'un) or students who transmitted hadith from them .
- A representative narration or report transmitted through that Companion .
Entries from the treatise are cited in subsequent biographical and hadith reference literature, such as Yusuf ibn al-Zaki al-Mizzi's Tahdhib al-Kamal .
Editions
The book was edited by Iqbal Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ishaq Biskubari under the full title Kitab al-Kuna li-man la yu'raf lahu ism min ashab al-Nabi ﷺ and published in a single volume by al-Dar al-Salafiyyah in Bombay, India, in 1410 AH / 1989 CE .
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