Thalathat Majalis min Amali Ibn Bishran wa min Hadith al-Tanajiri

Thalathat Majalis min Amali Ibn Bishran wa min Hadith al-Tanajiri (Three Dictation Sessions from the Amali of Ibn Bishran and from the Hadith of al-Tanajiri) is a composite hadith tract featuring dictation sessions by Abu al-Qasim Abd al-Malik ibn Muhammad ibn Bishran (d. 430 AH / 1039 CE) alongside hadith selections narrated by Abu al-Faraj al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Tanajiri Thalathat Majalis min Ama….

Transmission and Manuscript

The work compiles two separate Baghdadi transmission lines brought together by the transmitter Abu Abd Allah al-Mubarak ibn Ali ibn Abd al-Baqi (known as Sibt Ibn Yusuf al-Bazzaz):

• The dictation sessions of Ibn Bishran were transmitted to al-Mubarak ibn Ali by Abu Sa'd Muhammad ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Abd al-Qahir al-Asadi, who read them in Baghdad in Shawwal 500 AH Thalathat Majalis min Ama…+1.
• The narrations of al-Tanajiri were received by al-Mubarak ibn Ali through Abu al-Hasan Hamd ibn Isma'il ibn Hamd al-Hamadani, who read them in Baghdad in Dhu al-Hijjah 503 AH, having heard them from al-Tanajiri in 436 AH Thalathat Majalis min Ama…+1.

Although the title on the manuscript indicates that it contains three dictation sessions (majalis) of Ibn Bishran and ten hadiths of al-Tanajiri, the surviving manuscript preserves only two sessions from Ibn Bishran and four hadiths from al-Tanajiri Thalathat Majalis min Ama….

Structure and Contents

The surviving portion of the collection is arranged into two main parts:

Dictations of Ibn Bishran

This part contains two recorded dictation sessions delivered by Ibn Bishran in Muharram 426 AH:

• First Session: Dictated on Friday, 7 Muharram 426 AH Thalathat Majalis min Ama…. It contains traditions narrated through authorities such as Abu Bakr al-Shafi'i, Abu Sahl Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ziyad, Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn al-Khadir al-Asyuti, and Abu al-Abbas al-Kindi in Mecca Thalathat Majalis min Ama…+2. The reports address subjects such as the fasting of Ashura, the praise of moderate spending, and moral exhortations, concluding with poetic verses Thalathat Majalis min Ama…+1.
• Second Session: Dictated on Friday, 14 Muharram 426 AH Thalathat Majalis min Ama…. It includes traditions received from Abu Bakr al-Ajurri, Abu al-Husayn Abd al-Baqi ibn Qani', and others Thalathat Majalis min Ama…+1. The reports touch upon the Prophet's ﷺ ritual practices, Abu Bakr's affirmation of the Night Journey (al-Isra'), the struggle against the lower self (nafs), and verses attributed to al-Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf Thalathat Majalis min Ama…+1.

Hadiths of al-Tanajiri

This section contains four selected traditions narrated by al-Tanajiri from his teachers, including Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Lu'lu', Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Nayzara, Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Uthman al-Attar, and Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Warraq Thalathat Majalis min Ama…+1. The narrations cover topics including the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ, the virtues of generosity versus miserliness, and men as keys to good and locks against evil Thalathat Majalis min Ama…+1.