Hakim al-Nishaburi

Abu Abd-Allah Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah al-Hakim al-Nishaburi (d. 403 AH) , and also known as Ibn Al-Baiyi.^[2]) was a Sunni scholar and the leading traditionist of his age, frequently referred to as the "Imam of the Muhaddithin" or the "Muhaddith of Khorasan."

Biography

Al-Hakim, who hailed from Nishapur, had vast amounts of teachers^[3] in Khurasan, Iraq, Transoxiana and elsewhere. He had scores of notable students, including Imam al-Bayhaqi^[4] who was a scholarly giant in his own right.

Al-Hakim gained a substantial reputation for writing Al-Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain. He started writing al-Mustadrak in the year when he was 72 years old. Al-Hakim is quoted to have said: "I drank water from Zamzam and asked Allâh for excellence in writing books".

Death

On the 3rd of Safar 405 al-Hakim went into the bath, came out after bathing, said "Ah" and died wearing but a waist-cloth before he had time to put on a shirt. Later, one of al-Hakim's students, Al-Hasan ibn Ash`ath al-Qurashî said: "I saw al-Hâkim in my dream riding a horse in a handsome appearance and saying: 'Salvation.' I asked him: `Al-Hakim! In what?' He replied: 'Writing hadith.'"

Legacy

Shah Waliullah, a 18th century Sunni Islamic scholar stated ^[5]:

A mujaddid appears at the end of every century: The mujaddid of the 1st century was Imam of Ahlul Sunnah, Umar bin Abdul Aziz. The mujaddid of the 2nd century was Imam of Ahlul Sunnah Muhammad Idrees Shafi'i. The mujaddid of the 3rd century was Imam of Ahlul Sunnah Abu Hasan Ash'ari. The mujaddid of the 4th century was Abu Abdullah Hakim Nishapuri.

Criticism

Al-Hakim's Mustadrak was heavily criticized by the hadîth scholars due to the number of mistakes and inaccuracies found in it. On Al-Hakim's Mustadrak, Dhahabi lamented:

It would have been better if al-Hakim had never compiled it.^[6]

Al-Hakim also drew criticism for mildly adhering to Shi`ism.<sup>[7]</sup> Al-Dhahabi referred to Al-Hakim as "one of the oceans of knowledge although a little bit Shia, and at another time "al-Hâkim the Shi'i," and another time "a famous Shi'i." Ibn al-Jawzi noted: "Al-Hâkim was Shia leaning and this is a flagrant trait of his." Ibn al-Subkî rejects the label of Shi`i as baseless because Ibn `Asakir includes al-Hakim among the Asharis, who consider the Shias as innovators. Yet this label is still branded as a blemish today at the hands of those who oppose his positions if they weaken theirs, and those who oppose him for being a follower of al-Ashari, or for being a Sufi. Others noted to al-Hakim's sincerity in narrating hadith as the first hadith of Prophet Muhammad al-Hâkim narrated is:

May Allah make radiant the face of one who heard one of my sayings and then carried it to others. It may be that one carries understanding without being a person of understanding; it may be that one carries understanding to someone who possesses more understanding than he.

Works

He authored the following works among others:

• Al-Abwâb ("The Chapters")
• Al-Amâlî ("The Dictations")
• Amâlî al-`Ashiyyât ("Night Dictations")
• Fadâ'il al-Shâfi`î ("The Immense Merits of al-Shâfi`î")
• Fawâ'id al-Nusakh ("Benefits of the Copies")
• Fawâ'id al-Khurâsâniyyîn ("Benefits of the People of Khurâsân")
• Al-Iklîl fî Dalâ'il al-Nubuwwa ("The Diadem: The Marks of Prophethood")
• Al-`Ilal ("The Defects of Hadîth")
• Mâ Tafarrada bi Ikhrâjihi Kullu Wâhidin min al-Imâmayn ("Reports Found Only in al-Bukhârî or Only in Muslim")
• Al-Madkhal ilâ `Ilm al-Sahîh ("Introduction to the Science of Sound Reports")
• Ma`rifat Anwâ` `Ulûm al-Hadîth ("Knowledge of the Different Types of the Hadîth Sciences")
• Al-Mustadrak `alâ al-Sahîhayn ("Supplement for What is Missing From al-Bukhârî and Muslim")
• Muzakkâ al-Akhbâr ("Verified Reports")
• Al-Sahîhân ("The Two Books of sahîh Hadîths")
• Al-Talkhîs ("The Summary")
• Tarâjim al-Musnad `alâ Shart al-Sahîhayn ("The Reports of Ahmad's Musnad That Match the Criteria of the Two Books of Sahîh")
• Tarâjim al-Shuyûkh ("Biographies of the Shaykhs")
• Târîkh `Ulamâ' Ahl Naysabûr ("History of the Scholars of Naysabûr")

See also

• Islamic scholars
• Hakim

References

1. ^ Constructive Critics, Ḥadīth Literature, and the Articulation of Sunnī Islam, By Scott C. Lucas,pg. 98
2. ^ Islamtoday.Com - Al-Hakim’s Mustadrak & al-Dhahabî’s Talkhis
3. ^ Brief Biographies of the Eminent Scholars of Hadeeth
4. ^ Constructive Critics, Ḥadīth Literature, and the Articulation of Sunnī Islam, by Scott C. Lucas, pg.98
5. ^ Izalat al-Khafa p. 77 part 7
6. ^ Al-Hakim Al-Naysaburi
7. ^ Constructive Critics, Ḥadīth Literature, and the Articulation of Sunnī Islam, By Scott C. Lucas, pg.98