An Overview of Imam Shams ad-Din Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad adz-Dzahabi’s (r.a.) Scholarship

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from a post by Dr. Jibril Fu’ad Haddad. 

Shaykh al-Islam Imam Shams ad-Din Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Utsman ibn Qaymaz ibn ‘Abdullah at-Turkmani ad-Diyarbakri al-Fariqi al-Dimashqi adz-Dzahabi ash-Shafi’i (r.a.), is the imam, , head of ahadits masters, perspicuous critic and expert examiner of the ahadits, encyclopaedic historian and biographer, and foremost authority in the canonical readings of the Qur'an.  Born in Damascus, where his family lived from the time of his grandfather ‘Utsman, he sometimes identified himself as ibn adz-Dzahabi - son of the goldsmith - in reference to his father’s profession.  He began his study of ahadits at age eighteen, travelling from Damascus to Ba’labak, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Tripoli, Nabulus, Ramla, Cairo, Iskandariyyah, al-Qudus, Hijaz, and elsewhere to thirty different locations, after which he returned to Damascus where he taught and authored many works and achieved world renown.  He lost his sight two years before he died, leaving three children: his eldest daughter, Amat al-‘Aziz and his two sons, ‘Abdullah and Imam Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman.  The latter taught the ahadits masters Imam Muhammad ibn Naswir ad-Din ad-Dimashqi (r.a.), and Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Hajr al-‘Asqalani (r.a.), to whom he transmitted several works authored or narrated by his father. 

Among Imam adz-Dhahabi’s (r.a.) most notable teachers in ahadits and fiqh were Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn azh-Zhahiri al-Halabi (r.a.); and Imam Ahmad ibn Ishaq ibn Muhammad al-Abarquhi al-Miswri (r.a.), from which Imam adz-Dzahabi (r.a.) received the Suhrawardi Sufi path.  Imam al-Abarquhi (r.a.) said, in his last illness, while he was in Makkah, “I will die in this illness because the Prophet (i) promised me that I would die in Makkah.” 

Another of his teachers, was Shaykh al-Islam, Imam Taqi’ ad-Din Muhammad ibn ʻAli ibn Daqiq al-‘Iyd (r.a.), whom he identified in his youth as Abu al-Fath al-Qushayri, later as ibn Wahb.  When Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) first came before Imam ibn Daqiq al-‘Iyd (r.a.) to study ahadits, the latter quizzed him: “Who is Abu Muhammad al-Hilali?” 

Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) correctly answered, “Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah.” 

Another teacher was Imam Sharaf ad-Din ad-Dimyati ‘Abd al-Mu’min ibn Khalaf (r.a.), the foremost Egyptian authority on ahadits in his time. 

Another notable teacher was Qadhi al-Qudhat, the Paragon of Islam, the standard-bearer of the sunnah, Imam Jamal ad-Din Abu al-Ma’ali Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Answari az-Zamalkani ad-Dimashqi ash-Shafi’i (r.a.).  He replaced Swafi ad-Din al-Hindi al-Urmawi (r.a.) as chief prosecutor in the Damascus trial of Shaykh Taqi’ ad-Din Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Halim ibn Taymiyyah (r.a.) against whom he subsequently wrote a refutation on divorce, and another refutation on the visitation to the Prophet (s.a.w.). 

Among the praises of ahadits scholars about Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.), his student, Imam Taj ad-Din Abu Naswr ʻAbd al-Wahhab ibn ʻAli as-Subki (r.a.) said, “Our time was graced with four hadith masters: al-Mizzi, al-Birzali, adz-Dzahabi, and my father the shaykh and imam.  As for our shaykh, Abu ‘Abdullah, he is an ocean without peer, a treasure and refuge in time of difficulty, the imam of the living on record, the gold of our time in spirit and letter, the shaykh of narrator-discreditation and narrator-commendation.”  He continued, “… and the one who trained us in this science and brought us out into the scholarly throng - may Allah (s.w.t.) Reward him greatly!” 

Another student of his, Imam Swalah ad-Din Abu asw-Swafa’ Khalil ibn Aybak ibn ‘Abdullah al-Albaki asw-Swafadi ad-Dimashqi ash-Shafi’i (r.a.), said, “I read before him many of his works and did not find in him the rigidity of ahadits scholars nor the denseness of transmitters.  Rather, he is highly perspicuous and proficient in the sayings of the scholars and the schools of the a’immah of the Salaf and authorities in doctrine.  What most pleased me is the care he shows, in his works, not to mention a ahadits except he states whether it suffers from any weakness in its content or chain of transmission or one of its narrators.  I did not see others show the same care in what they cite.” 

Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Hajr al-‘Asqalani (r.a.) said of him, “He was the most prolific of the scholars of his time.  People yearned to obtain his books, travelling to him for that purpose and circulating them through reading, copying, and audition.”  He also said, “He is among those who have total mastery in the field of narrator-criticism.” 

Imam Shams ad-Din Muhammad ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman as-Sakhawi (r.a.) said, “To understand the loftiness of his rank it is enough to know that our shaykh’s” - referring to Imam ibn Hajr (r.a.) – “supplication, upon drinking zamzam water, was that Allah (s.w.t.) Make him reach adz-Dzahabi’s rank in the ahadits sciences.” 

Imam Abu al-Fadhl ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuthi (q.s.) said, “Ahadits scholars today depend on four figures in the field of narrator-criticism and other related fields: al-Mizzi, adz-Dzahabi, al-‘Iraqi, and ibn Hajr.”

Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ash-Shawkani (r.a.) said, :All his books are well-received and sought after.”  He also said, :Historians, from his time onwards, generally depend on him.  None has gathered up as much as he in this science.” 

That being said, Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) was  not without fault.  Imam Taj ad-Din as-Subki (r.a.) criticised his anti-Ash’arism and neo-Hanbali leanings in doctrine, calling him one of the greatest propagators of anthropomorphism.  Elsewhere, he stated, “Our shaykh, adz-Dhahabi (r.a.) with all his learning and piety, displayed an excessive bias against the Ahl as-Sunnah; it is not permitted to follow him in this opinion.”  He further added, “Nor is it permissible to rely on our shaykh, adz-Dzahabi whenever he commends a Hanbali or blames an Ash’ari.” 

Imam as-Suyuthi (r.a.) also marked his distaste for Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) aspersions against early and late Sufi authorities as noted further below.  Among the worst examples of Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) bias against Sufis are his aspersions against Shaykh Bayazid Thayfur ibn ‘Isa al-Bisthami (q.s.) and Hakim Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ali at-Tirmidzi (r.a.) in Siyar A’alam an-Nubala’. 

Among Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) works are Tarikh al-Islam, the largest biographical encyclopaedia in Islam.  Imam ibn Hajr (r.a.) received it from Imam Abu Hurayrah ibn adz-Dzahabi (r.a.). 

Another is al-‘Ibar bi Akhbar Man ‘Abar, a condensed biographical history with emphasis on scholars. 

Duwal al-Islam is a condensed biographical history with emphasis on political figures and events. 

Siyar A’alam an-Nubala’ is a unique encyclopaedia of biographical history, shorter than Tarikh al-Islam, but containing new material.  Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) method in these works is comprehensive yet concise, showing meticulous scholarship and analysis of both transmission chains, and content as well as a preoccupation with doctrine on what he considered the principles of the Salaf.  On the topic of travelling to visit the Prophet (s.a.w.), he marked his dissent with his contemporary, Shaykh ibn Taymiyyah (r.a.), by writing, “al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali related that he saw a man standing in front of the house which contains the grave of the Prophet (s.a.w.), invoking Allah’s (s.w.t.) Blessings upon him, whereupon he said to the man, ‘Do not do that, for Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) said, ‘Do not make my grave an anniversary festival, nor turn your houses into graves.  Invoke blessings upon me wherever you are, for your invocation reaches me.’ 

This narration is missing the mursal, and what al-Hasan adduced in his fatwa is worthless as a proof, because one who stands before the blessed hujrah in all humility and submission, invoking Blessings upon his Prophet (s.a.w.).  O how Blessed that one is!  For he has made his visitation excellent, and beautified it with humbleness and love, and he has performed more worship than the one who invoked blessings on the Prophet (s.a.w.) from his own land or in his prayer.  The reason is that the one who performs visitation has both the reward of visiting him and that of invoking Blessings upon him; while those who invoke Blessings upon him from all over the world only have the reward of invoking Blessings upon him; and upon whomever invokes Blessings once, Allah (s.w.t.) Sends ten Blessings. 

But the person who visits the Prophet (s.a.w.) and does not observe decorum in his visitation, or prostrates to the grave, or does something outside the Law, such a person has done both good and bad.  He must be taught gently.  Allah (s.w.t.) is Forgiving and Merciful.  By Allah!  The Muslim is not moved to distraction and lamentation and kissing the walls and weeping much, except because he is a lover of Allah (s.w.t.) and of His Prophet (s.a.w.).  His love is the standard and the distinguishing mark between the people of Paradise and the people of Hellfire.  The visit to his grave is among the best of the acts by which one draws near to Allah (s.w.t.). 

As for travelling to visit the graves of prophets and saints, even if we should concede that there is no authorisation for it due to the general sense of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) saying, ‘Mounts are not saddled except to go to three mosques,’ nevertheless saddling the mounts to go visit the Prophet (s.a.w.) is intrinsic to saddling them to go visit his mosque, which is sanctioned by the shari’ah without contest, for there is no access to his chamber except after entering his mosque.  Therefore, let his visitor begin by greeting the mosque, then turn to greet the master of the mosque.  May Allah (s.w.t.) grant us this, and also to you.  Amin!” 

Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) Tadzkirah al-Huffazh is without peer in Islamic literature, a chronological history of the biography-layers of the ahadits masters beginning with Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (r.a.) and ending with Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) own time.  Each entry contains, in addition to biographical data, a hadits transmitted to Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) through a chain containing the entry’s subject.  Imam ibn Hajr (r.a.) received it from Imam Abu Hurayrah ibn adz-Dzahabi (r.a.).  Imam as-Suyuthi (q.s.) condensed and updated it in Thabaqat al-Huffazh, followed by others. 

al-Mu’in fi Thabaqat al-Muhadditsin is a compendium of ahadits scholars. 

Thabaqat al-Qurra’ is a biography of the mufassirin. 

Tadzhib Tahdzib al-Kamal is an abridgment of Imam Jamal ad-Din Abu al-Ḥajjaj Yusuf ibn az-Zaki ʻAbd ar-Rahman al-Kalbi al-Mizzi’s (r.a.) 35-volume compendium of historical biographies for ahadits narrators cited in the kutub as-sittah of ahadits. 

al-Kashif fi Ma’rifat man Lahu Riwayah fi al-Kutub as-Sittah is an abridgment of at-Tadzhib.

 

al-Mujarrad fi Asma’ Rijal al-Kutub as-Sittah is an abridgment of al-Kashif. 

Mizan al-I’itidal fi Naqd ar-Rijal is an authoritative manual of weak narrators abridging and improving upon Imam ibn ‘Adi’s (r.a.) al-Kamil fi ad-Du’afa’, the first work of its kind.  Imam Zayn ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl ‘Abd ar-Rahim ibn al-Husayn al-‘Iraqi (r.a.) improved upon it in Dzayl al-Mizan.  Then his student, Imam ibn Hajr (r.a.) in Lisan al-Mizan, then more recently, Hatim ibn ‘Arif al-‘Awni’s Dzayl Lisan al-Mizan.  Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) distinctive anti-Sufi and anti-Ash’ari mark can be observed in many entries of al-Mizan, notably that of the early Sufi mutakallim Imam Abu ‘Abdullah al-Harits ibn Asad al-‘Anazi al-Muhasibi (q.s.), in which he quotes the aspersions of the ahadits master, Imam Abu Zur’ah ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abd al-Karim ar-Razi (r.a.).  Imam as-Suyuthi (q.s.), among others, refuted them. 

Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) al-Mughni fi al-Du’afa’ is an abridgment of al-Mizan. 

In ar-Ruwat ats-Tsiqat al-Mutakallim fihim Bima La Yujibu Raddahum, he wrote, “I have included in my book,” referring to Mizan al-I’itidal, “a great number of trustworthy narrators of whom al-Bukhari and Muslim or others relied upon.  I cited them only due to the fact that they had been cited in previous manuals of narrator-discreditation. Not that I saw any weakness in them whatsoever, but I wanted only to make a note that they had been cited.  Time and again, I still encounter the name of a firmly established, trustworthy narrator about whom some question was raised without consequence for his status.  If we were to open wide the door of a certain type of internecine criticism, we would be bringing into it droves of Companions, Successors, and scholars of the religion.  For some of the Companions declared others disbelievers because of some interpretation on the latter’s part.” 

He further wrote, “They were not immune to sin, nor do their divergences and internecine fighting for causes which normally result in discreditation, provide a precedent in principle for us.  Nor did the Khwarij’s declaration of apostasy against the Companions affect the reliability of the latter as narrators in the least.  On the contrary, the pronouncements of the Khwarij and Shi’ah against the Companions became a discreditation for the critics themselves.  Consider, then, the immense wisdom of your Lord!  We ask Allah (s.w.t.) to Grant us safety. 

Likewise, much of the criticism of contemporaries against one another must be sealed up and not reported.  I shall now expand on this and say what the criterion is between the accepted and the rejected type of discreditation.  As for the Companions, their case is sealed up no matter what took place between them.  Our belief and practice is that they are all utterly upright.  As for the Successors, one can hardly find a deliberate liar among them although some of them commit mistakes and errors.  Whoever has rare mistakes is nevertheless accepted as an authority.  Likewise those considered mines of knowledge even if their mistakes are many, although the a’immah disagree whether the latter category are considered proofs.” 

He continued, “As for those whose mistakes and singularities are abundant, their narrations do not carry probative weight.  This type is hardly found among the early Successors, but more in succeeding generations.  Among the students of the Successors are found deliberate liars and those with abundant mistakes and disarray.  Consequently, their narrations were discarded.” 

He also wrote Man Tukullima fihi wa Huwa Muwaththaq aw Swalih al-Hadits, Dzikr Man Yu’tamad Qawluhu fi al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil, Mukhtaswar Sunan al-Bayhaqi, and Mukhtaswar Kitab al-Wahm wa al-Iham li ibn al-Qaththan. 

at-Tajrid fi Asma’ asw-Swahabah is a dictionary of the Companions. 

Mukhtaswar al-Mustadrak li al-Hakim is a critical abridgment of Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hakim an-Nishaburi’s (r.a.) Mustadrak. 

Mukhtaswar Tarikh Nishabur li al-Hakim is an abridgment of Imam al-Hakim’s (r.a.) biographical history of the scholars of Nishabur. 

al-Muntaqa min Tarikh Khwarizm li ibn Arslan is an epitome of the first volume of an eight-volume history of Khwarizm by a contemporary of Imam Tsiqat ad-Din Abu al-Qasim ‘Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn ‘Asakir (r.a.). 

Mu’jam ash-Shuyukh comes in a large version entitled al-Kabir, and a smaller one entitled asw-Swaghir or al-Lathif. These are a fascinating chronicle of Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) shuyukh through meetings or correspondence.  The Kabir contains biographies of about 1,300 of his shuyukh.  In the entry devoted to Imam Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Mun’im al-Qazwini (r.a.), Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) wrote, that he related to him, with his chain of transmission, from Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (r.a.) that the latter disliked to touch the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) grave.  He wrote that his shaykh said, “I say, he disliked it because he considered it disrespect.  Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked about touching the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) grave and kissing it, and he saw nothing wrong with it. 

His son, ‘Abdullah related this from him: If it is asked, ‘Why did the Companions not do this?’ we reply, ‘Because they saw him with their very eyes when he was alive, enjoyed his presence directly, kissed his very hand, nearly fought each other over the remnants of his ablution water, shared his purified hair on the day of the greater pilgrimage, and even if he spat it would virtually not fall except in someone’s hand so that he could pass it over his face.  Since we have not had the tremendous fortune of sharing in this, we throw ourselves on his grave as a mark of commitment, reverence, and acceptance, even to kiss it.  Do you not see what Tsabit al-Bunani did when he kissed the hand of Anas ibn Malik and placed it on his face saying, ‘This is the hand that touched the hand of Allah’s Messenger’?’ 

Muslims are not moved to these matters except by their excessive love for the Prophet (s.a.w.) as they are Ordered to love Allah (s.w.t.) and the Prophet (s.a.w.) more than their own lives, their children, all human beings, their property, and Paradise and its maidens.  There are even some believers that love Abu Bakr and ‘Umar more than themselves ...’” 

He continued, “Do you not you see that the Companions, in the excess of their love for the Prophet (s.a.w.), asked him, ‘Should we not prostrate to you?’ and he replied no, and if he had allowed them, they would have prostrated to him as a mark of utter veneration and respect, not as a mark of worship, just as the brothers of the Prophet Yusuf prostrated to him.  Similarly, the prostration of the Muslim to the grave of the Prophet (s.a.w.) is for the intention of magnification and reverence.  One is not to be accused of disbelief because of it whatsoever, but he is being disobedient.  Let him, therefore, be informed that this is forbidden.  It is likewise in the case of one who prays towards the grave.” 

al-Mu’jam al-Mukhtas bi Muhadditsi al-‘Aswr is a book listing only his shuyukh in ahadits. 

al-Amsar Dhawat al-Atsar is a book describing historical cities in the Muslim world of his time, beginning with the description of Madina al-Munawwara. 

Mukhtaswar al-Muhalla li ibn Hazm is an abridgment of Imam Abu Muhammad ‘Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Hazm’s (r.a.) fiqh manual. 

Naba’ ad-Dajjal is a monograph on the ahadits and reports that mention the Anti-Christ. 

al-Kaba’ir, Imam adz-Dhzahabi’s (r.a.) most widely circulated book, defines an enormity as any sin entailing either a threat of punishment in the Hereafter explicitly Mentioned in the Qur’an or ahadits, a prescribed hadd, or a Curse by Allah (s.w.t.) or His Messenger (s.w.t.). 

in Bayan Zaghl al-‘Ilm wa ath-Thalab, Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) wrote: “ibn Taymiyyah was considered by his enemies to be a wicked Anti-Christ and disbeliever, while great numbers of the wise and the elite considered him an eminent, brilliant, and scholarly innovator.” 

an-Naswihah adz-Dzahabiyyah is an epistle entitled written when Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) was around fifty-five years of age and addressed to Shaykh ibn Taymiyyah (r.a.) towards the end of his life.  In this brief but scathing epistle the author distanced himself from his contemporary and admonished him without naming him, calling him “an eloquent polemicist who neither rests nor sleeps.”  In particular, the Naswihah contains the following prophetic description of Shaykh ibn Taymiyyah’s (r.a.) followers in our time: “O the disappointment of him who follows you!  For he is exposed to corruption in basic beliefs and to dissolution.  Particularly, if he is short of learning and religion, a self-indulgent idler who does well for you by fighting on your behalf with his hand and tongue, while he is actually your enemy in his being and heart.  What are your followers but hidebound do-nothings of little intelligence, common liars with dull minds, silent outlanders strong in guile, or dryly righteous without understanding?  If you do not believe it, just look at them and honestly assess them.” 

ad-Dinar min Hadits al-Mashayikh al-Kibar is a brief compendium of narrations Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) heard from aged shuyukh, in pursuit of shorter transmission chains. 

He also wrote Fadhl Ayat al-Kursi, and al-Musalsal bi al-Awwaliyyah. 

al-‘Uluw li al-‘Ali al-Ghaffar is a book written when Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) was under Shaykh ibn Taymiyyah’s (r.a.) influence when Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) was twenty-five.  This is as stated by Shaykh Muhammad Zahid Kawtsari al-Hanafi (r.a.), in his Maqalat.  Imam adz-Dhzahabi (r.a.) later disavowed it, related by its copyist the hadits master, Imam ibn Naswir ad-Din ad-Dimashqi (r.a.): “Its author stated, as Allah (s.w.t.) is his Witness, in his own handwriting, as I read it in the margin of the original manuscript written in the year 698: ‘This book contains narrations against the unreliability of which I am cautioning the reader, and the statements of a number of people who spoke in outlandish terms.  Neither do I subscribe to their terms, nor do I imitate them.  May Allah (s.w.t.) forgive them!  Nor will I ever consider myself bound by such terms.  This is my belief, and I know that Allah (s.w.t.) States, ‘There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him.’’”