A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Sulayman ibn Mahran al-A’amash (r.a.) was a noted muhaddits who was strict with ahadits , and very particular about who he narrated to, and who he took narrations from.   He was also famous for his quick tongue and sharp wit.   When one student said to him while on a frivolous visit, “I hope I am not disturbing you, O shaykh,” Imam al-A’amash ( r.a. ) said, “Let me tell you: you bother me even when you are in your own home.   So how do you think I feel with you right here with me now?”   Imam al-A’amash ( r.a. ) was in some neighbourhood one day, and some people came up to him to ask him regarding ahadits .   His companions said to him, “Will you not narrate to these poor souls?”   Imam al-A’amash ( r.a. ) replied, “Who would hang pearls on pigs?”   In another incident, some people visited Imam al-A’amash ( r.a. ) one day, and he went out of his house to greet them, saying: “Were it not for the fact...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ A knowledgeable man, with a long beard, came to Imam Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Asadi al-A’amash ( r.a. ), and asked him a basic question about the prayer.  Imam al-A’amash ( r.a. ) turned to his companion, and said, “Look at him!  His beard could carry four thousand ahadits , and he asks a question that the children in school would ask.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The noted muhaddits , Imam Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Asadi al-A’amash ( r.a. ), was poor and was not known for his looks.  Despite this, he was married to a beautiful woman, although they did not always get along.  He spent much time with his students, and they asked him once, “Why are you not at home?”   He replied, “Because you all are more merciful than what I have at home,” in reference to his wife.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Asadi al-A’amash ( r.a. ) was called “al-A’amash” because he had poor vision.  In his time, people used to take baths in a common bathrooms known as “hammam”.  One day a man came out completely nude.  So, Imam al-A’amash ( r.a. ) covered his eyes with one hand, and used his other hand to feel around and to guide himself.  The man said to him, “O al-A’amash, have you now become al-a’amaa ?”  “ A’amaa ” means blind.   Imam al-A’amash ( r.a. ) replied, “It seems to have happened since your pants fell to the ground.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Shaykh Husayn ibn al-Waqid al-Maruzi ( r.a. ) was reciting the Qur’an to Imam Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Asadi al-A’amash ( r.a. ), and asked him, “How do you like my recitation?”   Imam al-A’amash ( r.a. ) replied, “Better than the recitation of any disbeliever.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Imam Sulayman ibn Mahran al-Asadi al-A’amash ( r.a. ) was a picky scholar of ahadits .   He was one of the tabi’un .   He was born in 680 CE and met Anas ibn Malik ( r.a. ) and studied under the students of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud ( r.a. ).   He was a sarcastic character with a sharp tongue.   There are fewer scholars as eccentric as he.   Even though his manners were rough and unorthodox, he only used his barbed tongue on those who deserved it.   He was a lover of ahadits and had no time those who disrespected it.   He felt that this disrespected the Prophet ( s.a.w. ).   Although he was sarcastic, he was a noted muhadditsin and an excellent teacher.   Such was his piety and trustworthiness as a muhaddits that his ahadits were narrated by Imam al-Bukhari ( r.a. ) in his Swahih .   His student loved him.   He was also nicknamed ‘al-Muswhaf,’ because of his beautiful recitation of the...