A Brief Biographical Sketch of Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī

By Bint ʿUmar (4th Year Alimah Student, DarusSalam Seminary)

Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. Muslim b. ʿUbayd Allāh b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Shihāb b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Ḥārith b. Zuhrat b. Kilāb b. Murrat b. Kaʿb b. Luʾayy b. Ghālib al-Qurashī al-Zuhrī al-Madanī is famously known as Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī. Some said that he was born in the year AH 50 or 51.[1] While Ibn Kathīr mentioned that he was born in AH 58.[2]

Zuhrī was short in stature. And while he did not have much facial hair, the hair he did have was long and sparse.[3] Born and raised in Madīnah, he completed his studies there and lived in the city for more than thirty years.[4]

He was a diligent and eager student, which resulted in the high rank in scholarship that he attained. His most prominent teacher was Saʿīd b. al-Musayyib. ʿAbd al-Razzāq narrated from Maʿmar that Zuhrī said: “I sat in the company of Saʿīd b. al-Musayyib for eight years with my knees touching his.”[5]

If a teacher praises their student or the laity praises a scholar, that may indicate to their virtue. Yet, when praise comes from a rival or a contemporary, that surely bespeaks of one’s virtue even more.

Abū al-Zinād narrated from his father:

“I would travel with Ibn Shihāb and he would carry slates and papers for studies. We used to chuckle at him.” And, in another narration, there is the following addition: “We would document the ḥalāl and the ḥarām while Ibn Shihāb wrote everything he heard. I knew that he was the most knowledgeable.”[6]

Maʿmar narrated from Ṣāliḥ b. Kaysān:

“I sought knowledge alongside Zuhrī and Zuhrī said: ‘Let us write ḥadīth.’ And we wrote the ḥadīth of the Prophet. Then, he said: ‘Come, let us write the ḥadīth of the Companions.’ He wrote, but I did not. Thus, he became successful while my efforts were futile.”[7]

Jaʿfar b. Rabīʿah said:

“I asked ʿIrāk b. Mālik: ‘Who is the most knowledgeable in Madīnah?’ He said: ‘The most knowledgeable regarding the matters of the Prophet, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān, and the most knowledgeable in fiqh and regarding the affairs of the people is Saʿīd b. al-Musayyib. As for the one with the most ḥadīth, that is ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr.’ ʿIrāk then said: ‘And the most knowledgeable amongst them according to me is Ibn Shihāb because he gathered their knowledge and applied it.’”[8]

Makḥūl was asked:

“O Abū ʿAbd Allāh! Who is the most knowledgeable person you met?’ He replied: ‘Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī.’ It was then asked: ‘Then who?’ He replied: ‘Ibn Shihāb.’ Again, it was asked: ‘Then who?’ And again, he replied: ‘Ibn Shihāb.’”

From Zuhrī’s most prominent students are Imāms Mālik b. Anas, Sufyān b. ʿUyaynah, ʿAtāʾ b. Abī Rabāḥ, and Ibn Jurayj.

These individuals would seek knowledge at his feet. It is narrated that Ibn Shihāb had a house in Madīnah where he would stay when residing there. When Eid came, he would prolong his stay in the city. Imām Mālik said:

“It was the day of Eid and I thought to myself that Ibn Shihāb may be free. I went and sat at his door. Then, I heard him say to his maidservant: ‘Go see who is at the door.’ I waited and heard her say: ‘It is Mālik.’ He replied: ‘Let him in.’ I entered and he said: ‘You did not travel far from home?’ I said: ‘No.’ Ibn Shihāb asked me if I had eaten. And I replied in the negative. He said: ‘Eat.’ And I answered: ‘No thank you.’ Then, he asked me what I wanted. I told him: ‘Narrate ḥadīth to me.’ He said to me: ‘Come.’ I took out my slate to write and he narrated forty ḥadīth.”

Imām Aḥmad mentioned that: “The best in ḥadīth and the one with the best chain is Zuhrī.”[9] And Imām Nasāʾī narrated that: “The best chain is Zuhrī narrating from ʿAlī b. Ḥusayn from Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī from ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib from the Prophet.”[10]

Ibn Shihāb took from some of the Prophet’s companions, such as Anas b. Mālik, Sahl b. Saʿd, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Azhar, Maḥmūd b. al-Rabīʿ al-Anṣārī, and he also narrated ḥadīth from Ibn ʿUmar and from Sāʾib b. Zayd.

In pursuit of knowledge, Ibn Shihāb traversed the Levant. The Levant wasn’t a permanent residence for him; instead, it was a place he would frequently visit to seek knowledge in fiqh and ḥadīth. There, he was a teacher. While in Madīnah he was first a student, and then became a teacher. Thus, he took from Madīnah and gave to the people of the Levant.[11]

Imām Zuhrī passed away on the 17th of Ramaḍān in AH 124. [12] Through his dedicated service to the dīn of Allāh, he left behind a great legacy in all sciences, especially ḥadīth. Muslim b. ʿĀṣim narrated that Zuhrī said: “The people will trust the knowledge of the scholar when he practices on it.”[13]

[1] Siyar, 5:326.

[2] al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, 13:132.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Shurrab, 53.

[5] Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 26:419.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] al-Bidāyat wa al-Nihāyah, 13:132.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Shurrab, 53.

[12] al-Kāshif, 219.

[13] al-Bidāyat wa al-Nihāyah, 13:132.