Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī

Among those who learned from both of them was Hishām ibn ʿUbayd Allāh al-Rāzī, although he was weak in transmission. Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan died in his house in Rayy and was buried in their cemetery. I heard Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā, God have mercy on him, report of Shaykh Abū Bakr al-Rāzī that he disliked having the Uṣūl read to him through Hishām's transmission because of its inconsistencies. He would direct that the Uṣūl be read through Abū Sulaymān's or Muḥammad ibn Samāʿa's transmission because of their soundness and the two men's precision.

Among those who learned from both of them was Hishām ibn ʿUbayd Allāh al-Rāzī, although he was weak in transmission. Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan died in his house in Rayy and was buried in their cemetery. I heard Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā, God have mercy on him, report of Shaykh Abū Bakr al-Rāzī that he disliked having the Uṣūl read to him through Hishām's transmission because of its inconsistencies. He would direct that the Uṣūl be read through Abū Sulaymān's or Muḥammad ibn Samāʿa's transmission because of their soundness and the two men's precision.

Of this generation was Abū Sahl al-Zajjājī, author of Kitāb al-Riyāḍa. He studied under Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī, returned to Nishapur, and died there. I heard al-Ṣāḥib Abū al-Qāsim Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAbbād say, “When Abū Sahl al-Zajjājī entered debating assemblies, the faces of his opponents changed because of his force of mind and skill in argument.” I have heard that Abū Bakr al-Rāzī, God have mercy on him, studied under him.

Of this generation was Abū Sahl al-Zajjājī, author of Kitāb al-Riyāḍa. He studied under Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī, returned to Nishapur, and died there. I heard al-Ṣāḥib Abū al-Qāsim Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAbbād say, “When Abū Sahl al-Zajjājī entered debating assemblies, the faces of his opponents changed because of his force of mind and skill in argument.” I have heard that Abū Bakr al-Rāzī, God have mercy on him, studied under him.

Teaching in Baghdad then became established with Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī, to whom journeys in pursuit of learning culminated. He followed his predecessors' way in scrupulousness, asceticism, and self-restraint. He was approached twice about becoming chief judge and refused.

Teaching in Baghdad then became established with Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī, to whom journeys in pursuit of learning culminated. He followed his predecessors' way in scrupulousness, asceticism, and self-restraint. He was approached twice about becoming chief judge and refused.

Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm ibn Aḥmad al-Ṭabarī related to me: Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-Abharī related to me: Al-Muṭīʿ approached me about becoming chief judge; the intermediary was Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Abī ʿAmr al-Sharānī. I refused and recommended Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī. He was summoned to be approached about it, and Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Abī ʿAmr asked me to help persuade him. He was approached but refused. I spoke gently with him in private, and he asked, “Do you advise me to do this?” I replied, “I do not think you should.” Then we stood before Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Abī ʿAmr. He renewed his proposal, and I again helped him. He said to me, “Did I not consult you, and did you not advise me not to do it?” Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Abī ʿAmr was dismayed and said, “You recommend a person to us, then advise him not to accept?” I said, “Yes. My exemplar in this is Mālik ibn Anas. He advised the people of Medina to put Nāfiʿ the reciter forward in the Messenger of God's mosque, God bless him and grant him peace, but advised Nāfiʿ not to do it. When questioned, he replied, ‘I recommended Nāfiʿ to you because I know no one like him; I advised him not to do it because he would acquire enemies and envious people.’ Likewise, I recommended him to you because I know no one like him, and advised him not to do it because that is safer for his religion.”

Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm ibn Aḥmad al-Ṭabarī related to me: Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-Abharī related to me: Al-Muṭīʿ approached me about becoming chief judge; the intermediary was Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Abī ʿAmr al-Sharānī. I refused and recommended Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī. He was summoned to be approached about it, and Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Abī ʿAmr asked me to help persuade him. He was approached but refused. I spoke gently with him in private, and he asked, “Do you advise me to do this?” I replied, “I do not think you should.” Then we stood before Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Abī ʿAmr. He renewed his proposal, and I again helped him. He said to me, “Did I not consult you, and did you not advise me not to do it?” Abū al-Ḥasan ibn Abī ʿAmr was dismayed and said, “You recommend a person to us, then advise him not to accept?” I said, “Yes. My exemplar in this is Mālik ibn Anas. He advised the people of Medina to put Nāfiʿ the reciter forward in the Messenger of God's mosque, God bless him and grant him peace, but advised Nāfiʿ not to do it. When questioned, he replied, ‘I recommended Nāfiʿ to you because I know no one like him; I advised him not to do it because he would acquire enemies and envious people.’ Likewise, I recommended him to you because I know no one like him, and advised him not to do it because that is safer for his religion.”

Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī related to me that Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī was born in 305, entered Baghdad in 325, and studied under Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī. He then went to Ahwaz and returned to Baghdad after the high prices had ended. He went to Nishapur with al-Ḥākim al-Naysābūrī on Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī's advice and counsel. Abū al-Ḥasan died while he was in Nishapur. He returned to Baghdad in 344, when Abū ʿAlī al-Shāshī was terminally ill, and began teaching in Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī's mosque. The place was cramped [a tentative rendering of mutamāsikan]. He then moved to Suwayqat Ghālib and taught in Darb al-Muqayyar. In the year sixty [360] he moved to Darb ʿAbda and taught in its mosque. Abū Saʿīd al-Bardhaʿī had taught in the Darb ʿAbda mosque; Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī studied jurisprudence there. Abū ʿAmr al-Ṭabarī and Judge Abū Muḥammad Sahl ibn Ibrāhīm taught there, followed by Abū ʿAlī al-Shāshī, then Shaykh Abū Bakr al-Rāzī, then our shaykh and teacher Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī. It is our mosque, where we now teach. We hope that the blessings of these imams who preceded us in sitting there will reach us and those who visit us. Shaykh Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī died in Dhū al-Ḥijja 370. Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī prayed over him and placed him in his grave with his own hands. He took his seat in his mosque, having previously been seated there by him for about ten years, teaching there at the end of the day.

Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī related to me that Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī was born in 305, entered Baghdad in 325, and studied under Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī. He then went to Ahwaz and returned to Baghdad after the high prices had ended. He went to Nishapur with al-Ḥākim al-Naysābūrī on Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī's advice and counsel. Abū al-Ḥasan died while he was in Nishapur. He returned to Baghdad in 344, when Abū ʿAlī al-Shāshī was terminally ill, and began teaching in Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī's mosque. The place was cramped [a tentative rendering of mutamāsikan]. He then moved to Suwayqat Ghālib and taught in Darb al-Muqayyar. In the year sixty [360] he moved to Darb ʿAbda and taught in its mosque. Abū Saʿīd al-Bardhaʿī had taught in the Darb ʿAbda mosque; Abū al-Ḥasan al-Karkhī studied jurisprudence there. Abū ʿAmr al-Ṭabarī and Judge Abū Muḥammad Sahl ibn Ibrāhīm taught there, followed by Abū ʿAlī al-Shāshī, then Shaykh Abū Bakr al-Rāzī, then our shaykh and teacher Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī. It is our mosque, where we now teach. We hope that the blessings of these imams who preceded us in sitting there will reach us and those who visit us. Shaykh Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī died in Dhū al-Ḥijja 370. Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī prayed over him and placed him in his grave with his own hands. He took his seat in his mosque, having previously been seated there by him for about ten years, teaching there at the end of the day.

After Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī's death, our shaykh and imam Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī became the imam, teacher, and mufti of Abū Ḥanīfa's companions. People had seen no one like him in the excellence and accuracy of his legal opinions and the quality of his teaching. He was called to accept judicial office repeatedly and refused. He was revered in people's minds and foremost with the ruler and the public. He scarcely accepted any benefaction, payment, or gift from anyone. He died on the night preceding Friday, the eighteenth of Jumādā I, 403. I undertook his washing and preparation with a group of his companions. His son Abū al-Qāsim Masʿūd ibn Muḥammad prayed over him in al-Manṣūr's congregational mosque before Friday prayer. He was returned to his house in Darb ʿAbda and buried there. God be pleased with him, benefit him through what he taught us, and benefit us through it.

After Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Rāzī's death, our shaykh and imam Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī became the imam, teacher, and mufti of Abū Ḥanīfa's companions. People had seen no one like him in the excellence and accuracy of his legal opinions and the quality of his teaching. He was called to accept judicial office repeatedly and refused. He was revered in people's minds and foremost with the ruler and the public. He scarcely accepted any benefaction, payment, or gift from anyone. He died on the night preceding Friday, the eighteenth of Jumādā I, 403. I undertook his washing and preparation with a group of his companions. His son Abū al-Qāsim Masʿūd ibn Muḥammad prayed over him in al-Manṣūr's congregational mosque before Friday prayer. He was returned to his house in Darb ʿAbda and buried there. God be pleased with him, benefit him through what he taught us, and benefit us through it.

Of his generation was Abū Zakariyyā Yaḥyā ibn Muḥammad, the blind Basran, although he had taught during Abū Bakr al-Rāzī's lifetime. His chain of learning was comparable to our shaykh's, for he learned from Abū al-Ḥasan's companions. Abū Zakariyyā retained our companions' doctrines and knew the Uṣūl, the two Jāmiʿ works, and the Nawādir, together with scrupulousness, self-restraint, chastity, and humility. He was blind. I travelled to him and read with him. He knew inheritance law and was proficient in arithmetic and algebra, being an imam in those disciplines.

Of his generation was Abū Zakariyyā Yaḥyā ibn Muḥammad, the blind Basran, although he had taught during Abū Bakr al-Rāzī's lifetime. His chain of learning was comparable to our shaykh's, for he learned from Abū al-Ḥasan's companions. Abū Zakariyyā retained our companions' doctrines and knew the Uṣūl, the two Jāmiʿ works, and the Nawādir, together with scrupulousness, self-restraint, chastity, and humility. He was blind. I travelled to him and read with him. He knew inheritance law and was proficient in arithmetic and algebra, being an imam in those disciplines. Praise be to God as He deserves to be praised; blessings upon our master Muḥammad and his family, and abundant peace.

ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm informed us: Makram narrated to us: Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Abbār narrated to us: Abū Bakr al-Ṭālaqānī narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī narrated to us, saying: “Any hadith unknown to Ibn al-Mubārak is unknown to us.”

ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm informed us: Makram narrated to us: Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī al-Abbār narrated to us: Abū Bakr al-Ṭālaqānī narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī narrated to us, saying: “Any hadith unknown to Ibn al-Mubārak is unknown to us.”