Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān al-Marzubānī

The judge Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Ṭālaqānī informed us: The judge Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣaymarī narrated to us in Baghdad, in the mosque of Darb al-Zarrādīn, in Ramaḍān of the year 404. He said: Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad the scribe informed us: Aḥmad ibn Abī Khaythama narrated to us: I heard Muḥammad ibn Yazīd say: Abū Ḥanīfa was a client of Banū Taym Allāh ibn Thaʿlaba.

The judge Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Ṭālaqānī informed us: The judge Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣaymarī narrated to us in Baghdad, in the mosque of Darb al-Zarrādīn, in Ramaḍān of the year 404. He said: Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad the scribe informed us: Aḥmad ibn Abī Khaythama narrated to us: I heard Muḥammad ibn Yazīd say: Abū Ḥanīfa was a client of Banū Taym Allāh ibn Thaʿlaba.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥakīmī related to us: Aḥmad ibn Zuhayr related to us: Sulaymān ibn Abī Shaykh related to us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ ibn Muslim al-ʿIjlī related to us: A man in Syria said to al-Ḥakam ibn Hishām al-Thaqafī: “Tell me about Abū Ḥanīfa.” He replied: “He was among the most trustworthy people. Our ruler demanded that he take charge of the keys to his treasuries or be beaten on his back. He chose the ruler’s punishment over God’s punishment.” He said: “I have never seen anyone describe Abū Ḥanīfa as you have.” He replied: “By God, he was as I have told you.”

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥakīmī related to us: Aḥmad ibn Zuhayr related to us: Sulaymān ibn Abī Shaykh related to us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ ibn Muslim al-ʿIjlī related to us: A man in Syria said to al-Ḥakam ibn Hishām al-Thaqafī: “Tell me about Abū Ḥanīfa.” He replied: “He was among the most trustworthy people. Our ruler demanded that he take charge of the keys to his treasuries or be beaten on his back. He chose their punishment over God’s punishment.” He said: “I have never seen anyone describe Abū Ḥanīfa as you have.” He replied: “By God, he was as I have told you.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā al-Ṣūlī related to me: I heard Abū Khāzim the judge say: Abū Ḥanīfa said: We attended Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān and never left without a benefit. One day we gained nothing except his saying: “When a difficult question comes to you, make its answer come from the question itself.” I memorized it, thinking it insignificant. Much later I went to al-Manṣūr’s residence. Al-Rabīʿ the chamberlain came out to test me: “Advise me concerning the Commander of the Faithful, who orders me to kill people and seize property. Do I incur anything by obeying him?” Remembering Ḥammād’s words, I asked: “Does not the Commander of the Faithful command you justly?” He said yes. I replied: “Then do it when he commands you thus, and you will be rewarded.”

Muḥammad said: Sharīk did likewise, as Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ākharī related to us: Abū al-ʿAynāʾ related: al-Jāḥiẓ related to us: Al-Mahdī asked Sharīk, with ʿĪsā ibn Mūsā present: “If ʿĪsā testified before you, would you accept him?” He intended to provoke discord between them. Sharīk replied: “I inquire about whoever testifies before me. About ʿĪsā we would ask only the Commander of the Faithful. If you attest his reliability, Commander of the Faithful, I shall accept him.” Thus he turned the question back upon him.

Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā al-Ṣūlī related to me: I heard Abū Khāzim the judge say: Abū Ḥanīfa said: We attended Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān and never left without a benefit. One day we gained nothing except his saying: “When a difficult question comes to you, make its answer come from the question itself.” I memorized it, thinking it insignificant. Much later I went to al-Manṣūr’s residence. Al-Rabīʿ the chamberlain came out to test me: “Advise me concerning the Commander of the Faithful, who orders me to kill people and seize property. Do I incur anything by obeying him?” Remembering Ḥammād’s words, I asked: “Does not the Commander of the Faithful command you justly?” He said yes. I replied: “Then do it when he commands you thus, and you will be rewarded.” Muḥammad said: Sharīk did likewise, as Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ājurrī related to us: Abū al-ʿAynāʾ related: al-Jāḥiẓ related to us: Al-Mahdī asked Sharīk, with ʿĪsā ibn Mūsā present: “If ʿĪsā testified before you, would you accept him?” He intended to provoke discord between them. Sharīk replied: “I inquire about whoever testifies before me. About ʿĪsā we would ask only the Commander of the Faithful. If you attest his reliability, Commander of the Faithful, I shall accept him.” Thus he turned the question back upon him.

Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad the scribe related: al-Ḥusayn ibn Muḥammad ibn Fahm related: ʿAlī ibn al-Jaʿd related: Abū Yaʿlā, Yazīd ibn Hārūn’s maternal uncle, related: Abū Ḥanīfa related to me: I was with al-Shaʿbī when a man came and insulted him. Al-Shaʿbī said: “May whatever ʿAzza permits herself of our honour / be wholesome and pleasant for her, without a lingering disease.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad the scribe related: al-Ḥusayn ibn Muḥammad ibn Fahm related: ʿAlī ibn al-Jaʿd related: Abū Yaʿlā, Yazīd ibn Hārūn’s maternal uncle, related: Abū Ḥanīfa related to me: I was with al-Shaʿbī when a man came and insulted him. Al-Shaʿbī said: “May whatever ʿAzza permits herself of our honour / be wholesome and pleasant for her, without a lingering disease.”

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: The judge Makram ibn Aḥmad related: Abū Khāzim the judge related: Shuʿayb ibn Ayyūb al-Ṣarīfīnī related: al-Ḥasan ibn Ziyād related: I heard Abū Ḥanīfa say: I was with Muḥārib ibn Dithār when two litigants approached. One claimed against the other, and two witnesses testified. The defendant turned to Muḥārib and said of one witness: “By God, he is a righteous man; he is such-and-such.” Muḥārib asked: “Do you praise him although he testified against you?” He replied: “By God, he committed no fault before this.” Muḥārib ibn Dithār said: “Ibn ʿUmar related to me that God’s Messenger, peace and blessings upon him, said: ‘Birds let their beaks hang and flutter their wings on Resurrection Day from the terror they see.’ God’s Messenger also said: ‘The false witness’s feet do not move before he takes his seat in the Fire.’” The witnesses then withdrew their testimony.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: The judge Makram ibn Aḥmad related: Abū Khāzim the judge related: Shuʿayb ibn Ayyūb al-Ṣarīfīnī related: al-Ḥasan ibn Ziyād related: I heard Abū Ḥanīfa say: I was with Muḥārib ibn Dithār when two litigants approached. One claimed against the other, and two witnesses testified. The defendant turned to Muḥārib and said of one witness: “By God, he is a righteous man; he is such-and-such.” Muḥārib asked: “Do you praise him although he testified against you?” He replied: “By God, he committed no fault before this.” Muḥārib ibn Dithār said: “Ibn ʿUmar—may God be pleased with them both—related to me that God’s Messenger, peace and blessings upon him, said: ‘Birds let their beaks hang and flutter their wings on Resurrection Day from the terror they see.’ God’s Messenger also said: ‘The false witness’s feet do not move before he takes his seat in the Fire.’” The witnesses then withdrew their testimony.

Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Makhlad al-ʿAṭṭār related: Abū Mūsā Qays the tutor related: Suwayd ibn Saʿīd related: Sufyān ibn ʿUyayna related: The first to establish me as a hadith teacher was Abū Ḥanīfa. I asked: “How?” He replied: When I entered Kufa, Abū Ḥanīfa told them: “This man knows ʿAmr ibn Dīnār best.” The elders assembled around me to ask about ʿAmr ibn Dīnār’s hadith.

Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Makhlad al-ʿAṭṭār related: Abū Mūsā Qays the tutor related: Suwayd ibn Saʿīd related: Sufyān ibn ʿUyayna related: The first to establish me as a hadith teacher was Abū Ḥanīfa. I asked: “How?” He replied: When I entered Kufa, Abū Ḥanīfa told them: “This man knows ʿAmr ibn Dīnār best.” The elders assembled around me to ask about ʿAmr ibn Dīnār’s hadith.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī narrated to us: al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad al-Mukharrimī narrated to us: Muḥammad ibn ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shayba narrated to us: Naṣr ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Washshāʾ narrated to us: al-Faḍl ibn Dukayn narrated to us: I heard Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl say: When Ibrāhīm rose in Basra, Abū Ḥanīfa spoke out very strongly. I told him, “By God, you will not stop until we are seized and ropes are put around our necks.” Abū Nuʿaym said: Later al-Manṣūr wrote to ʿĪsā ibn Mūsā, governor of Kufa, ordering him to send Abū Ḥanīfa to Baghdad. Abū Nuʿaym said: I went in the morning to see Abū Ḥanīfa and met him riding to bid farewell to ʿĪsā; his face had almost darkened with fear. He came to Baghdad and died there at seventy. Abū Nuʿaym said: He was given a drink and died from it. I was told that when he appeared before al-Manṣūr, the latter called for sawīq and ordered him to drink. He refused. He said, “You shall drink it,” but he refused, so he compelled him until he drank. He then rose quickly. Abū Jaʿfar asked, “Where are you going?” He replied, “To where you have sent me.” He was taken to prison and died there.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī narrated to us: al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad al-Mukharrimī narrated to us: Muḥammad ibn ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shayba narrated to us: Naṣr ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Washshāʾ narrated to us: al-Faḍl ibn Dukayn narrated to us: I heard Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl say: When Ibrāhīm rose in Basra, Abū Ḥanīfa spoke out very strongly. I told him, “By God, you will not stop until we are seized and ropes are put around our necks.” Abū Nuʿaym said: Later al-Manṣūr wrote to ʿĪsā ibn Mūsā, governor of Kufa, ordering him to send Abū Ḥanīfa to Baghdad. Abū Nuʿaym said: I went in the morning to see Abū Ḥanīfa and met him riding to bid farewell to ʿĪsā; his face had almost darkened with fear. He came to Baghdad and died there at seventy. Abū Nuʿaym said: He was given a drink and died from it. I was told that when he appeared before al-Manṣūr, the latter called for sawīq and ordered him to drink. He refused. He said, “You shall drink it,” but he refused, so he compelled him until he drank. He then rose quickly. Abū Jaʿfar asked, “Where are you going?” He replied, “To where you have sent me.” He was taken to prison and died there.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn Kāmil related to us: Aḥmad ibn al-Qāsim al-Birtī related to us: Bishr ibn al-Walīd related to us: I heard the judge Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Saʿd ibn Ḥabta. Ibn Kāmil said: He was the judge of Mūsā al-Hādī and Hārūn al-Rashīd in Baghdad. Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī did not disagree about his trustworthiness in transmission. He was the first person addressed as Chief Judge. He had appointed his son Yūsuf as his deputy on the western side, and al-Rashīd confirmed him in his post. After Abū Yūsuf died, Abū al-Bakhtarī Wahb ibn Wahb al-Qurashī became Chief Judge.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn Kāmil related to us: Aḥmad ibn al-Qāsim al-Birtī related to us: Bishr ibn al-Walīd related to us: I heard the judge Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Saʿd ibn Ḥabta. Ibn Kāmil said: He was the judge of Mūsā al-Hādī and Hārūn al-Rashīd in Baghdad. Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī did not disagree about his trustworthiness in transmission. He was the first person addressed as Chief Judge. He had appointed his son Yūsuf as his deputy on the western side, and al-Rashīd confirmed him in his post. After Abū Yūsuf died, Abū al-Bakhtarī Wahb ibn Wahb al-Qurashī became Chief Judge.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh al-Marzubānī informed us: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Miskī related to us: Ibn Abī Khaythama related to us, from Abū al-Ḥasan al-Madāʾinī: Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl, Abū Ḥanīfa’s companion, was an ʿAnbarī.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Miskī related to us: Ibn Abī Khaythama related to us, from Abū al-Ḥasan al-Madāʾinī: Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl, Abū Ḥanīfa’s companion, was an ʿAnbarī.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Judge Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn Kāmil related to us: Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan, Abū Ḥanīfa’s companion, was a client of the Banū Shaybān and was described as possessing perfection. His standing in abundant transmission, legal reasoning, and composition in the branches of knowledge concerning the lawful and unlawful was elevated. His companions revered him greatly.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Judge Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn Kāmil related to us: Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan, Abū Ḥanīfa’s companion, was a client of the Banū Shaybān and was described as possessing perfection. His standing in abundant transmission, legal reasoning, and composition in the branches of knowledge concerning the lawful and unlawful was elevated. His companions revered him greatly.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: al-Ṣūlī informed us: al-Sukkarī narrated to us: Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Muḥammad al-Yazīdī recited to me verses by his father, lamenting Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan and al-Kisāʾī, may God be pleased with them both: The world passes away; it has no permanence, and the splendor you see will perish. For each of us death is a watering-place, and each must come to drink there. Do you not see encroaching gray hair warning of decay? Fresh youth never returns. What destroyed the generations before you will reach you; be ready, for extinction is at hand. I grieved for the chief judge Muḥammad, shedding my tears with a wounded heart. I said: When an affair becomes obscure, who will one day make it clear for us, now that you are gone? The death of al-Kisāʾī after him pained me, and the open earth almost swayed beneath me. Our two learned men have perished and been taken away; among all people they have no equal. Whenever their memory crosses my heart, my grief is renewed, until death.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: al-Ṣūlī informed us: al-Sukkarī narrated to us: Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Muḥammad al-Yazīdī recited to me verses by his father, lamenting Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan and al-Kisāʾī, may God be pleased with them both: The world passes away; it has no permanence, and the splendor you see will perish. For each of us death is a watering-place, and each must come to drink there. Do you not see encroaching gray hair warning of decay? Fresh youth never returns. What destroyed the generations before you will reach you; be ready, for extinction is at hand. I grieved for the chief judge Muḥammad, shedding my tears with a wounded heart. I said: When an affair becomes obscure, who will one day make it clear for us, now that you are gone? The death of al-Kisāʾī after him pained me, and the open earth almost swayed beneath me. Our two learned men have perished and been taken away; among all people they have no equal. Whenever their memory crosses my heart, my grief is renewed, until death.

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad the scribe narrated to us: Abū al-ʿAynāʾ Muḥammad ibn al-Qāsim narrated to us, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād ibn Abī Ḥanīfa attended the funeral of a woman from the descendants of ʿAlī in Kufa, while he was its judge. People crowded around her and touched her for blessing. A man approached Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād and said, “May God set you right! Do you not see what these ignorant people are doing?” He replied, “Be quiet. If God’s Messenger, God bless him and grant him peace, were alive, condolences would be offered to him for her.”

Abū ʿUbayd Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān ibn Mūsā al-Marzubānī informed us: Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad the scribe narrated to us: Abū al-ʿAynāʾ Muḥammad ibn al-Qāsim narrated to us, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād ibn Abī Ḥanīfa attended the funeral of a woman from the descendants of ʿAlī in Kufa, while he was its judge. People crowded around her and touched her for blessing. A man approached Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād and said, “May God set you right! Do you not see what these ignorant people are doing?” He replied, “Be quiet. If God’s Messenger, God bless him and grant him peace, were alive, condolences would be offered to him for her.”