Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī

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—indeed, preceding them in birth and age—was Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭaḥāwī, Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Salama al-Ṭaḥāwī. He lived in Egypt, where the leadership of Abū Ḥanīfa's companions culminated in him. He learned from Abū Jaʿfar ibn Abī ʿImrān, Judge Abū Khāzim, and a group of others. At the beginning of his legal studies he studied according to al-Shāfiʿī's doctrine. Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī related to me: The cause of his move to our companions' doctrines was that Abū Ibrāhīm al-Muzanī said to him one day, “By God, nothing will come of you.” Abū Jaʿfar was angered and felt affronted, and moved to Abū Jaʿfar ibn Abī ʿImrān. The first of his books that he composed was his abridgment, arranged according to al-Muzanī's book. When he finished it, he said, “God have mercy on Abū Ibrāhīm; if he were alive, he would make expiation for his oath.” Abū Jaʿfar had distinguished books, such as Ikhtilāf al-ʿUlamāʾ—no one produced its like—his large book on legal instruments, his book on the Qurʾan's rulings, his commentary on the meanings of transmitted reports, and other distinguished books. He died in 321 and was born in 238.

Of this generation—indeed, preceding them in birth and age—was Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭaḥāwī, Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Salama al-Ṭaḥāwī. He lived in Egypt, where the leadership of Abū Ḥanīfa's companions culminated in him. He learned from Abū Jaʿfar ibn Abī ʿImrān, Judge Abū Khāzim, and a group of others. At the beginning of his legal studies he studied according to al-Shāfiʿī's doctrine. Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī related to me: The cause of his move to our companions' doctrines was that Abū Ibrāhīm al-Muzanī said to him one day, “By God, nothing will come of you.” Abū Jaʿfar was angered and felt affronted, and moved to Abū Jaʿfar ibn Abī ʿImrān. The first of his books that he composed was his abridgment, arranged according to al-Muzanī's book. When he finished it, he said, “God have mercy on Abū Ibrāhīm; if he were alive, he would make expiation for his oath.” Abū Jaʿfar had distinguished books, such as Ikhtilāf al-ʿUlamāʾ—no one produced its like—his large book on legal instruments, his book on the Qurʾan's rulings, his commentary on the meanings of transmitted reports, and other distinguished books. He died in 321 and was born in 238.

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.

Abū al-Qāsim ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad the witness informed us: Makram related to us: Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Qurashī related to us: Shihāb ibn ʿAbbād related to us: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muṣʿab related to me: I saw the vertebrae of Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī’s back, like a sack of walnuts with the walnuts showing through the sack.

Abū al-Qāsim ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad the witness informed us: Makram related to us: Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Qurashī related to us: Shihāb ibn ʿAbbād related to us: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muṣʿab related to me: I saw the vertebrae of Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī’s back, like a sack of walnuts with the walnuts showing through the sack.

I heard our imam and teacher, Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī, say: The reason Ibn Samāʿa recorded the Nawādir from Muḥammad was that he saw him in a dream as though he were piercing needles. He sought an interpretation and was told, “This is a man who speaks wisdom; strive not to miss a single word from him.” At that point he began recording the Nawādir from him.

I heard our imam and teacher, Shaykh Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī, say: The reason Ibn Samāʿa recorded the Nawādir from Muḥammad was that he saw him in a dream as though he were piercing needles. He sought an interpretation and was told, “This is a man who speaks wisdom; strive not to miss a single word from him.” At that point he began recording the Nawādir from him.