Story of Imam Thabarani: Forgotten Palestinian Hadith Scholar

 

Source:Zulhusnimatresat.blogspot.com.

Today, we will discuss about Imam Thabarani, Palestinian Hadith Scholar who his name maybe dont popular such as other Hadith Scholars, such as Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, and other, but he make dictionary about several Hadith Scholars at this age. Please read this article until end and subscribe my blog for more informations about Islamic History and Civilizations. It is easy verb for you, but have big role for develop our blog that focuss at Islamic History and Civilizations. And, dont forget for read this article until end for get complete informations about this topic.

Imam Thabarani, has original name Sulayman Ahmad ibn Ayyub Abu Qasim at Thabarani al-Hafizh. He born at Acre, Palestine, at 260 Hijriyya /873 AD. According Imam Dhahabi, his mother originated from Acre. His father, Sulayman ibn Ahmad, is Hadith Enthusiasts. Sulayman, teach Hadiths to his son and according Imam Dhahabi, he studied Hadith first at Tiberias, Palestine.  At 274 Hijriyya, he visit Jerusalem, Palestine, and studied from Ahmad ibn Masoud al-Khayyath. At Caesarea, Palestine, he studied from Ibrahim ibn Abi Sufyan. At Acre, he studied from Ahmad al-Lahyani. Imam Thabarani, is patient man when studied. When studied, Imam Thabarani only sleep at Bawari  ( bamboo mat)  for 30 years.

He also visit several cities at Syria for studied Hadiths. He visit Aleppo, Homs, Jableh, and Damascus. He doing Hajj ( Islamic Pilgrim to Mecca) and at  280 Hijriyya, with his father, he studied at Yemen. And, also went to Egypt and Baghdad, Bashra, Isfahan, and Kufa. . Muhammad Shakur and Mahmud al-Hajj Amir, two editors from Imam Thabarani s book, Mujam as-Shagir, mention Imam Thabarani s teachers. From them: Syrian Scholar, Abu Zurah ad-Dimashqi, Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ad-Dabari, and also Ali ibn Abd Aziz al-Baghawi.  Muhammad Shakur and Mahmud al-Hajj Amir , mentuoned 9 scholar who became Imam Thabarani s teachers. They are top scholars at Hadiths at their age.  Imam Thabarani, has wide knowledge and also wide literatures.

Muhammad Shakur and Mahmud al Hajj said , Imam Thabarani doesnt only memorized Hadiths. He also memorized about Hadith Narrators and also Fiqh ( Islamic Laws).  It is, also have factor from Imam Thabarani s teachers. They are also expert at Hadiths, Fiqh, and also language. It is became factor why Imam Thabarani has wide knowledge . Imam Thabarani, also honest man. According Muhammad Shakur and Mahmud al Hajj, he ever doing mistake at Hadith s mention, but generally he is honest man and has competention at Hadith.

Imam Thabarani, write a dictionary about Hadith Scholars who became his teacher at his age . He discuss his teachers biography at this dictionary.  This book, named Al-Mujam as-Shagir.  At Al-Mujam, he mentioned his teachers name, their Hadiths, and their biography. They classificated according name. One chapter tell scholars who named Ahmad, other chapter tell scholars who named Ibrahim, and other. At his masterpiece, he tell about several Hadith Scholars, Hadith that their narrated to him, and notes  about their biography. It is, one unique masterpiece at Hadith s Knowledge.  He also write several books, such as Musnad Abu Hurayra, Musnad Shubah, Musnad Sufyan,  Kitab Hadith as-Shamiyin , Kitab at-Tafsir, ishratin Nisa, also Mujam al-Kabir and Mujam al-Awsath. He became Hadith Teacher at Isfahan, Iran.

At old age, he suffered blidness and he die at age of 100 years at Isfahan, Iran, May Allah Subhanahuwataala bless him.

Refrences:

Imam ad-Dzahabi: Siyar Alam an-Nubala: Mutiara Kisah Pilihan Orang-orang Cemerlang Dalam Sejarah Islam ( edisi ringkas oleh DR.Sulaiman al-Asyqar), Pustaka al-Kautsar, 2019 M.

Imam ath-Thabarani:  Al-Mujam as-Shagir Jilid 1 Bab Alif-Ain, tahqiq oleh Muhammad Syakur dan Mahmud al Hajj Amir. Pustaka Azzam, 2011 M.

Anshorullah, Abdil Ghufron: Biografi Imam Ath Thabrani, Ulama' Pakar Hadits Dan Tafsir Pada Abad 3 Hijriah - Khazanahimani, accesed 10 August 2025, 09: 34 AM.