Full Name and Lineage
He is Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd al-Khaliq al-‘Ataki al-Basri, famously known as al-Bazzar. Al-Dhahabi described him as the Shaykh, Imam, and great Hafiz (hadith memorizer), author of the Musnad al-Kabir al-Mu’allal in which he explained the chains of transmission.
Birth and Upbringing He was born in the city of Basra around the year 213 AH (c. 828 CE). Al-Dhahabi noted that he was “born sometime after 210 AH,” suggesting he was born in the mid-3rd century AH. He grew up in Basra, where he began studying hadith in his youth and rose to prominence among the leading hadith scholars of his time.
Teachers Imam al-Bazzar studied under numerous senior hadith scholars in Basra and elsewhere. Some of his most notable teachers include:
- Hudbah ibn Khalid al-Qaysi (Abu Khalid)
- ‘Abd al-A’la ibn Hammad al-Narsi
- ‘Abdullah ibn Mu’awiyah al-Jumahi
- Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Fayyad al-Zamani
- Muhammad ibn Ma’mar al-Qaysi
- Bishr ibn Ma’adh al-‘Aqadi
- ‘Isa ibn Harun al-Qurashi
- Sa’id ibn Yahya al-Umawi
- ‘Abdullah ibn Ja’far al-Barmaki
- ‘Amr ibn ‘Ali al-Fallas
- Ziyad ibn Ayyub
- Ahmad ibn al-Muqaddam al-‘Ajli
- Ibrahim ibn Sa’id al-Jawhari
- Muhammad ibn Bashshar (Bandar of Basra)
- Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna al-Zaman
…and many more. The diversity and number of his teachers show that he traveled widely seeking hadith.
Students and Those Who Narrated From Him He taught and dictated hadith to many students across the Islamic world. His most notable students include:
- Abu al-Qasim Sulayman ibn Ahmad al-Tabarani (author of the three Mu’jams)
- Abu al-Shaykh al-Asbahani
- Ibn Qani’
- Abu Bakr al-Khatli
- Ahmad ibn Ja’far ibn Sallam
- ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad al-Kisa’i
- Abu Muslim ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad al-Siyar
…and many others. One of his sessions was reported to have included narrations from over 20 of his direct students.
Journeys and Teaching
Though he lived much of his life in Basra and Baghdad, he traveled in his later years to various regions teaching hadith, including Isfahan, Baghdad, Egypt, Mecca, and Ramla (in Palestine). Al-Dhahabi said: “He traveled in old age spreading his hadith and taught in Isfahan, Baghdad, Egypt, Mecca, and Ramla.”
Major Works
His most famous work is the Musnad al-Kabir, also known as al-Bahr al-Zakhkhar, in which he collected hadiths and commented on their chains and defects. He also compiled a smaller Musnad. Other attributed works include a commentary on the Muwatta’ of Imam Malik, a book on salawat upon the Prophet (peace be upon him), and a treatise on intoxicants.
Methodology in Hadith
Al-Bazzar was especially known for identifying and explaining defects (al-‘ilal) in hadith chains. However, he relied heavily on his memory when narrating, which led to occasional mistakes. Al-Daraqutni said: “He is trustworthy but makes many errors, relying on memory.” He narrated his Musnad in Egypt without his original books, which resulted in numerous errors, as reported by critics.
Scholarly Status
Despite some critiques, he was widely respected and recognized as a leading hadith authority. Abu al-Shaykh al-Asbahani said: “He was one of the great hadith preservers of the world.” In Isfahan, it was said that no one after ‘Ali ibn al-Madini was more knowledgeable in hadith than him.
Comments by Hadith Critics
- Al-Daraqutni: “Trustworthy, but errs often due to reliance on memory.”
- Abu Ahmad al-Hakim: “He makes mistakes in isnad and matn.”
- Al-Nasa’i: Criticized him (exact phrase not preserved).
- Ibn Younus: “A hadith hafiz; he died in Ramla in 292 AH.”
- Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi: “He was a trustworthy hadith master and explained the chains of transmission.”
- Al-Dhahabi: “Famous and truthful.”
- Ibn Hajar: Echoed Al-Dhahabi and noted his remarkable memory.
Death
He died in Ramla (Palestine) in Rabi’ al-Awwal, 292 AH (c. 905 CE) at the age of approximately 79. His death occurred while on a journey to disseminate hadith.
Conclusion
Imam Abu Bakr al-Bazzar was a distinguished hadith master of the 3rd century AH. Though criticized for relying too heavily on memory, his wide travels, significant contributions to hadith literature, and compilation of a massive Musnad make him one of the important transmitters in Islamic scholarship. His Musnad remains a valuable source for unique hadiths and critical analysis.
Wa salla’Llahu `alaa khayri khalqihi Sayyidina Muhammad wa `alaa aalihi wa sahbihi wa sallam
Sources:
Adh-Dhahabi: Siyar Aalaam An-Nubalaa, Tadhkirat al-Huffaazh
As-Suyuti: Tabaqaat al-Huffaazh
Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi: Tarikh Baghdad
Ibn Hajar: Lisaan al-Meezaan
Abu Shaykh: Tabaqaat al-Muhadiththeen bi-Asbahaan
