Biography of Imam Abu Dawud: The Life of the Great Hadith Master
In this episode of the Biography of an Imam series, the speaker explores the life of Imam Abu Dawud (may Allah ﷻ have mercy on him), the author of the famous Sunan. The lecture details his lineage, his travels to centers of knowledge like Baghdad and Khorasan, and his close companionship with Imam Ahmad. It also highlights his prominent students and the high praise he received from scholars.
“And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allāh,
from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.” (Quran 35:28)
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
“In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.”
“[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds -” (Quran 1:1-2)
...of the worlds. And peace and blessings
be upon the most noble of prophets and messengers,
our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his family, companions, and followers.
To proceed, may Allah ﷻ welcome you, my brothers and sisters,
to a new episode of this program, "Biography of an Imam."
My talk today and my meeting with you will be about
the exemplary scholar, author of beautiful classifications and profound works,
the undisputed Imam of the people of Hadith in his era,
the Sheikh of the Sunnah and foremost of the memorizers,
the Hadith scholar and jurist, Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath ibn Ishaq
ibn Bashir ibn Shaddad al-Azdi al-Sijistani.
Of course, Abu Dawud is known as Abu Dawud; he is only known by this kunyah, Abu Dawud,
and he is the author of the famous Sunan (RH).
He was born in Sijistan,
and Sijistan is, in fact, a region
located today approximately in the south or southwest of Afghanistan.
He was born, may Allah ﷻ have mercy on him, in the year 202,
that is, the year 202 of the Hijrah of the Prophet ﷺ.
If we look at the family of Imam Abu Dawud,
we find that he had a brother named Muhammad,
who was Abu Dawud's companion on his scholarly journeys.
Surprisingly, he was older than Abu Dawud,
yet he accompanied him on his journeys, and died some time before Abu Dawud.
Also, Abu Dawud had a son named Abu Bakr Abdullah ibn Abi Dawud,
who was one of the greatest Hadith memorizers in Baghdad, and a precise scholar.
He was an Imam, son of an Imam; they mentioned he wrote a book called Al-Masabih.
Of course, he participated...
This Abu Bakr shared with his father in his teachers in Egypt and the Levant,
and heard Hadith in Baghdad and Khorasan,
and he followed the way of his father.
Of course, Abu Dawud (RH) traveled around the countries
and journeyed, as was the custom of the scholars,
in what is called 'the journey in search of Hadith',
and he acquired a good portion of Hadith.
Imam Abu Dawud grew up in a pure upbringing,
and the early stages of his life heralded the birth of an imam among the imams of knowledge,
as he was born with a love for knowledge and scholars.
And by the success granted by Allah ﷻ to Abu Dawud,
was that he lived in a time when the science of Hadith had reached its peak,
where the giants of knowledge, such as Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Yahya ibn Ma'in, and Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah,
and Ishaq ibn Rahawayh,
and also the two Razis: Abu Hatim al-Razi and Abu Zur'ah al-Razi,
likewise al-Bukhari (RH), and also
Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Dhuhali and Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri.
All of these were met by Abu Dawud (RH), and he learned from them.
This shows that during the time period in which Abu Dawud (RH) lived, he indeed
was blessed with these giants of knowledge, of Hadith.
But was Abu Dawud content with learning only from the scholars of his own land?
Not at all; rather, he followed the way of the scholars, as I mentioned, in traveling to seek knowledge,
considering it a jihad in the cause of Allah. Therefore, he traveled to scholars and countries,
He did not hear of a land where there was a scholar except that he traveled to it,
and learned from a very large number of scholars when he was at the beginning of his life,
(RH), to the extent that they mentioned he was not over eighteen.
He arrived in Baghdad in the year 220 AH,
then he traveled to Egypt, the Hijaz, ash-Sham, and the two Iraqs.
By "the two Iraqs" they meant Kufa and Basra, and Khurasan,
to the point that Al-Hafiz al-Mizzi said:
"Abu Dawud was one of those who traveled, journeyed, collected, compiled, and wrote
from the Iraqis, Khurasanis, Syrians, Egyptians, Hijazis, people of al-Jazirah, and others."
His teachers—meaning those he learned from—none can enumerate them except Allah ﷻ.
Therefore, we can say that Imam Abu Dawud (RH)
met, learned from, and narrated from major scholars,
among them, as I mentioned, Imam Ahmad (RH) and the rest of the Imams.
However, he had a special connection to Imam Ahmad,
because he closely accompanied Imam Ahmad and was influenced by him, to the point that
he came to resemble Imam Ahmad in his guidance, demeanor, and approach to knowledge.
He was counted among the first rank of the companions of Imam Ahmad,
to the extent that the historian of Islam, Al-Hafiz Al-Dhahabi (RH),
counted him among the elite companions of Imam Ahmad (RH).
For this reason, he has the "Masail of Imam Ahmad"; that is, he has a compiled work named "Masail of Imam Ahmad" by Abu Dawud.
Of course, his teachers, as I mentioned, are many,
such as Yahya ibn Ma'in, this Imam who was a peer of Imam Ahmad,
and also Abu
Zakariya Al-Marri,
and Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Qa'nab Al-Qa'nabi—this Abdullah ibn Muslim,
he was one of the teachers of many scholars
from the people of knowledge who compiled works.
Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Qa'nab Al-Qa'nabi was their teacher, and he is among the highly trustworthy and reliable narrators.
Also, Musaddad ibn Musarhad ibn Musarbal Al-Asadi Al-Basri,
and also Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Hudhali.
and al-Khallal, al-Halwani, and Qutaybah ibn Sa'id al-Thaqafi,
This Qutaybah ibn Sa'id is the shaykh of the authors of the Six Books (RH),
and also Sa'id ibn Mansur, the author of Al-Sunan,
and Hannad ibn al-Sari ibn Mus'ab al-Darimi al-Kufi,
and also Muhammad ibn al-'Ala' ibn Kurayb,
and the trustworthy Hafiz, Muhammad ibn Kathir al-'Abdi al-Basri,
and 'Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Nufayl al-Harrani,
and 'Uthman ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Shaybah al-'Absi, and Muslim ibn Ibrahim al-Azdi al-Farahidi.
In fact, if I wanted to go on mentioning the teachers of Abu Dawud, I think we would deviate from our purpose.
But I have highlighted his most prominent teachers, these giants who are well-known,
these trustworthy, reliable, mountain-like scholars, may Allah ﷻ have mercy on them.
When we come to the students of Imam Abu Dawud, may Allah ﷻ have mercy on him as well,
we cannot restrict or count them, because they scattered across various lands.
The journeys undertaken by Abu Dawud make it absolutely certain
show that just as he sought knowledge, it was also sought from him.
And just as he sat in the circles of scholars, others sat with him.
Therefore, we cannot really say, "By Allah, the number of Imam Abu Dawud's students is such and such."
But we will mention the most prominent of these students who closely accompanied Imam Abu Dawud.
Among them, for example, is Abu 'Ali Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn 'Amr al-Basri al-Lu'lu'i.
Regarding this al-Lu'lu'i, when al-Dhahabi wrote his biography, what did he say?
He said: "The Imam, the Muhaddith, the truthful, Abu 'Ali al-Lu'lu'i...
...had read the book of al-Sunan to Abu Dawud for twenty years."
And he was called the warraq of Abu Dawud.
Glory be to Allah, the Magnificent! This is from the blessing of Allah ﷻ
upon these students, that they were guided to such scholars.
Likewise, among the students of Imam Abu Dawud
is Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Razzaq ibn Dasah al-Basri al-Tammar.
Al-Dhahabi (RH) said of him when writing his biography:
"The trustworthy Sheikh, the scholar."
He said: "He was the last to narrate the Sunan in its entirety from Abu Dawud."
Therefore, this copy of Ibn Dasah is of great value to the scholars.
Likewise, Abu Sa'id Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ziyad ibn Bishr ibn Dirham ibn al-A'rabi.
Also, when Al-Dhahabi (RH) wrote his biography, he said:
"The Imam, the Hadith scholar, the role model, the truthful, the Hafiz, Sheikh al-Islam."
Subhan Allah! He said: "Sheikh al-Islam,"
and in another place he said: "He was trustworthy and precise."
This is one of the students of Imam Abu Dawud (RH).
Likewise, Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad...
...al-Warraq, as well as Abu 'Isa Ishaq ibn Musa ibn Sa'id al-Ramli,
and Abu Salim Muhammad ibn Sa'id ibn Hammad ibn Mahan al-Jaludi,
and Abu Usamah Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik ibn Yazid al-Rawwas,
and also Abu 'Amr Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn Hasan, known as Ibn Khamrah,
and also Abu al-Tayyib Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ushnani al-Baghdadi,
and also Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Salman ibn al-Hasan ibn Isra'il al-Baghdadi al-Hanbali,
known as al-Najjad,
and Abu 'Ubayd Muhammad ibn 'Ali ibn 'Uthman al-Ajurri, and al-Husayn ibn Idris al-Ansari al-Harawi.
In fact, as I mentioned to you, it is very difficult for me to list all the students of Imam Abu Dawud, but among his students...
Among the students of Imam Abu Dawud who narrated Hadith from him,
but did not narrate extensively, is Abu 'Isa Muhammad ibn 'Isa al-Tirmidhi,
the Imam, the Hafiz, author of Al-Jami'. Also among those who narrated
from Abu Dawud is An-Nasa'i, Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb
ibn 'Ali, Abu 'Abd ar-Rahman, the Imam, the Hafiz, author of Al-Sunan.
Also, among those who narrated from Abu Dawud was his sheikh, Imam Ahmad —
Ahmad ibn Hanbal — who narrated from him the hadith of Abu al-'Ashra' al-Darimi,
from his father, that the Prophet ﷺ
was asked about the 'Atira, and he approved of it.
He graded the hadith as hasan.
That is why Imam Ahmad narrated it through the chain of Abu Dawud.
Abu Bakr al-Khallal says:
Ahmad ibn Hanbal heard from him a single hadith.
And he was —
Abu Dawud would mention this and rightfully so — that his teacher,
Imam Ahmad, the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, took one hadith from him.
Through Imam Abu Dawud. Likewise among his students was Zakariyya ibn Yahya al-Saji,
the firm and reliable Imam, the hafidh — the hadith scholar of Basra.
And for that reason,
he praised his book — following the method of Imam Abu Dawud in authorship.
And others indeed among the students who truly inherited this
knowledge — and this is among the good deeds of Imam Abu Dawud (RH).
My brothers and sisters, it is no secret to you that Abu Dawud became famous for the book of Sunan — though Abu Dawud had many other works as well.
But subhan Allah al-'Adhim, some books — Allah ﷻ places His blessing in them,
though this does not mean blessing is absent from his other books. But Allah grants fame to it — as we mentioned regarding al-Bukhari.
Some people now, whose knowledge or reading is limited,
believe that al-Bukhari (RH) only wrote this book.
No — al-Bukhari (RH), may Allah bless him, likewise Imam Muslim (RH)...
and we mentioned this in their biographies.
But, glory be to Allah, Abu Dawud (RH) became famous for this Sunan,
to the extent that scholars praised him, mentioned this book, and explained its virtues.
For this reason, for example, the book of Sunan was praised by scholars.
Abu Dawud (RH) presented it to the leading scholars, and they approved of it.
Because of this, he became famous for it, so much so that it is now considered one of the Six Books.
Meaning, when the Six Books are mentioned, they are al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Sunan Abi Dawud, which comes in rank after al-Bukhari and Muslim, then
Sunan al-Tirmidhi, then al-Nasa'i, then Ibn Majah.
The scholars have discussions regarding the order, and also regarding Sunan Ibn Majah.
And when it is said, "Narrated by the four" or "Reported by the four," it refers to the authors of the Four Sunan: Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah.
Abu Dawud (RH) was described by those who wrote his biography...
...as being ascetic, pious, and worshipful.
Among what was mentioned about him is that he had one wide sleeve and one narrow sleeve.
This sleeve, which they used to carry things in—one wide sleeve and one narrow sleeve. He was asked, "May Allah have mercy on you, what is this?"
He replied, "The wide one is for books, and the other we do not need."
Among his sayings, which truly indicate his piety,
Abu Dawud said, "The hidden desire is the love of leadership."
"Hidden desire is the love of leadership."
During his youth, while seeking Hadith,
he sat in the gathering of some narrators, writing.
A man—one of the students next to him—approached his inkwell,
approached his inkwell and said to him, "May I take ink from this inkwell?"
He was asking permission. You know, the inkwell contains ink in which the pen is dipped to write.
He said to Abu Dawud, "May I take ink from this?"
So he turned to him and said,
"Do you not know that whoever seeks permission to use his brother's property has already incurred embarrassment and deprivation?"
From that day on, he was called "the Wise"—Abu Dawud the Wise.
He (RH) used to say:
"Whoever contents himself with simple clothing and simple food relieves his body."
Meaning,
whoever contents themselves with simple
clothing and simple food relieves their body.
Among his words of wisdom: "The best of speech is that which enters the ear without permission."
Glory be to Allah ﷻ, the Almighty. He says: "The best of speech is that which enters the ear," meaning,
of course, that which enters the physical ear without permission.
Scholars praised Imam Abu Dawud (RH) with remarkable praise; he became trusted by all people of knowledge.
In the next session, if Allah wills, by the power of Allah, I will mention some of what scholars said in praise of Abu Dawud (RH),
and we might also delve a bit into his book, the Sunan, to discover the treasures in this great book.
Until the next session. I leave you in the care of Allah. And peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.