The Biography of Imam Muslim: His Life, Teachers, and Sahih Muslim

“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)

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

“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)

May Allah ﷻ bless and grant peace to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

To proceed: Welcome, my brothers and sisters, to a new episode

in this series, "Biography of an Imam."

Today, I will talk about one of the truly great personalities

whose memory Allah Almighty has immortalized and whose legacy He has preserved.

He is one of the great scholars of Hadith, Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Naysaburi,

the master of Hadith memorization, the truthful authority,

Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim ibn Ward al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi.

Of course, Imam Muslim (RH)

is well-known to all Muslims.

Usually, when Imam al-Bukhari is mentioned, Imam Muslim is also mentioned.

Imam Muslim's lineage traces back to Qushayr

ibn Ka'b ibn Rabi'ah ibn 'Amir ibn Sa'sa'ah.

Of course, this is a large, well-known Arab tribe,

to which many scholars belong.

Nishapur is a famous city in the East, in Khorasan,

one of its finest cities, rich in knowledge and goodness.

It has produced a large number of scholars

through whom Allah ﷻ benefited Islam and its people.

By the way, not everyone who lived in Transoxiana

had no connection to, for example, the Hijaz or Arab tribes.

Rather, the origins of most scholars of Hadith are Arab, tracing back to Arab tribes.

But due to the migration that occurred and the conquests that took place, they moved to those lands.

Imam Muslim (RH)

was born after 200 AH, meaning approximately in the year 204 or 206 AH.

Scholars differ regarding the year of his birth.

Imam Muslim grew up in a home of knowledge, piety, and righteousness.

His father, Al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim al-Qushayri, was a man who loved...

of knowledge and scholars, and this influenced the personality of Imam Muslim.

Therefore, Imam Muslim lived in this environment and atmosphere

which was filled with love for scholars and knowledge,

observing how his father valued and respected scholars.

For this reason, Imam Muslim (RH) began seeking knowledge at an early age,

before he had even exceeded twelve years of age,

until Al-Dhahabi, the historian of Islam, said:

'His first hearing was in the year 218 AH from Yahya ibn Yahya al-Tamimi,

and he performed Hajj in the year 220 AH while still beardless.

'Amrad' means no hair had yet appeared on his face,

which indicates his young age.

Of course, Imam Muslim (RH)—

Al-Hakim al-Naysaburi said of him: 'I heard Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami say:

"I saw a sheikh with a handsome face and fine clothes,

wearing a fine cloak and a turban let down between his shoulders. It was said, 'This is Muslim.'

Then the ruler's men came forward and said,

'The Commander of the Faithful has ordered Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj to be the Imam of the Muslims.'

So they brought him forward in the mosque, he said the takbeer and led the people in prayer.'"

Al-Hakim said: "I heard my father say:

"'I saw Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj teaching in a hostel he named.

He was of full stature, with white hair and beard,

letting the end of his turban hang between his shoulders.

He used to work in the trade of al-bazz, which is cloth.

He was well-off and generous to the people of Nishapur,

spending abundantly on his brothers among the students of Hadith.

This wealth helped him devote himself to seeking knowledge and traveling for its sake.'"

Imam Muslim (RH)...

If we want to discover the scholars under whom he studied,

I think, as is the rule, it is very difficult to list and enumerate

the teachers or students of Imam Muslim (RH).

Imam Muslim (RH), of course, studied under a large number of scholars,

because he followed the path of students of knowledge in

traveling between circles of knowledge and learning from teachers,

as well as journeying in pursuit of knowledge.

In Mecca, he heard from 'Abdullah bin Maslamah al-Qa'nabi,

who was the oldest teacher of Imam Muslim (RH),

and he heard from Yahya bin Yahya al-Naysaburi,

and he heard from Qutaybah bin Sa'id and Sa'id bin Mansur,

and from Ahmad bin Hanbal and Ishaq bin Rahwayh,

and Abu Khaythamah Zuhayr bin Harb,

and Abu Kurayb Muhammad bin al-Ala',

and Abu Musa Muhammad bin al-Muthanna, and Hannad bin al-Sari,

And Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Abi Umar,

and Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Dhahali, whose story we mentioned — you may remember —

in the trial that happened to Imam al-Bukhari.

He was of the people of Hadith and trustworthy, but jealousy...

it was jealousy that caused the rift between him and Imam al-Bukhari.

Also, among the teachers of Imam Muslim was Ali ibn al-Madini,

and also Ali ibn al-Ja'd,

and Abdullah al-Darimi, and Ishaq al-Kawsaj,

and Muhammad ibn Muthanna al-Anazi,

and many others, exceeding two hundred.

And among his most famous teachers

is well-known: Imam al-Bukhari (RH).

Yet, strangely, he did not narrate a single Hadith from him in the Sahih.

Meaning, he did not narrate a single Hadith from al-Bukhari.

And it was said that the reason for this

was that he wanted a high chain, as he met most of al-Bukhari's teachers,

since he was almost a peer of al-Bukhari, though he studied under him,

but he sought a high chain of narration, which was, of course, a goal.

...the goal of every Hadith scholar: to have between himself and...

...the Prophet ﷺ only two, three, or four narrators, for example.

It was also said that he intended to narrate what Al-Bukhari did not,

meaning for this reason, because he wanted a high chain of narration.

Of course, they mentioned another reason,

which is the fitnah that occurred between

Imam al-Bukhari and Muhammad ibn Yahya ad-Duhali,

who was the Sheikh of both al-Bukhari and Muslim.

So he did not narrate from ad-Duhali, nor did he narrate from al-Bukhari,

so that his book would spread, because

the fitnah at that time had reached its peak, we seek refuge in Allah.

We ask Allah for well-being and safety.

And Allah ﷻ knows best the intention of Muslim (in this).

Of course, as I mentioned, the students of Imam Muslim

are numerous in number.

But the most famous of those who narrated from Imam Muslim

is Salih ibn Muhammad Jazara,

and Muhammad ibn 'Isa al-Tirmidhi, author of al-Jami';

Ibrahim ibn Abi Talib; and Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Sufyan al-Faqih, the narrator of the Sahih;

and 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hatim; Abu Bakr ibn Khuzaymah; and Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Sa'id;

and al-Hafiz Abu 'Awanah; al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Qabbani;

and Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Nadr ibn Salamah al-Jarudi;

and 'Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Razi as well, and many, many others whose number cannot possibly be counted.

Imam Muslim (RH)

was trusted by everyone,

which is why the scholars praised him and agreed upon his status in knowledge and memorization.

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim al-Hanzali ibn Rahwayh, known as Ibn Rahwayh, said: "We will never lack goodness

as long as Allah ﷻ keeps you alive for the Muslims."

He said to Imam Muslim: "We shall not lack goodness as long as Allah ﷻ keeps you alive for the Muslims."

And Ahmad ibn Salamah said—do you remember Ahmad ibn Salamah?

Ahmad ibn Salamah, who left with Imam al-Bukhari when the fitnah occurred, and was one of al-Bukhari's students.

Ahmad ibn Salamah said: "I saw Abu Zur'ah and Abu Hatim—of course, the two Razis—

preferring Muslim in the knowledge of Sahih over the scholars of their era."

And Ibn Abi Hatim said: "Muslim was trustworthy, one of the huffaz,

I wrote from him in Rayy, and he had knowledge of Hadith."

As for Muhammad ibn Bashshar, he said: "The huffaz of the world are four:

Abu Zur'ah in Rayy, Muslim in Nishapur, Abd al-Rahman al-Darimi in Samarkand, and Muhammad ibn Isma'il in Bukhara."

And Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab al-Farra' said:

"Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj is one of the scholars, and one of the vessels of knowledge,

and I have known nothing of him but good."

Al-Hafidh Ibn 'Uqdah said,

when asked about al-Bukhari and Muslim: 'Muhammad was a scholar, and Muslim was a scholar.'

These are major Imams; how did they praise these scholars?

Al-Khatib said about Imam Muslim: 'He was one of the Imams of Hadith memorizers.'

As for Ibn Abd al-Barr al-Qurtubi (RH), he said: 'They agreed on his greatness'—meaning Imam Muslim—

'...they agreed on his greatness, leadership, and high status. The greatest proof of that is his Sahih book,

which has no equal before or after it in terms of excellent arrangement and summarization of Hadith routes.'

Notice: 'excellent arrangement and summarization of Hadith routes,'

because they say that Muslim surpassed al-Bukhari in terms of arrangement.

Al-Bukhari (RH) would take the Hadiths and split them up,

which is why you find many repetitions in al-Bukhari.

in Sahih Al-Imam Al-Bukhari, he splits the Hadiths according to the chapters.

Muslim, on the other hand, gathers the Hadiths in one place.

So they said that Muslim surpassed Al-Bukhari in the excellence of organization, as I will mention.

For this reason, Ibn Hajar (RH) says about Imam Muslim:

"Trustworthy, a hafiz, an imam, an author, knowledgeable in fiqh."

As for Ishaq ibn Mansur al-Kawsaj,

he looked at Imam Muslim

and said to him: "We will never lack goodness as long as Allah ﷻ keeps you for the Muslims."

And I have mentioned this.

Al-Nawawi (RH) says:

"They all agreed on his greatness, his imamate, and his high rank in this craft,

and his precedence in it, and his deep mastery of it.

And among the greatest proofs of his greatness, his imamate, his piety, his character, and his deep grounding in the sciences of hadith,

and his vast knowledge of it — meaning his deep mastery of it — and his versatility in it,

is his book al-Sahih, unmatched before or after in excellence of arrangement

and the summarizing of the chains of hadith without addition or omission."

Al-Nawawi also says in another place:

"Know that Muslim (RH) is one of the prominent imams of this field,

and among the foremost experts in it, people of memorization and precision,

who traveled to seek it from the imams of various regions and countries,

and who is recognized as preeminent in it without dispute among the people of knowledge,

whose book is referred to, and relied upon in all times."

As for the historian of Islam, Al-Dhahabi (RH), he said:

"Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, the Imam, the Hafiz, the Proof of Islam,"

Scholars have titled him 'Al-Hafiz', and this title is not granted,

nor is a scholar given this title unless he has memorized a huge amount of Hadiths,

which they differed in defining, its minimum being one thousand Hadiths, and its maximum three hundred thousand.

Imam Muslim (RH) followed the creed of the righteous Salaf.

Therefore, he mentioned in his introduction—the introduction to the Sahih—

what indicates he follows the methodology of the Companions, Tabi'un, and righteous Salaf.

Therefore, he began his Sahih with the Book of Faith (Kitab al-Iman),

including in it the hadiths in which he refutes those who deviated

from the way of the Prophet ﷺ and the way of the noble Companions (RA).

Abu al-Abbas Taqi al-Din, Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (RH), says:

"Were al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah,

Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi, al-Darimi, al-Bazzar, al-Daraqutni, al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Khuzaymah, and Abu Ya'la al-Mawsili—

were they mujtahids

who did not follow any of the Imams, or were they followers?

And did any of them affiliate with the madhhab of Abu Hanifah?"

...to the end of the question. He (RH) answered,

saying: "Praise be to Allah ﷻ, Lord of the worlds."

As for al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud, they are two imams in fiqh from the people of ijtihad.

As for Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah,

Ibn Khuzaymah, Abu Ya'la, al-Bazzar, and the like follow the madhhab of the People of Hadith.

They are not muqallids of any specific scholar,

nor are they absolute mujtahids;

rather, they incline toward the views of the imams of Hadith, such as al-Shafi'i, Ahmad, Ishaq, Abu 'Ubayd, and the like.

The response of Shaykh al-Islam is longer than this, but this is a summary.

As for Imam Muslim (RH), he has various works;

he authored many books, including, for example, this famous book, Al-Sahih, which is his most famous work.

He has a book called 'Al-Tamyiz'.

He has 'Kitab al-Ilal', 'Kitab al-Wahdan', 'Kitab al-Afrad', 'Kitab al-Aqran',

'Kitab Sualatihi li-Ahmad ibn Hanbal', 'Kitab 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb 'an Abihi 'an Jaddihi',

'Kitab al-Intifa' bi-Uhub al-Siba'',

'Kitab Mashayikh Malik', 'Kitab Mashayikh al-Thawri',

'Kitab Mashayikh Shu'bah', 'Kitab Man Laysa Lahu illa Rawin Wahid',

also 'Kitab al-Mukhadramin', 'Kitab Awlad al-Sahabah' (RA), 'Kitab Awham al-Muhaddithin',

he also has 'Kitab al-Tabaqat' and 'Kitab Afrad al-Shamiyyin'.

Of course, the Sahih is the most famous work of Imam Muslim,

just like Imam al-Bukhari, as we mentioned that people only know the Sahih of Imam al-Bukhari, whereas he has

many other books, and likewise Imam Muslim (RH).

Therefore, since the Sahih is the most famous of Imam Muslim's books, I will pause to discuss it in a few points.

First, regarding the Sahih, Sahih Imam Muslim,

its real name is "Al-Musnad Al-Sahih Al-Mukhtasar min Al-Sunan."

It became famous as Sahih Muslim, as we mentioned regarding Sahih al-Bukhari.

Imam Muslim authored it in his hometown, spending nearly fifteen years or slightly more to compile it.

The number of hadiths in Sahih Al-Imam Muslim is approximately 4,000,

excluding repetitions, as there are sometimes repetitions.

He did not mention its count with repetitions, but it

exceeds the count of Sahih al-Bukhari due to the abundance of its chains, as he brings all the chains.

When he mentions the hadiths in a chapter, he brings all the chains of transmission.

Abu al-Fadl Ahmad ibn Salamah said, regarding Sahih Muslim, that it reached twelve thousand hadiths.

And Imam Muslim says: "I compiled this Sahih Musnad from three hundred thousand heard Hadiths."

And Makki ibn 'Abdan says: "I heard Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj say: 'If the scholars of Hadith were to write

Hadith for two hundred years, their reliance would still be on this Musnad,' meaning the Sahih Musnad of Imam Muslim."

Of course, the reason for compiling his Sahih book was actually to answer a question from one of his students,

where he said in the introduction of the Sahih: "Then we shall, if Allah ﷻ wills, begin compiling what you asked

to compile, upon a condition that I will mention to you."

And this indicates that there was someone who asked him, "Why don't you write on the Sahih?"

And also, what had spread at that time of books filled with weak,

fabricated, rejected, and flimsy Hadiths.

He (RH) said: "But because of what we know

...about people spreading reports with weak and unknown chains of narration,

and passing them on to the common people who do not know their defects,

it became easy for us to grant your request.

May Allah have mercy on him. He saw the reality that...

there were those who promoted weak, fabricated, and rejected hadiths,

and the common people began to receive them.

So he rose to this great task,

and from this standing for Allah ﷻ with sincerity, by Allah's permission, came this great, monumental project.

Al-Hafiz Ibn al-Salah says in 'Siyanat Sahih Muslim', speaking...

...about Muslim's condition in his Sahih. In summary, he says:

Imam Muslim's condition is that the hadith must have a connected chain of narration,

transmitted by reliable narrators from beginning to end, free from irregularity and defect,

and this is generally the definition of a Sahih hadith.

So, every hadith that meets these criteria is definitively ruled Sahih by the scholars of hadith.

Of course, scholars have discussed the issue of preference between the two Sahihs,

while agreeing they are the two most authentic books after the Book of Allah ﷻ.

Regarding this preference, scholars have differed on the preference between Sahih of Imam Al-Bukhari and Sahih of Imam Muslim.

This preference does not mean undermining either of these two books or detracting from them.

Therefore, the poet says: "People disputed in my presence regarding Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and they said...

...which of the two is superior?"

"I said: Al-Bukhari has surpassed in authenticity, just as Muslim has surpassed in the beauty of structure."

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (RH) says:

"There is no doubt that Al-Bukhari is preferred,

are preferred over the people of their era and those after them among the Imams of this art in knowing the authentic and the defective hadith.

For they do not differ that Ali ibn al-Madini was the most knowledgeable of his peers in hadith defects,

and from him Al-Bukhari took that, to the point that he used to say, 'I never felt myself insignificant before anyone except Ali ibn al-Madini.'"

Of course, scholars paid great attention to Sahih Al-Imam Muslim, after the Book of Allah ﷻ,

and after Sahih Al-Imam al-Bukhari. In fact, we can say they paid great attention to the Two Sahihs.

I previously mentioned their attention to Sahih Al-Imam al-Bukhari, but [Sahih] Muslim

was also given great attention through commentaries,

abridgments, annotations, Mustadraks, and so on.

For example, we have Al-Mufhim fi Sharh Muslim by Abd al-Ghafir ibn Ishaq al-Farisi.

We have the book of al-Mazari,

and we also have al-Nawawi's commentary on Muslim.

Indeed, we have many commentaries, either titled "Commentary on Sahih Al-Imam Muslim"

or, for example, "Al-Minhaj fi Sharh Sahih Muslim" by al-Nawawi (RH).

and "Ikmal al-Ikmal" by Abu al-Ruh Isa ibn...

...'Isa al-Zawawi al-Maliki, for example.

In fact, there are many commentaries that a student of knowledge can refer to

through a specific index, for example.

Of course, Abu 'Awanah al-Isfarayini extracted his Hadiths based on Sahih Al-Imam Muslim,

and he included many independent Hadiths within the chapters that Muslim did not narrate in the Sahih,

and the author noted many of them regarding the grade of the Hadith.

The author divided his book into books of Fiqh,

then he divided each section into chapters, and in each chapter he cited a number of Hadiths.

Of course, the texts in Sahih Al-Imam Muslim

reached more than seven thousand narrated texts,

And of course, Sahih Al-Imam Muslim contains many beautiful aspects in its excellent phrasing and arrangement, as we mentioned.

And also, Imam Muslim's understanding of hadiths according to their principles.

For example—and the examples are many—

what relates to Mu'awiyah (RA).

Of course, Imam Muslim narrated a hadith from the Prophet ﷺ

when he called for Mu'awiyah and they said, "He is eating," and the Prophet ﷺ said: "May Allah not fill his stomach."

Muslim mentioned this under the virtues of Mu'awiyah (RA).

We notice the apparent meaning of the hadith: "May Allah not fill his stomach" or "your stomach"

he mentioned it under the virtues of Mu'awiyah, even though it appears to be a supplication against him.

Therefore, he considered it in his favor, not against him.

Therefore, Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (RH) said, commenting on this hadith:

"Indeed, Mu'awiyah benefited from this supplication in this world and the Hereafter. And as for..."

As for the Hereafter, Muslim followed this Hadith

with the Hadith narrated by him, al-Bukhari, and others through multiple chains

from a group of Companions (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“O Allah, I am only a human being. So, any servant whom I have insulted, flogged, or cursed, and who did not deserve that,”

“make that an expiation and a means of nearness by which he may draw close to You on the Day of Resurrection.”

By combining the first Hadith and this Hadith, Muslim established a known virtue for Mu'awiyah,

and he did not narrate any other virtue for him.

There is no doubt that whoever delves into this Sahih

and reads the explanations of Sahih Imam Muslim will find amazing things.

Of course, Imam Muslim (RH)

passed away on the twenty-fifth of Rajab in the year 261 AH,

Ibn al-Salah actually mentioned a strange and unusual cause for the death of Imam Muslim.

He said: "His death had a strange cause, which arose from intense scholarly absorption."

How? He narrated with his chain of transmission to al-Hakim,

who said: "I heard Abu Abdillah Muhammad ibn Yaqub say: I heard Ahmad ibn Salamah say:

'A gathering for discussion was held for Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj,

and a hadith was mentioned to him that he did not know.'

Of course, a scholar, especially a specialist, gets distressed if something is mentioned to him and he doesn't know it.

So he went home, lit the lamp, and said to those in the house: "None of you must enter this room."

He was told: "We have been gifted a basket of dates." He said: "Bring it to me." So they brought it to him.

He began searching for the hadith, taking one date after another and chewing them,

In the morning, the dates were gone, and he had found the Hadith.

Al-Hakim said: "A trustworthy companion added that he fell ill from this and died."

Glory be to Allah, the Almighty. Did his blood sugar rise, for example?

Did he have some underlying condition he was unaware of?

But this is the way of Allah ﷻ, and this was his appointed time.

The causes are many, but death is one.

May Allah have mercy on Imam Muslim (RH), be pleased with him, and peace be upon him among the worlds.

I ask Allah to gather us with him, the Prophet ﷺ, and the noble companions in the Gardens of Pleasure.

And to another figure of knowledge in the next gathering, by the power of Allah.

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.