Ibn Majah
Ibn Majah (Arabic: ابن ماجه) (c. 824 – 887 CE / c. 209 – 273 AH) was a prominent Persian Islamic scholar of hadith. His full name was Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Majah al-Raba'i al-Qazwini. He is best known for compiling one of the six canonical hadith collections in Sunni Islam, known as Sunan Ibn Majah.
Biography
Ibn Majah was born in Qazvin (present-day Iran). He dedicated his life to the study and collection of hadith. He traveled extensively throughout the regions of Khorasan, Iraq, the Hijaz (Mecca and Medina), Syria, and Egypt seeking narrations. He sought knowledge from various scholars and collected a vast number of hadith.
Works
- Sunan Ibn Majah: This is his most famous work, a collection of hadith that covers various topics of Islamic law, theology, and ethics. It is considered one of the six most authoritative hadith collections (Kutub al-Sittah) in Sunni Islam, although its inclusion in the canonical six is a matter of some scholarly debate. Some scholars consider Muwatta Imam Malik to be a more authentic collection. Sunan Ibn Majah contains over 4,000 hadith. It is organized into chapters covering different subjects.
- Tafsir Ibn Majah: A commentary on the Quran. Details about the extent and contents of this work are limited and some sources suggest it is either lost or was incomplete.
- Tarikh Ibn Majah: A history book. Details about this book are also limited.
Significance
Ibn Majah's significance lies primarily in his compilation of the Sunan Ibn Majah. Although some hadith within this collection are considered weaker in authenticity compared to those found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the Sunan Ibn Majah preserves a significant number of hadith that are not found in the other major collections. He is remembered as a diligent collector and transmitter of hadith who contributed significantly to the preservation and understanding of Islamic tradition.
Legacy
Ibn Majah is revered by Sunni Muslims as a respected scholar of hadith. His Sunan continues to be studied and referenced by scholars and students of Islamic law and theology worldwide.