Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
The Scholarly Biography of Imam Tirmidhi ‘May Allah Have Mercy on Him’ (Part 10)
Mentioning the Names and Nicknames of the Narrators
One of Imam Tirmidhi’s methods for identifying the identity and character of the narrators is by mentioning their names and nicknames. Sometimes, for further clarification, he provides the narrator’s nickname alongside their name, and at other times, in the chain of transmission of the hadith, he mentions the narrator’s nickname before explaining their real name.
In the chapter titled “What Came Out in the Excellence of the Call to Prayer,” he states: “And Abu Tamila’s name was Yahya bin Qa’id, and Abu Hamza al-Sukri’s name was Muhammad bin Maymun.” In the chapter “What Came Out in the Description of Prayer,” he writes: “And Abu Sa’id al-Maqbari’s name was Kaysan, and Sa’id al-Maqbari’s nickname was Abu Sa’d.”
In the chapter “What Came Out in the Prostration of Forgetfulness Before the Prayer,” he states: “And Abdullah bin Buhaina is Abdullah bin Malik bin Buhaina, Malik his father and Buhaina his mother.”
In the chapter “What Came in the Two Rak’ahs of Fajr from the Virtues,” he mentions: “Abu Ahmad al-Zubairi, whose name is Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Zubairi al-Asadi al-Kufi.”
In the chapter “What Came in the Virtues of Prayer Upon the Prophet, May Allah Bless Him and Grant Him Peace,” he says: “And al-Ala ibn Abd al-Rahman is ibn Ya’qub, who is the Master of the Fire.”
Conclusion
Based on the discussions presented in “A Brief Introduction to Imam Tirmidhi and His Jami’,” the following conclusions can be drawn:
Scientific Personality: Imam Tirmidhi, known by the title of Tirmidhi, is one of the most prominent scholars of hadith and the author of the book Jami’ al-Tirmidhi. He is recognized as an authority and guardian in the science of hadith.
Jami’ al-Tirmidhi: This book is one of the most important works on hadith and holds a special place among hadith literature due to Imam Tirmidhi’s unique method of organizing chapters and analyzing hadiths.
Scientific Rank: Jami’ al-Tirmidhi is regarded as the third most authoritative book of hadith after Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, enjoying high credibility within the corpus of Sahih al-Sittah.
Inference Method: In addition to benefiting from the opinions of his teachers, such as Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, Imam Tirmidhi employed his own inference and ijtihad methods, which are evident in the analysis and compilation of his book.
Imam Tirmidhi not only specialized in the science of hadith but also made significant contributions to the fields of jarh, ta’dil, and ilm al-rijal. Any researcher can appreciate this by examining and studying Jami’ al-Tirmidhi.
Distinct Features of Jami’ al-Tirmidhi:
This book is considered exemplary in several respects, including:
1. Order and Lack of Repetition: The hadiths are arranged systematically without unnecessary repetition.
2. Mentioning the Schools of Jurisprudence and Their Arguments: Imam Tirmidhi articulates various jurisprudential opinions and explains their underlying reasons.
3. Types of Hadith: Imam Tirmidhi examines hadiths concerning their authenticity, reliability, and causes, including categorizing them as authentic, good, weak, or strange.
4. Details About Narrators: This book provides comprehensive information about the narrators of hadiths.
Imam Tirmidhi’s Methods in Narrating Hadiths
After research, I found that Imam Tirmidhi employed the following four methods in narrating hadiths:
1. Collecting Multiple Chains of Transmission in a Single Context: He includes different chains of transmission for a hadith in one section.
2. Citing Several Hadith Chains: He presents multiple chains and provides the text of the hadith after the first chain.
3. Mentioning Each Hadith Chain with Its Text: He lists each chain alongside the corresponding text of the hadith.
4. Referring to Other Chains of Narration: He mentions a chain of narration while referring to other related chains.
Imam Tirmidhi’s Methods in Indicating the Hadiths Related to Chapters
Imam Tirmidhi used two methods for indicating the hadiths based on their relation to chapters:
1. Narrating Collections of Hadiths with Their Chains of Narration: He recounted related hadiths along with their complete chains.
2. Narrating a Hadith and Referring to Corroborating Hadiths: He narrated a hadith and directed attention to other hadiths that support its meaning.
Imam Tirmidhi’s Methods in Determining the Titles of Chapters
Imam Tirmidhi employed the following three methods for determining the titles and headings of chapters:
1. Clear and Lucid Titles: He used explicit titles that accurately reflect the content of the chapter.
2. Derived Titles: He chose titles based on the text of the hadith or its underlying meaning.
3. Chapter Titles Without Specific Denominations: In some instances, he referred to the chapter without providing a specific title.
Imam Tirmidhi’s Method in Expressing the Jurisprudence of Hadith
Imam Tirmidhi had a distinctive approach in expressing the jurisprudence of hadith that sets him apart:
1. Views and Actions of the Imams: He sometimes referenced the views and actions of the Imams to indicate jurisprudential rulings.
2. Consensus Among Scholars: In cases of scholarly consensus regarding the permissibility or prohibition of an action, he simply stated the title and translation of the chapter without discussing differing opinions.
Imam Tirmidhi’s Method in Preferring Opinions
Imam Tirmidhi used the following methods to express preference among scholarly opinions and support the more preferable view:
1. Preference Based on the Apparent Meaning of the Hadith: He considered the direct implications of hadith.
2. Preference Based on Jurisprudence Contained in the Hadith: He drew from the jurisprudential points derived from hadith.
3. Preference Based on Application and Interaction: He assessed how the hadith is applied and interacted with in practice.
Imam Tirmidhi’s Methods in Revision and Modification
Imam Tirmidhi also had specific methods for revision and modification. A detailed and comprehensive study of Tirmidhi can reveal these methods.\
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