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As-Suddi and Adh-Dhahhaak

Question

Who were the famous people As-Suddi and Adh-Dhahhaak whose names we find mentioned frequently in Tafseer literature? Who were some of their teachers and who were some of their students? Were they both based in Al-Koofah?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

As-Suddi: his name was Ismaa'eel Ibn 'Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abu Kareemah, and his nick name was Abu Muhammad Al-Hijaazi, from Koofah, the interpreter of the meaning of the Quran.

Among his Shaykhs were: Anas Ibn Maalik, Ibn 'Abbaas, 'Abd Khayr Al-Mahdaani  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them and Mus'ab Ibn Mus'ad, Abu Saalih Bathaam, Abu 'Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sulami may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them and others. It is said that he saw Abu Hurayrah and Al-Hassan Ibn 'Ali  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them.

Among his students were: Shu'bah, Sufyaan Ath-Thawri, Zaa'idah, Israa'eel, Abu 'Awaanah, Al-Mutlab Ibn Ziyaad, Asbaat Ibn Nasr, Abu Bakr Ibn 'Ayyaash, and others may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them.

He died in 127 A.H.

Adh-Dhahhaak: his name was Ibn Muzaahim Al-Hilaali and his nick name was Abu Muhammad, and it was said that it was Abul-Qaasim. He had massive knowledge, and was well-known for the field of interpreting the Quran.

Among his Shaykhs were: Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, Ibn 'Umar, Anas Ibn Maalik, Al-Aswad, Sa'eed Ibn Jubayr, 'Ataa', Taawoos and others  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them.

Among his students were: 'Imaarah Ibn Abu Hafsah, Abu Sa'd Al-Baqqaal, Juwaybir Ibn Sa'eed, Muqaatil, 'Ali Ibn Al-Hakam, Nahshal Ibn Sa'eed, 'Umar Ibn Ar-Rammaah, 'Abdul-'Azeez Ibn Abu Rawwaad, Qurrah Ibn Khaalid, and others may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them. He was a trustworthy person but he was not very concise in reporting the Prophetic narrations [due to his lack of concentration and weakness of his memory], as stated by Ath-Thahabi may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him it was for this reason that the narrations reported by him were reported by Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa'ee, Ibn Maajah, and At-Tirmithi may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them but not reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them. He was considered among the people of Balakh and Samarqand, and he met Sa'eed Ibn Jubayr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him in Ar-Ray and he learnt the interpretation of the Quran from him.

He died in 102 A.H.

Allaah Knows best.

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