Abdul Waarith bin Sa’eed bin Zakwaan at-Tameemi al-Basri

Name:

عبد الوارث بن سعيد بن ذكوان التميمى العنبرى مولاهم ، أبو عبيدة التنورى المقرئ البصرى ( والد عبد الصمد بن عبد الوارث )

Abdul Waarith bin Sa’eed bin Zakwaan at-Tameemi al-Anbari their Mawla (i.e. of Bani al-Anbar), Abu Ubaydah at-Tannoori al-Muqri al-Basri (the father of Abdus-Samad bin Abdul Waarith)

Tabaqah: 8 - From the middle level of Taba Taabi'een

Death: 180 H

Narrated by: Al-Bukhaari – Muslim – Abu Dawood – Tirmidhi – Nasaa'ee – Ibn Maajah

Teachers: Ismaa’eel bin Umayyah, Ayyoob bin Moosa, Ayyoob as-Sakhtiyaani, Bahz bin Hakeem, Al-Ja’d Abu al-Uthmaan, Habeeb al-Mu’allam, Husayn al-Mu’allam, Khaalid al-Hazza, Dawood bin Abi Hind, Sa’eed bin Iyaas al-Jurayree, Sa’eed bin Abi Aroobah, Sulemaan at-Taymee, Sinaan bin Rabee’ah, Shu’ayb bin al-Habhaab, Abdullah bin Sawaadah al-Qushayree, Abdullah bin Abi Najeeh, Abdul Azeez bin Suhayb, Utbah bin Abdul Malik as-Suhami, Azrah bin Thaabit al-Ansaari, Ali bin Zayd bin Jud’aan, Ali bin al-‘Alaa al-Khazaa’ee, Amr bin Deenaar, Layth bin Abi Sulaym, Abu Haneefah al-Nu’maan bin Thaabit, Hishaam ad-Dastawaa’ee, Yazeed ar-Rishk, Yoonus bin Ubayd, and others.

Students: Ahmed bin Abdah ad-Dabbi, Ishaaq bin Abi Israa’eel, Bishr bin Hilaal as-Sawwaaf, Hasan bin Umar bin Shaqeeq, Sufyaan ath-Thawree, Shaybaan bin Farokh, Abu Aasim ad-Dahhaak bin Makhlad, Abdus-Samad bin Abdul Waarith (his son), Ubaydullah bin Umar al-Qawaareeri, Ali bin al-Madeeni, Qutaybah bin Sa’eed, Abu al-Nu’maan Muhammad bin al-Fadl as-Sadoosi, Musaddad bin Musarhad, Yahya bin Sa’eed al-Qattaan, and others.

Status: Thiqah Thabat

Opinions of Ahl ul-Jarh wat Ta’deel:

Those who praised him:

1-    Mu’aadh bin Mu’aadh said that I and Yahya bin Sa’eed (al-Qattaan) asked [ Ameer ul-Mu'mineen fil Hadeeth, Imaam] Shu’bah bin al-Hajjaaj (D. 160) about something from the hadeeth of Abu at-Tiyaah so he said:

“ما يمنعكم من ذاك الشاب يعني عبد الوارث فما رأيت أحدا أحفظ لحديث أبي التياح منه”

“What prevents you from (asking) from that young man, meaning Abdul Waarith, for I have not seen anyone a bigger Haafidh of the Hadeeth of Abu at-Tiyaah than him”

[ Al-Jarh wat-Ta’deel by Ibn Abi Haatim (6/75 T. 386), Chain Saheeh]

In another narration, Abu Ja’far al-Musnadi said that Khalf said to me that Abdus-Samad i.e. the son of Abdul Waarith told me that he was once sitting with Imaam Shu’bah so when his father (i.e. Abdul Waarith) stood up, Shu’bah said:

“تعرف الإتقان في قفاه”

“You will learn Itqaan (mastery – in hadeeth) under him.”

[Ibid and Al-Taareekh al-Kabeer lil Bukhaari (1/118)]

2-    Imaam Ubaydullah bin Umar al-Qawaareeri (D. 235) said about Imaam Yahya bin Sa’eed al-Qattaan (D. 198) that:

“كان يحيى بْن سَعِيد لا يحدث عن أحد ممن أدركنا مثل حماد، وأصحابه، إلا عن عبد الوارث فإنه كان يثبته، فإذا خالفه أحد من أصحابه، قال: ما قال عبد الوارث”

“Yahya bin Sa’eed did not narrate from anyone among those whom we met similar (in high rank) to Hammaad and his companions except from Abdul Waarith, for indeed he used to consider him Thabat, and when he would oppose anyone from his companions, Al-Qattaan would side by what Abdul Waarith had said.”

[ Ibid]

3-    Harb bin Ismaa’eel said that Imaam Ahmed bin Hanbal (D. 241) said:

“كان عبد الوارث أصح الناس حديثا عن حسين المعلم، وكان صالحا في الحديث”

“Abdul Waarith was the most correct of people in narrating from Husayn al-Mu’allam and he was Saalih in Hadeeth”

[ Ibid]

In another place, Imaam Ahmed’s son Abdullah asked him:

“عبد الوارث أثبت عندك من ابن علية؟”

“Is Abdul Waarith more precise according to you than Ibn Ulayyah?”

He replied:

“أنا أقول هذا”

“[Yes] I say this”

[Al-Ilal (1/145)]

Further on, he said:

“حماد بن زيد أحب إلينا من عبد الوارث، حماد بن زيد من أئمة المسلمين من أهل الدين والاسلام”

“Hammaad bin Zayd is more beloved to us than Abdul Waarith, Hammaad bin Zayd is from the A’immah of Muslim from the people of Deen and Islaam”

[Al-Ilal (1/145)]

4-    Mu’aawiyah bin Saalih said that I asked Imaam Yahya bin Ma’een (D. 233) that who are the most precise (athbat) Shuyookh of the people of Basrah, he replied:

“عبد الوارث بن سَعِيد، مع جماعة سماهم”

“Abdul Waarith bin Sa’eed along with a group of people whom he (Ibn Ma’een) named”

[ Al-Jarh wat Ta’deel (6/76), Chain Saheeh]

Uthmaan bin Sa’eed ad-Daarimi said that I asked Imaam Yahya bin Ma’een about Abdul Waarith? He said:

“هو مثل حماد بن زيد في أيوب”

“He is similar to Hammaad bin Zayd in narrating from Ayyoob (i.e. highly reliable)”

Then I asked him, “Is ath-Thaqafi more beloved to you or Abdul Waarith?” He replied:

“عبد الوارث”

“Abdul Waarith (is more beloved to me)”

Then I asked, “Is Ibn Ulayyah more beloved to you in narrating from Ayyoob or Abdul Waarith?” He replied:

“عبد الوارث”

“Abdul Waarith (is more beloved to me)”

 [Taareekh Ibn Ma’een by ad-Daarimi (T. 61-64) and Al-Jarh wat Ta’deel (6/75-76)]

And Ibn Muhriz (Majhool ul-Haal) narrates from Imaam Ibn Ma’een that he said about Abdul Waarith:

“ثقة”

“Thiqah”

[Su’aalaat Ibn Muhriz (T. 515)]

5-    Imaam Abu Umar al-Jarmi an-Nahwi (D. 225) said:

“ما رأيت فقيها أفصح من عبد الوارث، وكان حماد بن سلمة أفصح منه”

“I have not seen a Faqeeh more eloquent than Abdul Waarith and Hammaad bin Salamah was even more eloquent than him”

[ Tahdheeb al-Kamaal fi Asmaa ur-Rijaal by al-Mizzi (18/482)]

6-    Imaam Abu Zur’ah ar-Raazi (D. 264) said:

“ثقة”

“Thiqah”

[ Al-Jarh wat Ta'deel by Ibn Abi Haatim (6/76)]

7-    Imaam Abu Haatim ar-Raazi (D. 275) said:

“ثقة صدوق، ممن يعد مع ابن علية، وبشر بن المفضل ووهيب، يعد من الثقات، هو أثبت من حماد بن سلمة”

“He is Thiqah Truthful, he is counted along with Ibn Ulayyah, Bishr bin al-Mufaddal, and Wuhayb; he is counted among the Thiqah narrators. He is more Thabat than Hammaad bin Salamah”

[ Ibid]

8-    Imaam Muhammad bin Ismaa’eel al-Bukhaari (D. 256) narrated from him in his Saheeh.

9-    Imaam Muslim bin al-Hajjaaj al-Neesaaboori (D. 261) narrated from him in his Saheeh, as did many other authors of Sihaah.

10-          Imaam Al-Nasaa’ee (D. 303) said:

“ثقة”

“Thiqah”

[ Al-Mujtaba (5/249)]

11-          Imaam Muhammad bin Sa’d (D. 230) said:

“كان ثقد حجة، توفي بالبصرة في المحرم سنة ثمانين ومئة”

“He is Thiqah Hujjah; he died in the month of Muharram in the year 180”

[ Tabaqaat al-Kubra by Ibn Sa'd (7/289)]

12-          Imaam Ibraaheem bin Ya’qoob al-Juzjaani (D. 259) said:

“كان من أثبت الناس”

“He is among the most Thabat of people”

[ Ahwaal ur-Rijaal (T. 334)]

13-          Imaam Abu al-Hasan al-Ijlee (D. 261) said:

“بصري ثقة”

“He is Basri, Thiqah”

[ Ath-Thiqaat by Ijlee (P/ 35)]

14-          Imaam Ali bin Abdullah al-Madeeni (D. 234) said:

“لم يكن في القوم أثبت فيما روى من: إسماعيل، ووهيب، وعبد الوارث”

“There is none in the nation more Thabat in what is narrated than Ismaa’eel, Wuhayb, and Abdul Waarith”

[ Al-Ma’rifah wal Taareekh (2/130)]

15-          Imaam Ibn Shaaheen said that Imaam Ibn Ulayyah (D. 193) said:

“إذا حدثك عبد الوارث بشيءٍ فشد يدك به”

“When Abdul Waarith narrates to you something, hold it strongly with your hand”

[ Ath-Thiqaat by Ibn Shaaheen (T. 977)]

16-          Imaam Ibn Hibbaan (D. 354) said:

“متقنا في الحديث”

“He is Mutqin in Hadeeth”

[ Ath-Thiqaat by Ibn Hibbaan (7/140)]

17-          Imaam Shams ud-Deen adh-Dhahabi (D. 748) said:

“إليه المنتهى في التثبت”

“Preciseness (in hadeeth) has ended upon him”

[ Meezaan al-I’tidaal (2/T. 5307)]

18-          Imaam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani (D. 852) said:

“ثقة ثبت”

“Thiqah Thabat”

[ Taqreeb]

Those who criticized him:

All those who criticized him, merely did so because he is accused of being a Qadari.

19-          Imaam Abu al-Hasan al-Ijlee (D. 261) said:

“وكان يرى القدر ولا يدعو إليه”

“He used to opine Al-Qadr but he did not call towards it.”

[ Thiqaat by Ijlee (P. 35)]

20-          Imaam Dhahabi (D. 748) said:

“إليه المنتهى في التثبت، إلا أنه قدري متعصب لعَمْرو بن عُبَيد وَقَال يزيد بن زريع: من أتى مجلس عبد الوارث فلا يقربني”

“Preciseness in hadeeth has ended upon him except that he was a Qadari and Muta’assib towards Amr bin Ubayd. And Yazeed bin Zuray’ said: Whoever comes from the gathering of Abdul Waarith should not come close to me.”

[ Meezaan al-I’tidaal (2/T. 5307)]

21-          Haafidh Ibn Hajar narrates from Hasan bin ar-Rabee’ that he asked Imaam Abdullah bin al-Mubaarak (D. 181):

“كنا نأتي عبد الوارث بن سَعِيد، فإذا حضرت الصلاة تركناه وخرجنا”

“We go to Abdul Waarith bin Sa’eed but when the time for Salaat comes we leave him and go out.”

Ibn al-Mubaarak replied:

“ما أعجبني ما فعلت، وكان يرمى بالقدر”

“What you did is not surprising to me, he is accused of Qadr”

[ Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb (6/443)]

Note: It should be noted that being accused of a Bid’ah does not affect the narration of that narrator in any way.

However, it is also true that this accusation of Bid’ah is not proven from Abdul Waarith, as will be shown below.

The son of Abdul Waarith Imaam Abdus-Samad (D. 207) explicitly said:

“إنه لمكذوب على أبي، وما سمعته منه يقول قط في القدر، وكلام عَمْرو بن عُبَيد”

“(The accusing of being a Qadri) is a lie upon my father, and I have never heard him say anything in the matter of Qadr nor the speech of Amr bin Ubayd”

[ Taareekh al-Kabeer lil Bukhaari (6/ T. 1891) & Du’afa as-Sagheer lil Bukhaari (T. 240)]

The son knows the affairs of his father better than anyone else. And on the contrary no one has any proof that he was a Qadari except for a few accusations!

That is why Imaam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani (D. 852) said:

“ثقة ثبت رمي بالقدر ولم يثبت عنه”

“He is Thiqah Thabat, he is accused of Qadr but that is not proven from him”

[ Taqreeb at-Tahdheeb]

Conclusion:

Abdul Waarith bin Sa’eed at-Tameemi is unanimously agreed upon to be Thiqah Thabat in Hadeeth. The only criticism he had on him was the accusation of being a Qadari which is not true as well.