Abu Ishaq al-Tha'labi | |
|---|---|
أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ الثَّعْلَبِيُّ | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Mid 10th century |
| Died | 427 AH (1035/1036CE) |
| Era | Islamic golden age |
| Region | Khorasan |
| Notable work(s) | Tafsir al-Tha'labi Qisas al-Anbiya |
| Occupation | Scholar,Mufassir,Traditionist,Qur'anic reciter,Linguist,Philologist,Historian,Litterateur |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Shafi'i |
| Creed | Ash'ari[1] |
| Muslim leader | |
Influenced by | |
Influenced | |
Abū Isḥāḳ Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm al-Nīsābūrī al-Thaʿlabīأبو اسحاق أحمد بن محمد بن ابراهيم الثعلبي; died November 1035), who was simply known asAl-Tha'labi (Arabic:الثعلبي), was an eleventh-centurySunni Muslimscholar ofPersian origin.[2] Al-Tha'labi was considered a leadingQuranic exegete of the fifth/eleventh century who famously authored the classical exegesisTafsir al-Tha'labi, and hisAra'is al-Majalis is perhaps the best and most frequently consulted example of the Islamicqisas al-anbiya genre.[3][4] He was an expert Quranic reciter and reader (muqriʾ),traditionist,linguist,philologist,preacher,historian,litterateur, andtheologian.[4][5]
The word al-Tha'labi, most biographers stress, was a nickname laqab), and not a tribal name (nasab). This means that al-Tha'labi was ofPersian descent and not a member of the Arab tribal groups that carries the name.[6]
According toTilman Nagel, al-Tha'labi was born in the city ofNishapur during the fifties of the fourth century (350).[7]
Although there is little information available about al-Tha'labi's studies, he lived in Nishapur, a thriving city with a large number of educational institutions, and his knowledge of geography probably helped him. Al-Farsi claims that al-Tha'labi had numerous masters and was a guy with a vast grasp of Hadith. Al-Tha'labi's own admission that he had relevant material from over three hundred teachers supports this claim.[8]
Al-Farsi claims that ten of al-Tha'labi's teachers—three of whom are the most well-known—were crucial to his academic success. The foremost expert of his era on Quranic variant readings was Ibn Mihran (d. 381/991). He would teach Al-Tha'labi the knowledge ofqira'at. Abu Zakariya al-Harbi (d. 394/1003) was an adab scholar who was knowledgeable aboutPersian and Arabic mythology. He specialised in tales of the world's wonders and miracles. Ibn Habib (406/1015), a prominent scholar inQuranic interpretation and Quranic sciences of his day in Nishapur, was without a doubt the most significant of al-Tha'labi professors in the science of exegesis and the one who had the biggest impact on him. The biographers specifically emphasised al-Tha'labi's apprenticeship with Ibn Habib, attesting to the fact that he was Ibn Habib's most exceptional pupil.[9]
Al-Tha'labi transmittedhadith in a reliable and sound manner. He cited Abu Bakr b. Muhran al-Muqri, Abu b. Hani, Abu Bakr al-Tarazi, and Abu Tahir [Muhammad b. al-Fadl] b. Khuzaymah. He also cited the works of academics from their generation, including [Abu Muhammad] al-Makhladi al-Khaffal, Abu Muhammad b. al-Rumi, Abu 'Abd Allah al-Nasri, Abu Zakariya al-Harbi, and Abu al-Hassan al-Hamadani al-Wasi. He had numerous masters and transmitted a significant amount of hadith.[10]
Al-Tha'labi was a popularpreacher who led and educated the masses in Nishapur. He was a famed scholar and students from far away region would risk their a journey in attending his lectures.[11] All ofal-Wahidi's biographers emphasise that he was al-Tha'labi's most exceptional pupil and that he learnt exegesis from him. The terminology used in al-Wahidi's autobiography makes clear how closely the two are related. Al-Wahidi was a distinguished academic in his own right with expertise in Quranic sciences, literary criticism, and interpretation. Three great commentaries on the Quran were left by him. As the person who transmitted his teacher's corpus, Al-Wahidi is significant.[12]
Regarding al-Tha'labi's death date, there is nearly unanimous agreement. According to all biographers, he passed either in either November or December of 1035 C.E. or in the month of Muharram in 427 A.H. in Nishapur.[9]
Al-Tha'labi, anAsh'ariSunni adherent, was the first exegete to usekalam in a polemic against opposing sects.[1] He was a resolute opponent of theMu'tazili. When al-Tha'labi introduces his commentary on the Quran, he strongly chastises the followers of the Mu'tazili, referring to them as "a sect whose members are the people ofreligious innovations and ofheresies." Then he says he was told to avoid them and their company. Lastly, he says that when it comes to religious understanding, one shouldn't consider them to be experts. The stance taken by al-Tha'labi towards the Mu'tazili is one of avoidance and censure.[13]
Al-Tha'labi was aSufi and a follower of the mystic path charted by the great masterJunayd al-Baghdadi. In his works, al-Tha'labi quotes him and calls him "our master". Al-Tha'labi had strong mystic ties in Nishapur and was a companion of the mystic masteral-Qushayri.[14]
One of the most influential figures in the field oftafsir inIslamic history was Al-Tha'labi.Walid Saleh claims that al-Tha'labi "radically transformed and reshaped medieval Quranic commentary" and held greater influence thanal-Tabari in "redirecting the course of the genre."[15]
His studental-Wahidi said:[16]
Abū Isḥāq Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm al-Thaʿlabī, may God have mercy on him. He was the best of scholars, nay their vast sea [of learning]; the star of the eminent scholars, nay their full moon' their adornment of the scholars, nay the pride. He was unique in the community, indeed the leader. He authored the Qur'an commentary entitledal-Kashf wa-al-bayan 'an tafsir al-Qur'an, a commentary carried by mounts across the land and by ships over the seas.The whole of the community, with its different sects, has unanimously acknowledged his eminence and recognized the brilliance of his works, which are incomparable. Those who have had the chance of meeting and studying with him recognize that he was matchless. As for those who have never seen him, it is enough for them to look into his works for them to infer that he was a vast sea and a deep abyss of learning. I have studied some 500 fascicles (juz) of his works with him, including his large Qur'an commentary, as well as his books entitledal-kamil fi 'ilm al-Qur'an and others.'
InTabaqat al-Shafi'iyya al-Kubra of Volume 3 page 23 the appraisal of Thalabi is as follows:[17]
Allamah Tha'labi was the greatest scholar of his time with regard to knowledge of the Quran and Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah,Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri commented " I saw Allah in a dream, I was conversing with Him and vice versa, during our conversation, Allah said ' a pious man is coming, I looked and Ahmad bin Tha'labi was coming towards us."
According to al-Farisi that Al-Tha'labi wrote many works that were famous but only two surviving and three others surviving by title.[18]
