الرحلةThe Journey

إسحاق بن إبراهيم بن راهويه

Ishaq ibn Rahawayh (RH)

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Rahawayh

Also known as: Ibn Rahawayh, Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, Ishaq bin Rahawaih, Abu Ya'qub al-Marwazi

161–238 AH · 778–853 CE

Hadith Fiqh

Hadith master and jurist of Nishapur, teacher of al-Bukhari and Muslim, whose remark inspired the Sahih of al-Bukhari.

Ishaq ibn Rahawayh was born in Merv in Khurasan. His father had been born on the road to Makkah and so was nicknamed Rahawayh, from the Persian rah, 'road'. From 800 Ishaq travelled for hadith to Iraq, the Hijaz, Yemen and al-Sham, studying with Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah, Waki' and 'Abd al-Razzaq among others. He then settled in Nishapur, where he became the leading scholar of Khurasan and was famed for his memory.

He was both a hadith master and a jurist with his own school, close in method to his friend Ahmad ibn Hanbal, with whom he studied and debated. His students included al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i. Al-Bukhari recalled that Ishaq once said, 'If only you would compile a short book of the authentic sunnah of the Messenger of Allah', and that this was what moved him to compile his Sahih. Ishaq's own Musnad survives only in part. He died in Nishapur in 853.

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Life journey

  1. 778 CE Merv مرو
  2. 800 CE Baghdad بغداد
    Began travelling for hadith in 800, to Iraq, the Hijaz, Yemen and al-Sham; he visited Baghdad several times.
  3. 810 CE Nishapur نيسابور
    Died 853 CE · 238 AH
    Settled in Nishapur, where he taught until his death; the year he settled is not recorded.

Teachers

Students

  • Imam al-Bukhari (RH) 810–870 CE
    Al-Bukhari studied with Ishaq in Nishapur, and said a remark of Ishaq's moved him to compile his Sahih.
  • Abu Dawud (RH) 817–889 CE
    Abu Dawud narrated from Ishaq.
  • Imam Muslim (RH) c. 821–875 CE
    Muslim, himself of Nishapur, narrated from Ishaq often in his Sahih.
  • al-Nasa'i (RH) 830–915 CE
    Al-Nasa'i narrated from Ishaq often in his Sunan.

Key works

  • Musnad Ishaq ibn Rahawayh مسند إسحاق بن راهويه
    The Musnad of Ishaq ibn Rahawayh
    His hadith collection arranged by Companion; only part of it survives.

Places in their life

al-Mustansiriyyah, an Abbasid college of 1233, Baghdad
al-Mustansiriyyah, an Abbasid college of 1233, Baghdad
Photo: Taisir Mahdi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

  • al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala' (entry on Ishaq ibn Rahawayh)
  • al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Tarikh Baghdad (entry on Ishaq ibn Rahawayh)
  • Ibn Hajar, Hady al-Sari (on the reason for compiling the Sahih)
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
His birth is given as 161 AH (777–778) and some sources give 166. The year he settled in Nishapur is approximate. He had his own school of fiqh, so no madhhab is set.