الرحلةThe Journey

مسلم بن الحجاج النيسابوري

Imam Muslim (RH)

Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Naysaburi

c. 206–261 AH · c. 821–875 CE

Hadith

Compiler of Sahih Muslim, the second of the two most authentic hadith collections.

Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj travelled widely in search of hadith. He studied with Ahmad ibn Hanbal and other masters, and he kept close company with al-Bukhari when the latter came to Nishapur.

His Sahih is admired for its arrangement: he gathers all the chains and wordings of a hadith in one place so they can be compared. Its introduction is an early statement of the principles of hadith criticism. Together with Sahih al-Bukhari it forms the 'Sahihayn', the two Sahihs.

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Life journey

  1. c. 821 CE Nishapur نيسابور
    Died 875 CE · 261 AH
    Travelled to the Hijaz, Iraq, Syria and Egypt for hadith; lived and died in Nishapur.

Teachers

  • Imam Ahmad (RH) 780–855 CE
    Muslim heard hadith from Ahmad and narrates from him in his Sahih.
  • Imam al-Bukhari (RH) 810–870 CE
    Muslim kept close to al-Bukhari when he came to Nishapur, learned from him and defended him.

Key works

  • Sahih Muslim صحيح مسلم
    The Authentic Collection of Muslim
    Gathers every chain and wording of a hadith together, with an introduction on hadith criticism.

Sources

  • al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'
  • al-Nawawi, introduction to al-Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim
  • Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-A'yan
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
Birth year reported as 204 or 206 AH.