سعيد بن المسيب

Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib (RH)

Also known as: Said ibn al-Musayyab, Sayyid al-Tabi'in

c. 15–c. 94 AH · c. 637–c. 713 CE

Fiqh Hadith

'Master of the Tabi'in', foremost of the Seven Jurists of Madinah.

Born in Madinah during the caliphate of 'Umar, Sa'id learned from many senior Companions and married the daughter of Abu Hurayrah, whose hadith he knew better than anyone. He was especially expert in the legal judgements of 'Umar, and he was the leading figure among the 'Seven Jurists' (al-fuqaha' al-sab'ah) whose opinions formed the basis of Madinan law.

He was famous for his independence from rulers. He refused to marry his daughter to the caliph's son, giving her instead to a poor student, and he was flogged for refusing to pledge allegiance to two heirs at once. It is reported that he did not miss the first takbir of congregational prayer for forty years.

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Life journey

c. 637 CE Madinah المدينة
Died c. 713 CE · c. 94 AH

Teachers

Abu Hurayrah (RA) c. 600–c. 679 CE
Sa'id narrated a great deal from Abu Hurayrah, whose daughter he married, and became a leading transmitter of his hadith in Madinah.

Students

al-Zuhri (RH) c. 670–742 CE
Al-Zuhri sat in Sa'id's circle in Madinah for years; Sa'id was among his principal teachers.

Places in their life

Sources

al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala'
Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra
Abu Nu'aym, Hilyat al-Awliya'

Draft, awaiting scholarly review.

Birth reported as 13, 15 or 17 AH; death between 93 and 105 AH (94 most common).