Imam Ibn Majah (209H - 273H), lived during the Abbasid caliphate when scientific studies had begun taking hold in the Abbasid dynasty. Literary aspects deeply influenced writing and works about Islam during this time, so protecting Islam from these things had become of primary importance to Imam Ibn Maajah and other scholars of this time.

Ibn Majah also traveled extensively to validate the authenticity of the ahadith he was narrating. His hunt of knowledge left him with a lot of teachers and students. To avoid showing off, he did not write down his stories of traveling just like other scholars of Hadith, otherwise, we would have invaluable resources to learn from.

Many of the scholars have praised Ibn Majah a lot. Al-Khaleeli said, "His leadership in knowledge is agreed upon, for he was well-versed in Hadeeth and it's memorization and he was widely read in this field." Adh-Dhabhabi said about Ibn Maajah, "He is the Haafiz, the authority, the well-versed in Tafsir, the leading hadith scholar of Qazween during his time; trustworthy in hadith and widely read."

About the Series

This book is in a sequence of biographies of some of the scholars and Muhaddithin of this ummah which Allah has granted glory and honor until the Hour. It focuses on certain aspects of the lives of these scholars which include their attributes, their manners, their religion, and how great is our need in this era to know about these matters. There can be no return to the glory and honor that this ummah possesses except by assuming the noble attributes that the first generation possessed.

The biographies of these scholars are not known to a lot of Muslims. People are tired of hearing empty talk. They want to see religion becoming a practical reality just as it was during the period when these scholars and the people who followed them lived. This religion was well established at their times and it filled their hearts and minds, it was part of their very flesh and blood. If they spoke, it was for the sake of Allah that they spoke, and when they remained silent, that also was for Allah's sake.

They illuminated the world with their piety, knowledge, worship, and their righteous deeds. Their character, morals, and manners were similar to those of the Prophet himself. Looking at their dealings you would see a living practical application of dealings of the Prophet himself. The very mention of these scholars softens the heart of the believer, which ultimately leads to sincere worship of Allah.

Other Sources: