Abu ʿAbd Allah Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr al-Humaydi said: “I found in the handwriting of Muʿaffa ibn Zakariyya the following:

‘I made the pilgrimage and was at Mina when I heard a herald calling, “O Abu al-Faraj Muʿaffa!” I asked, “Who is seeking me?” and was about to respond. Then he called again, “O Abu al-Faraj Muʿaffa ibn Zakariyya al-Nahrawani!” I said, “Here I am—what do you want?” He replied, “Perhaps you are from the Nahrawan of Iraq.” I said, “Yes.” He said, “We are looking for the Nahrawan of the West.” I was struck by this coincidence and learned that there is a place in the Maghrib called Nahrawan.’

Muʿaffa died at al-Nahrawan in Dhu al-Hijjah of the year 390 AH, at the age of eighty-five.

He left behind a large Qurʾanic commentary in six volumes, overflowing with useful insights, and a work entitled “The Companion and the Intimate” in two volumes.

He was an ocean of knowledge.

ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-Munʿim narrated to us; Abu al-Yumn al-Kindi narrated to us; Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Baqi narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Narsi narrated to us; Muʿaffa narrated to us; al-Baghawi narrated to us; Wahb narrated to us; Khalid narrated, from al-Shaybani, from ʿAwn ibn ʿAbd Allah, from his brother ʿUbayd Allah, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Indeed, within Friday there is an hour during which no believing servant asks Allah for anything without His granting it.” (1)