He passed away in 469 AH, yet I still have reservations about so large a figure.
207 – Ibn Makhlad, Abū al-Ḥasan Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Azdī *
The trustworthy shaykh, Abū al-Ḥasan Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Makhlad al-Azdī (1), originally from Wāsiṭ and a cloth-merchant by trade.
He studied under Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-ʿAlawī—the one who narrates from Khalīl ibn Abī Rāfiʿ al-Ṭaḥḥān, the companion of Tamīm ibn al-Muntaṣir.
He also heard from Aḥmad ibn ʿUbayd ibn Bīrī, Ibn Khazafah, Abū ʿAlī ibn Muʿādh, and a group of others.
Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn Muḥammad al-ʿAlawī likewise possesses the Musnad of Aḥmad ibn Sinān al-Qaṭṭān; he received it from ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Mubashshir, who in turn had it from him.
Al-Silafī (2) said: “I asked Khamīs the ḥāfiẓ about Ibn Makhlad, and he replied, ‘He studied by means of his father’s instruction; he was trustworthy, had fine handwriting, and kept sound master copies.’”
He died in 468 AH.
I say: Those who narrated from him include his son Abū al-Mufaḍḍal and Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Julābī.
I read to Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī and Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd, who said:
ʿUmar ibn Jumʿah informed us in 625 AH; al-Ḥasan ibn Makkī informed us; Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Julābī informed us; Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Makhlad informed us in 464 AH; Aḥmad ibn ʿUbayd Allāh ibn al-Faḍl ibn Sahl narrated to us; ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Mubashshir narrated to us,