of the ascetics, and large crowds followed him. Thābit al-Bunānī and Mālik ibn Dīnār also preached, yet both of them belonged to the People of the Sunnah.

ʿAbd al-Wāḥid was a man of many paths, immersed in the themes of love and special divine favor. Still, a trace of the doctrine of “acquisition” clung to him, and that reflects something of the Qadarite foundations—for in their view no one is saved except through his own deeds. The Sunnis, by contrast, urge believers to strive in good works, yet they do not deem salvation attainable by works alone, apart from Allah’s mercy.

ʿAbd al-Wāḥid also refrained from openly saying, “Allah leads the servants astray,” out of a desire to exalt Him. This, however, is an innovation.

All in all, ʿAbd al-Wāḥid was among the great worshippers, and perfection is rare. I have cited some of his accounts in my History of Islam, but Ibn ʿAwn, Misʿar, and their like are higher and more eminent.

He died sometime after 150 AH. It is also said that he lived until 177 AH, but this is highly unlikely; the one who survived to that date was the ḥadith master ʿAbd al-Wāḥid ibn Ziyād al-Baṣrī.

60 – ʿĀṣim ibn Muḥammad ibn Zayd ibn ʿAbd Allah al-ʿAdawī * (ʿ)
A descendant of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb—Qurashi, ʿAdawī, ʿUmarī, Medinan—he was a jurist and one of several scholarly brothers.

He narrated from his father, from Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb al-Quraẓī, and from his brother Wāqid.