known as al-Zanjī, the Makkan client of Banū Makhzūm. He was born in the year 100 AH, or slightly before that.

He transmitted ḥadith from Ibn Abī Mulaykah, ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, al-Zuhrī, Abū Ṭuwālah, Zayd ibn Aslam, ʿUtbah ibn Muslim, and ʿAbd Allāh ibn Kathīr al-Dārī (1) — from whom he also learned the variant Qurʾānic letters.

Imām al-Shāfiʿī received this mode of recitation from him, kept his company, studied jurisprudence under him, and was granted permission by him to issue legal opinions. Others who narrated from him include al-Shāfiʿī himself, al-Ḥumaydī, Musaddad, al-Ḥakam ibn Mūsā, Marwān ibn Muḥammad, Ibrāhīm ibn Mūsā al-Farrāʾ, Hishām ibn ʿAmmār, and many more.

Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn said, “He is acceptable.” al-Bukhārī said, “His ḥadith are objectionable.” Abū Ḥātim remarked, “He is not relied upon as proof.” Ibn ʿAdī stated, “His reports are fair; I hope there is no harm in him.” Abū Dāwūd judged him “weak.”

I say: some critics elevate Muslim’s narrations to the level of ḥasan.