Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ - Shams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi - (13/75)

Siyar Aʿlām al-NubalāʾShams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi

Ibn ʿAdī said: “Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Salman al-Qattan narrated to us; Abu Ḥātim al-Razi narrated to us; and Abu Zurʿah ʿUbayd Allah narrated to me. After him he left no one his equal in knowledge, understanding, integrity, and mastery. About this there is no room for doubt, and I know of no one, whether from East or West, who understood this discipline as he did. (1)

Ibn ʿAdī also said: “I heard al-Qasim ibn Safwan say, ‘I heard Abu Ḥātim say: The most ascetic men I have ever met are four: Adam ibn Abi Iyas, Thabit ibn Muhammad the ascetic, Abu Zurʿah al-Razi, and another whom he mentioned.’ (2)

Al-Nasaʾi said: “Abu Zurʿah al-Razi is reliable.”

Abu Nuʿaym ibn ʿAdī said: “I heard Ibn Khirash say: ‘I had agreed with Abu Zurʿah that I would come to him early so we could review together. I set out early and passed by Abu Ḥātim, who was sitting alone; he seated me beside him and reviewed with me until the forenoon. Then I said, “I have an appointment with Abu Zurʿah,” so I went to him and found the people crowding around him (3). He said to me, “You are late for our appointment.” I replied, “I did come early, but on the way I passed by this seeker of guidance; he invited me in and I pitied him for being alone. Besides, his chain of transmission is higher than yours, while you are still behind the desk.”’—or words to that effect. (4)”

Abu al-ʿAbbās as-Sarrāj said: “Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Wārah narrated to us: ‘I saw Abu Zurʿah in a dream and asked him, “How are you?” He replied, “I praise Allah in every circumstance.”’”

(1) Tarikh Baghdad, 10:333; the additional material is likewise taken from this source. The continuation of the account reads: "wa laqad kana min hadha al-amri bisabil" (he was indeed involved in this matter). (2) Tahdhib al-Kamal, ms. Kh, fol. 884. (3) The base manuscript has "mankibayn" (shoulders). (4) See the report in Tarikh Baghdad, 10:333.

ابْنُ عَدِيٍّ: حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بنُ مُحَمَّدِ بنِ سَلْمَانَ القَطَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَاتِمٍ الرَّازِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو زُرْعَةَ عُبَيْدُ اللهِ، وَمَا خَلَّفَ بَعْدَهُ مِثْلَهُ، عِلْماً وَفَهْماً وَصِيَانَةً وَحِذْقاً، وَهَذَا مَا لاَ يُرْتَابُ فِيْهِ، وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مِنَ المَشْرِقِ وَالمَغْرِبِ مَنْ كَانَ يَفْهَمُ هَذَا الشَّأْنَ مِثْلَهُ (١) . ابْنُ عَدِيٍّ: سَمِعْتُ القَاسِمَ بنَ صَفْوَانَ، سَمِعْتُ أَبَا حَاتِمٍ يَقُوْلُ: أَزْهَدُ مَنْ رَأَيْتُ أَرْبَعَةٌ: آدَمُ بنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، وثَابِتُ بنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الزَّاهِدُ، وَأَبُو زُرْعَةَ الرَّازِيُّ، وَذَكَرَ آخَرَ (٢) . قَالَ النَّسَائِيُّ: أَبُو زُرْعَةَ رَازِيٌّ ثِقَةٌ. وَقَالَ أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ بنُ عَدِيٍّ: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ خِرَاشٍ يَقُوْلُ: كَانَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ مَوْعِدٌ أَنْ أُبَكِّرَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأُذَاكِرَهُ، فَبَكَّرتُ، فَمَرَرْتُ بِأَبِي حَاتِمٍ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَحدَهُ؛ فَأَجلَسَنِي مَعَهُ يُذَاكُرُنِي، حَتَّى أَضحَى النَّهَارُ. فَقُلْتُ: بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ مَوْعِدٌ، فَجِئْتُ إِلَى أَبِي زُرْعَةَ وَالنَّاسُ مُنْكَبُّوْنَ (٣) عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ لِي: تَأَخَرَّتَ عَنِ المَوْعِدِ. قُلْتُ: بَكَّرْتُ، فَمَرَرْتُ بِهَذَا المُسْتَرْشِدِ، فَدَعَانِي، فَرَحِمْتُهُ لِوَحْدَتِهِ، وَهُوَ أَعْلَى إِسْنَاداً مِنْكَ، وَصِرْتَ أَنْتَ بِالدِّسْتِ. أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ (٤) . أَبُو العَبَّاسِ السَّرَّاجُ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بنُ مُسْلِمِ بنِ وَارَةَ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَبَا زُرْعَةَ فِي المَنَامِ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: مَا حَالُكَ؟ قَالَ: أَحْمَدُ اللهَ عَلَى الأَحْوَالِ

(١) تاريخ بغداد: ١٠ / ٣٣٣، والزيادة منه. وتتمة الخبر فيه: " ولقد كان من هذا الامر بسبيل ". (٢) تهذيب الكمال: خ: ٨٨٤. (٣) في الأصل: " منكبين ". (٤) انظر الخبر في: تاريخ بغداد: ١٠ / ٣٣٣.