46 – Ibn Futays, Muḥammad ibn Futays ibn Wāṣil *

The Imām, erudite scholar, ḥadith master, and critic; Abū ʿAbd Allah, the hadith scholar of al-Andalus—Muḥammad ibn Futays ibn Wāṣil ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Ghāfiqī, the Andalusian from Ilbira. (1)

He was born in 229 AH.

He heard ḥadith from Abān ibn ʿĪsā, the jurist Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-ʿUtbī, and Ibn Muzayn, (2) three of the leading scholars of al-Andalus.

Ibn al-Faradi states in his History: “He set out on his journey in 257 AH.”

On that journey he studied under Yūnus ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā, Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Wahb, and Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakam. In Ifriqiyyah he received ḥadith from the ḥāfiẓ Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd Allah al-ʿIjli, Shajarat ibn ʿĪsā, and Yaḥyā ibn ʿAwn. He transmitted copiously from the scholars of the Two Sanctuaries, Egypt, and Qayrawān, studied jurisprudence with al-Muzanī, and brought an immense store of knowledge back to al-Andalus.

He was deeply versed in Mālik’s jurisprudence.

He used to say, “During my travels I met two hundred shaykhs, and I found none to equal Ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakam.” (3)

Ibn al-Faradi and others further relate that students journeyed to him from distant lands and that he reached a very advanced age.

He authored the books al-Rawʿ wa-l-Ahwāl (Fear and Terrors) and al-Duʿāʾ (Supplication).

He was a precise, distinguished, and completely trustworthy transmitter. (4)