the foremost authorities of the Iraqi path (1) among the followers of al-Shafi‘i.
Abu’l-Qasim Ibn ‘Asakir (2) relates, in the biographical entry of Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni, what ‘Abd al-Ghafir al-Farisi (3) recorded in his History of Nishapur concerning the virtues of Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni. He writes: “I heard my uncle, the Imam Abu Sa‘id (4)—that is, ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn ‘Abd al-Karim al-Qushayri—say: ‘The leading scholars of our time and the critical investigators among our companions held him to possess such perfection, merit, and praiseworthy qualities that, had it been permissible for Allah to send a prophet in that age, none would have been chosen but him, owing to the excellence of his method, his scrupulousness, his asceticism, and his devoutness, together with the fullness of his virtue.’”
‘Abd al-Ghafir (5) further states that he was the unrivalled scholar of his era, adding: “In jurisprudence he authored many highly beneficial works, such as al-Tabsira, al-Tadhkira, and Mukhtasar al-Mukhtasar (6).”
(1) See the preceding page. Cf. note (2).
(2) Al-Tabyin Kidhb al-Muftari (Exposing the False Accuser) by Ibn Asakir, p. 258.
(3) Abu al-Hasan Abd al-Ghaffar ibn Ismail ibn Abd al-Ghaffar al-Farsi, later known as al-Naysaburi, was an authority in hadith, linguistics, and literature, as well as a Shafi‘i jurist. He studied under Imam al-Haramayn and remained his student for some time. His works include Tarikh Naysabur. He died in 529 AH. See: Al-Tadhkirat al-Huffaz by al-Dhahab, vol. 4:1275–1276; Tabaqat al-Shafiyya by al-Subki, vol. 7:171–173; Shadharat al-Dhahab by Ibn al-Imad, vol. 4:93.
(4) The original reads Abu Saʿd, but the form attested by the manuscript and later biographical sources is Abu Saʿid Abd al-Wahid ibn Abd al-Karim ibn Hawzan al-Naysaburi al-Qushayri. Al-Subki notes: “Saʿid (with ya) is his kunya; Abu Saʿd (with sukun on the ʿayn) was his brother Abdallah. Both were sons of the teacher Abu al-Qasim. He was pious, learned, and generous. He died in 494 AH.” See: Al-ʿIbar by al-Dhahab, vol. 3:369; Tabaqat al-Shafiyya by al-Subki, vol. 5:225–228; Shadharat al-Dhahab by Ibn al-Imad, vol. 3:401.
(5) As transmitted by Ibn Asakir in his entry on Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni (ibid.), p. 257.
(6) That is, the Mukhtasar (abridgement) of al-Muzani’s Mukhtasar.