(1) Ahmad ibn Sulayman ibn ‘Abd al-Malik al-Rihawi, known as Abu al-Husayn, the muhaddith (traditionist) of al-Jazira. He transmitted from Zayd ibn al-Hubab and evaluated his reliability. al-Nasaʾi said of him: “Trustworthy, dependable, a hadith transmitter.” Siyar Aʿlam al-Nubalaʾ (12/475); Tahdhib al-Kamal (1/420). (2) Ahmad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Salih ibn Muslim, Abu al-Hasan al-ʿIjli al-Kufi, resident of Ṭarabulus al-Maghrib, an ascetic muhaddith and author of a history as well as works on criticism and assessment. He migrated to the Maghreb during the mihna (inquisition) over the Qur’an, settled there, and his grave lies on the coast with his son Salih’s tomb beside it. He died at the age of eighty. Siyar Aʿlam al-Nubalaʾ (12/505); al-ʿIbar (2/27). (3) al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Abi al-Shawarib, known as Abu Muhammad, qadi al-qudat (chief judge) under Caliph al-Muʿtamid and one of the praised, generous scholars. Siyar Aʿlam al-Nubalaʾ (12/518); al-ʿIbar (2/28). (4) As stated in al-Usul; the correct reading is likely Abu Sulayman, namely Dawud ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Abi al-Karam al-Jaʿfari, known as Abu Sulayman al-Madani. Ibn Hibban mentioned him in al-Thiqat and remarked that “he makes mistakes.” Tahdhib al-Kamal (8/409). (5) Shuʿayb ibn Ayyub ibn Zurayq al-Ṣarīfīnī, the judge; originally from Wasit, he settled in Sarifin, a town near Baghdad. A saduq (truthful narrator) prone to tadlis (source concealment), he is mentioned by Ibn Hibban in al-Thiqat. He served as the leading reciter and scholar of Wasit. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (4/348); Taqrīb al-Tahdhib (1/351); Tabaqāt al-Qurrāʾ (1/327, where he appears as Raziq). (6) Salih ibn Ziyad ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Rusbi al-Susi al-Raqqi, the reciter and scholar of Raqqa. A truthful transmitter committed to the Sunna, he died close to the age of ninety. Siyar Aʿlam al-Nubalaʾ (12/380); al-ʿIbar (2/28); Tabaqāt al-Qurrāʾ (1/332).