06-08-2004, 01:52 PM
<b><i>Imaam Abu Bakr Ibn Abee Shaybah</i></b>
Shaikh Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaanee
His Checking of Ibn Abee Shaybah's book Kitaab-ul-Eemaan (pg. 11-12)
He was Abu Bakr 'Abdullaah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abee Shaybah Ibraaheem Ibn 'Uthmaan Al-'Abasee Al-Koofee. He was the author of large voluminous works such as Al-Musannaf, Al-Musnad and others.
He was born in 159H and heard from a large group of the scholars from the reliable and trustworthy Imaams, such as Sufyaan Ibn 'Uyainah, 'Abdullaah Ibn Al-Mubaarak and 'Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Mahdee.
Imaam Ahmad and his son, 'Abdullaah, reported on his authority and he is from the shuyookh (teachers) of the famous Imaams: Al-Bukhaaree, Muslim, Abu Dawood and Ibn Maajah.
Abu 'Ubayd Al-Qaasim Ibn Salaam (rahimahullaah) said: "The leading scholars of Hadeeth are four: The most knowledgeable of them of the Halaal and the Haraam (Lawful and Unlawful) is Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. The best at listing hadeeth and placing them in the right context is 'Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee. The best at writing a book is Ibn Abee Shaybah. And the most knowledgeable of which hadeeth are authentic and which are weak is Yahyaa Ibn Ma'een."
And he also said: "(Knowledge of) the Hadeeth ultimately goes back to four (people): to Abu Bakr Ibn Abee Shaybah, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Yahyaa Ibn Ma'een and 'Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee. So Abu Bakr (Ibn Abee Shaybah) is the best amongst them at presenting it (i.e. the hadeeth). Ahmad is the one with the most Fiqh (understanding) of it amongst them. Yahyaa is best amongst them at gathering and collecting it. And 'Alee is the most knowledgeable amongst them of it."
Al-'Ijlee (rahimahullaah) said: "He is reliable (thiqqah) and a Haafidh."
Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadee (rahimahullaah) said: "He was precise in his narration (mutqin), memorized many ahaadeeth (haafidh), and produced many works (mukthir). He wrote the books Al-Musnad, Al-Ahkaam, and At-Tafseer. He died in the year 235H."
Al-Haafidh Ad-Dhahabee (rahimahullaah) described him as: "The Grand and unique Haafidh, and the one who is reliable (in narration)."
He died at the age of 76.
<b>The following volumes of his book Al-Musannaf can be found in Al-Maktabah Adh-Dhaahiriyyah (Dhahiree Library) in various manuscript forms: </b>
The first volume: 278 ahaadeeth (pg. 1-128)
A second copy of this (first volume) is defective: 290 ahaadeeth (pg. 1-210)
The second volume: A third copy, which is defective: 422 ahaadeeth (pg. 1-230)
The seventh and eighth volume: A fourth copy: 288 ahaadeeth (pg. 1-209)
The eleventh and twelfth volume: the same copy: 289 ahaadeeth (pg. 1-208)
He also has a book in this library called Kitaab Al-Adab (The Book of Manners) similar to the book Al-Adab Al-Mufrad of Imaam Al-Bukhaaree, with first and second volumes. It is understood that its complete set consists of three volumes, but the third volume is not found in the Dhahiree Library. So if it is found in some of the other libraries, I suggest that the noble people responsible for it strive to print and distribute it, for it is extremely valuable.