Al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abi Bakr

Priority: c, Quality: b
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Al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abi Bakr
Full NameQasim b. Muhammad b. Abi Bakr
Companion ofImam al-Sajjad (a) and Imam al-Baqir (a)
TeknonymAbu Muhammad, Abu 'Abd al-Rahman
LineageQuraysh
Wellknown RelativesMuhammad b. Abi Bakr
Birth36/656-7
Place of BirthMedina
Place(s) of ResidenceMedina
Death/MartyrdomBetween 101/719 and 112/731
Burial PlaceQudayd between Medina and Mecca


Qāsim b. Muḥammad b. Abi Bakr (Arabic: قاسم بن محمد بن ابي بکر) was among the elders of the Followers and one of the seven scholars of fiqh in Medina at the time of Imam al-Sajjad (a). He was the father of Imam al-Sadiq's mother. He was among the close and trustworthy companions of Imam al-Sajjad (a) and Imam al-Baqir (a). He has narrated many hadiths which have been referred to by different narrators.

Lineage

Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abi Bakr was born in Medina in 36/656-7. His father, Muhammad b. Abi Bakr was the son of Abu Bakr, the first caliph. He was Imam Ali's (a) adopted son and among his special companions.[1] According to a famous report, his mother was the daughter of Yazdegerd III, the last Sasanid king. Thus, Qasim b. Muhammad is regarded as the cousin of Imam al-Sajjad (a), therefore it is said that Yazdegerd had three daughters, one of whom married to Imam al-Husayn (a), one to Muhammad b. Abi Bakr and the third to 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar.[2]

According to famous historical reports, Qasim b. Muhammad was the father of Imam al-Sadiq's (a) mother and Umm Farwa, Imam al-Baqir's (a) wife, was one of her daughters.[3] Qasim had two sons whose names were Muhammad and 'Abd al-Rahman. He also had a daughter whose name was Umm Hakim.[4]

Titles and Teknonym

For Qasim, two teknonyms of Abu Muhammad and Abu 'Abd al-Rahman have been mentioned. His title is "Madani" due to his life in Medina.[5]

In the View of Imams (a)

Qasim b. Muhammad grew up learning from Imam al-Sajjad (a) and was considered among his companions.[6] Some also regard him as the student of Imam al-Baqir (a).[7] There are expressions of approval and commendation about him in the words of Imams (a). Imam al-Sadiq (a) regarded him among the three elders who had a great position before Imam al-Sajjad (a).

Also, another report says:

"Sa'id b. Musayyib, Qasim b. Muhammad and Abu Khalid al-Kabuli were among narrators and Shias who were trustworthy before Imam al-Sajjad (a)."[8]

It is narrated from Imam al-Rida (a), about Qasim b. Muhammad and Sa'id b. Musayyib, saying:

"These two were on the path of Alawi Wilaya and the true Islam."[9]

Scholars' Views

Qasim b. Muhammad is among the hadith transmitters who is reliable and trustworthy in the eyes of both Shia and Sunni scholars. In most tarajim (biography books) and rijal books of both schools, he has been admired by kind descriptions.

Sunni Scholars

In his Sahih, al-Bukhari has introduced him the most knowledgeable man of his time.[10] Muhammad b. Sa'd, the author of Tabaqat al-kubra, quotes from Muhammad b. 'Umar al-Waqidi and introduces Qasim b. Muhammad as a great, trustworthy and pious jurist. Ibn Hibban,[11] Ibn Khallakan,[12] Ibn Hajar[13] and some other Sunni scholars have mentioned similar descriptions about Qasim b. Muhammad in their books. These expressions suggest the credit of Qasim b. Muhammad before Sunni scholars.

Shia Scholars

In his rijal, al-Shaykh al-Tusi introduces Qasim b. Muhammad among Shia narrators of hadiths.[14] Also, in his Majalis al-mu'minin, Qadi Nur Allah Shushtari quotes from Ibn Dawud al-Hilli, among Shia scholars of rijal, and introduces Qasim b. Muhammad a faqih and scholar among the companions of Imam al-Sajjad (a).[15] Further, in his Bihar al-anwar, 'Allama al-Majlisi has mentioned Qasim b. Muhammad among Shia's trustworthy scholars.[16] Also in his Qamus al-rijal, Muhammad Taqi Shushtari introduces Qasim b. Muhammad among pure Shias.[17]

Characteristics

Qasim b. Muhammad was so famous in the knowledge of hadith and jurist that about him Abu l-Zanad said:

"I have not seen anyone in tradition more knowledgeable than him."[18]

He was one of the seven scholars of jurisprudence in Medina[19] and according to historical records, he was the reference for answering questions of his time. Also, his accuracy in keeping and transmitting hadiths is among his characteristics which rijal scholars have mentioned.[20]

Criticism of Aisha

In his Qamus al-rijal, Muhammad Taqi Shushtari has quoted from Tarikh al-Ya'qubi that after the martyrdom of Imam al-Hasan (a), when Aisha, riding a horse, shouted, "I do not allow anyone be buried in the house of the Prophet (s)!" Qasim who was still a teenager went to her and said, "O aunt! The memory of the Battle of Jamal is not yet forgotten when you rode a camel! Do you want to do something so that people would say, "once again she has got on the horse and has lit fire of another mischief?!"[21]

His Demise

About the date of his demise, historical reports are different mentioning years between 101/719-20, 102/720-1, 108/726-7 and 112/730-1.[22] The more famous report about his demise is in 101/719-20 in a place called Qudayd between Medina and Mecca.[23] Qasim had made a will that he should be buried with his worn-on clothes.[24]

Notes

  1. Ibn Khalkān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 4, p. 59.
  2. Ṭūsī, al-Rijāl, p. 100.
  3. Khoei, Muʿjam rijāl al-ḥadīth, vol. 14, p. 45.
  4. Ibn Saʿd, al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā, vol. 5, p. 185.
  5. Ibn Ḥajar, Tahdhīb al-tahdhīb, vol. 6, p. 254.
  6. Ṭūsī, al-Rijāl, p. 100.
  7. Khoei, Muʿjam rijāl al-ḥadīth, vol. 14, p. 45.
  8. Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 472.
  9. Ḥimyarī, Qurb al-isnād, vol. 1, p. 358.
  10. Amīn, Aʿyān al-Shīʿa, vol. 8, p. 446.
  11. Ibn Ḥibbān, Kitab al-thiqāt, vol. 5, p. 302.
  12. Ibn Khalkān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 4, p. 59.
  13. Ibn Ḥajar, Tahdhīb al-tahdhīb, vol. 8, p. 333, 335.
  14. Ṭūsī, al-Rijāl, p. 100.
  15. Shūshtarī, Majālis al-muʾminīn, vol. 1, p. 335.
  16. Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 2, p. 123.
  17. Shūshtarī, Qāmūs al-rijāl, vol. 8, p. 492.
  18. Ibn Ḥajar, Tahdhīb al-tahdhīb, vol. 8, p. 334.
  19. Ibn Khalkān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 4, p. 59.
  20. Amīn, Aʿyān al-Shīʿa, vol. 8, p. 446.
  21. Shūshtarī, Qāmūs al-rijāl, vol. 8, p. 493.
  22. Amīn, Aʿyān al-Shīʿa, vol. 8, p. 446.
  23. Ibn Khalkān, Wafayāt al-aʿyān, vol. 4, p. 59.
  24. Amīn, Aʿyān al-Shīʿa, vol. 8, p. 446.

References

  • Amīn, al-Sayyid Muḥsin al-. Aʿyān al-Shīʿa. Beirut: Dār al-Taʿāruf li-l-Maṭbūʿāt, 1406 AH.
  • Ḥimyarī, ʿAbd Allāh b. Jaʿfar al-. Qurb al-isnād. Qom: 1413 AH.
  • Ibn Ḥibbān, Muḥammad. Kitab al-thiqāt. Hyderabad: Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif al-ʿUthmānīyya, 1399 AH.
  • Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Aḥmad b. ʿAlī. Tahdhīb al-tahdhīb. Dār Ṣādir, [n.d].
  • Ibn Khalkān, Aḥmad b. Muḥammad. Wafayāt al-aʿyān. Beirut: Dār al-Thiqāfa, [n.d].
  • Ibn Saʿd, Muḥammad. Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā. Beirut: Dār al-Ṣādir, [n.d].
  • Khoei, Sayyid Abū l-Qāsim al-. Muʿjam rijāl al-ḥadīth. Beirut: Dār al-Zahrā, [n.d].
  • Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir al-. Biḥār al-anwār. Beirut: Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, [n.d].
  • Shūshtarī, Nūr Allāh al-Ḥusaynī al-. Majālis al-muʾminīn. Tehran: Islāmiyya, 1377 Sh.
  • Shūshtarī, Muḥammad Taqī. Qāmūs al-rijāl. [n.p]. Muʾassisa Nashr-i Islāmī, 1417 AH.
  • Ṭūsī, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥaasn al-. Al-Rijāl al-Ṭūsī. Najaf: al-Ḥaydariyya, 1386 AH.
  • Yaʿqūbī, Aḥmad b. Abī Yaʿqūb al-. Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī. Tehran: Dār al-Kitāb al-Islāmiyya, 1388 AH.