Dawud b. al-Nu'man: Difference between revisions

Dawud b. Nu’man was a Twelver Shia transmitter of hadiths in the second century AH whose name is among those who transmitted hadiths from Imam al-Sadiq (a) and Imam al-Kazim (a). Some scholars of rijal have not considered him reliable, but some reliable sources have quoted from him.

Family of Dawus were Nakha’i from Kufa and were in Wila’ covenant with Bani Hashim. Dawud b. Nu’man was also known as Anbari which seemingly refers to al-Anbar city where he lived, near Euphrates, 10 Farsakhs from Baghdad. Kashshi has mentioned him with the title of Baya’ al-Anmat, perhaps referring to his job which was selling carpet.

Najashi first mentions Ali b. Nu’man A’lam, the smaller brother of Dawud reliable and then says that Dawud was better than his brother. Some have considered Allama Hilli’s support of Dawud due to the mentioned speech of Najashi.

But, some others believe that Najashi’s word does not mean as a support for him, and by the word “’Uluww” [elevation, promotion], Najashi meant promotion in level, speaking of which is common among scholars of rijal. The support for this opinion is Najashi’s word in biography of Dawud b. Nu’man when he describes Dawud b. Nu’man using the word “Akbar” [bigger] which refers to him being older than Ali.

It is also thought probable that Allama Hilli’s word has root in the Kashshi’s support. After mentioning the supportive comment, Allama Hilli has mentioned Kashshi’s word. Also, some have mentioned the weakness of the two previous probabilities, and have proposed the probability of the omission of the supportive phrase from recent copies of Najashi’s rijal.

Since Allama Hilli had access to the books of Ali b. Hakam, Sa’d b. ‘Abd Allah, Ibn ‘Uqda and others, later scholars referred to for checking reliability of people, some consider his support for reliability of person as proof. An evidence for this opinion is that no problem has occurred to those chains of hadiths in which Dawud b. Nu’man is mentioned and Ibn Abi ‘Umayr and other reliable sources of hadiths have narrated from him.

Moreover, Dawud has also narrated from Abu ‘Ubayda Ziyad b. ‘Isa Hadha who passed away at the time of Imam al-Sadiq (a).

Najashi has considered Dawud among transmitters of Imam al-Kazim’s (a) hadiths and Shaykh al-Tusi has considered him among the companions of Imam al-Rida (a). But, if Najashi’s address of “A’la” about Dawud means “’uluww” [high] in level, he would not have met Imam al-Rida (a). Kashshi too has mentioned the biography of Dawud among the companions of Imam al-Rida (a). However, Dawud has no hadith from Imam al-Rida (a).

* Abu ‘Ubayda Hadha’

* Abu Ayyub Hazaz

* Ishaq b. ‘Ammar

* ‘Abd Allah b. Siyaba

* Mansur b. Hazim

As well as his brother Ali, his sister’s son, Ali b. Hakam, Ibn Abi ‘Umayr, Ali b. Asbat and Yunus b. ‘Abd al-Rahman have narrated hadiths from him.

According to Najashi, he had a book but there is no description is available now. From the appearance of Kashshi’s word, it can be understood that Dawud made a will to pass his books to Muhammad b. Isma’il. Kashshi’s words in this regard have been considered partially omitted and they believe that he had meant Ali b. Numan.

Attributing the will to Ali b. Nu’man does not reject Dawud b. Nu’man’s will, and it is even possible that both brothers have made such a will; especially that the position of Muhammad b. Isma’il in the views of the companions can justify the will of both brothers.