Nasr b. Muzahim: Difference between revisions

Nasr b. Muzahim b. Sayyar (Yasar) ‘Attar Minqari was among Shi’a historians living in Iraq in 2nd century AH. Regarding the order of transmitters of hadiths, some considered him in the same order as of Abu Mikhnaf; and Shaykh al-Tusi mentioned him among the companions of Imam al-Baqir (a). Historians and biographers disagree about the credit of Nasr b. Muzahim, seemingly because of the school he followed. Toward the last years of his life, he participated in the uprising of Abu al-Saraya against Abbasids and Abu al-Saraya trusted him with the responsibility of the market. Some of his works are Waqa’a Siffin, al-Jamal, al-Gharat, Maqtal Hijr b. ‘Adi and Maqtal Husayn b. Ali (a).

 

The date of his birth is not mentioned in historical sources, but it is said that he was born in Kufa and then moved to Baghdad. His lineage reached Bani Minqar b. ‘Ubayd b. Harith b. ‘Amr b. Ka’b b. Sa’d b. Zayd Manat b. Tamim.

Nasr b. Muzahim spend most of his life in Baghdad. At that time, Baghdad was a newly developed city, but since it was the capital and center of caliphate, it had attracted many famous scientific figures. In Tarikh Baghdad, Khatib Baghdadi mentioned Nasr b. Muzahim among scientific figures of Baghdad. Nasr b. Muzahim passed away in 212 AH.

About Nasr, Ibn Nadim wrote, “he was from Bani Minqar clan and was a herbalist.” Abu al-Faraj Isfahani too said, “Abu al-Saraya trusted the market to Nasr b. Muzahim.”

Some considered him in the same order of Abu Mikhnaf. It suggests that he was among old people, because as Ibn Hajar mentioned in Lisan al-Mizan, Abu Mikhnaf Lut b. Yahya passed away in 170 AH and it is possible that Nasr was born around 120 AH.

Shaykh al-Tusi considered him among the companions of Imam al-Baqir (a) but it disagrees with the date he passed away which was 212 AH.  

Historians and biographers disagree about the credit of Nasr b. Muzahim, seemingly because of the school he followed. Most Sunni scholars of Rijal considered him weak [and unreliable] regarding transmission of hadith. About him, ‘Uqayli said, “Nasr b. Muzahim is Shi’a and the hadiths he has transmitted and his reports are disturbed, because they seem to have conflicts with each other.” Khatib Baghdadi considered him a Ghali [exaggerating] Shi’a who transmitted hadiths from weak transmitters of hadith and his reports were unreliable.

Among Sunni sources, Ibn Habban considers him among reliable and trustworthy figures. Also, about him, Ibn Abi al-Hadid said,

“Nasr b. Muzahim is a reliable and trustworthy person. He did not say anything out of vain desire or delusion and is among transmitters of hadiths.”

Najashi and ‘Allama Hilli, among great Shi’a scholars of rijal praised him by calling him “mustaqim al-tariqa” [“on the right way”] and “salih al-amr” [“having righteous deed”].

Muhammad Taqi Shushtari considered him among common people, but close to Imamiyya and preferred to mention him Zaydi due to his participation in the uprising of Abu al-Saraya.

 

Based on the report of Abu al-Faraj, Nasr, toward the end of his life (200 AH), participated in the uprising of Abu al-Saraya, who was an Alawite, against Abbasids and then Abu al-Saraya trusted him with the responsibility of the market. Abu al-Faraj reported this uprising in a book he titled as Akhbar Muhammad b. Ibrahim and Abu al-Saraya.

In Baghdad, he benefited from the classes of many teachers including: