بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The great muhaddith, Abu Bakr Ya’qub ibn Yusuf al-Muttawwi’ee (رحمه الله) studied under giants like Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Ali ibnul Madini and Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaibah. Amongst his students were the likes of Ahmed ibn Salman An-Najjaad and Abu Bakr Ash-Shafi’ee.[1] (رحمهم الله)
Imam Daarqutni (رحمه الله) said, “He was a thiqah (reliable narrator) and a faadhil (man of virtue).”[2] Hafiz Zahabi (رحمه الله) states, “He was reliable, narrated a lot of hadith and meticulous.”[3] Imam Haakim Naisaburi (رحمه الله) narrates through him in his ‘Mustadrak ala Saheehain’.[4]
Khatib Baghdadi (رحمه الله) narrates that he said, “In my old age I used to recite every day and night Surah Ikhlaas 31,000 or 41,000 times.”[5] Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله) also mentions this in his ‘Al-Bidayah wan Nihayah’.[6]
The great musnid and hadith scholar Abu Musa Al-Madini (d.581 A.H.) (رحمه الله) narrates in his book ‘Khasaa-isul Musnad’:
Abu Bakr ibn Sulaiman (رحمه الله) said that I heard Abu Bakr Ya’qub ibn Yusuf al-Muttawwi’ee (رحمه الله) saying, “I sat with Abu Abdillah, Ahmed ibn Hanbal for 13 years while he was reading the ‘Musnad’ to his children. I did not write one letter. I wrote his Aadaab (etiquettes), his Akhlaaq (character) and I maintained them.” In another narration he states, “I used to look at his hady (mannerism) and emulate it.”[7]
Subhaanallah. Our Aslaaf placed so much emphasis on Aadaab and etiquettes. If there was anything in this to frown upon, as many may do in our times of immodesty and shamelessness, Imam Ahmed would never had allowed him to sit there “idly” والعياذ بالله. Learning and inculcating Adaab is the only road to success. No time spent on it is too much. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heard a man censuring his brother regarding hayaa (modesty). Upon this the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) remarked, “Hayaa (Modesty) is part of Iman (faith).”[8]
O Allah guide us to pious deeds and morals. Certainly no one guides to righteousness and morals, and no one protects from evil acts except You.
[1] Tarikh Baghdad Vol.16 Pg.423
[2] See Hakim’s questions to Daarqutni “Suwaalaat Haakim” Pg.160 #245, Tarikh Baghdad Vol.16 Pg.423
[3] Tarikh Islam Vol.6 Pg.855
[4] See Mustadrak Vol.1 Pg. 43 and ‘Rijaalul Haakim’ Pg.392 #1759
[5] Tarikh Baghdad Vol.16 Pg.423-424 It is sad how people of this era of ignorance would consider this a bidah, while the upholders of the Sunnah from the Salaf practiced such feats of ebaadah regularly in their lives. None of the giant muhaddithun who narrated this, the likes of Khatib Baghdadi, Ibnul Jawzi in ‘Al-Muntadhim’ and Ibn Kathir frowned upon this or criticized him or any other person for ‘overindulgence’ in ebaadah. Refer to اقامة الحجة على ان الاكثار في التعبد ليس ببدعة
[6] Vol.14 Pg.691
[7] ‘Khasaa-isul Musnad’ published with ‘Musnad Ahmed’ Ahmed Shakir’s edition, Vol.1 Pg.28-29
[8] Sahih Muslim
