Source: http://forum.athaar.org/showthread.php?t=733
Imaam Abu Muhammad Al-Barbahaaree
Author: Compiled from several sources
Source: The book "Explanation of the Creed" published by Al-Hidaayah (pg. 8-14) (pg. 9-11)
Translator: Abu Talha Dawood Burbank
His name, Kunyah and Lineage:
He is the Imaam, the example, the Mujaahid, the Shaikh of the Hanbalee scholars and greatest of them in his time: Abu Muhammad Al-Hasan Ibn 'Alee Ibn Khalf Al-Barbahaaree - an ascription to Barbahaar, which were medicines imported from India.
His Birthplace and Early Life:
The references available do not mention anything about his birth or early life but it appears that he was born and brought up in Baghdaad. This is apparent form his fame amongst its general public, not to mention its scholars. Further, Al-Barabahaaree sat with a group of the companions of the Imaam of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, rahimahullaah. He studied under them and most of them came from Baghdaad as will be explained. This shows that he grew up in an environment of knowledge and adherence to the Sunnah. This clearly had a great influence on his personality.
His Teachers and His Seeking after Knowledge:
Al-Barbahaaree was pre-eminent in seeking after knowledge and expanded great efforts to attain it. He acquired knowledge from a group of the senior students of Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, except that unfortunately, the references available to us only state two of them by name and they are:
1. Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn-ul-Hajjaaj Ibn 'Abd-il-'Azeez Abu Bakr Al-Marwazee: The exemplary Imaam, scholar and Muhaddith, a student of Imaam Ahmad. He died on the sixth of Jumaadal-Oolaa in the year 275H.
2. Sahl Ibn 'Abdullaah Ibn Yunus At-Tusturee, Abu Muhammad: The Imaam, worshipper and one known for abstemiousness from this world. Many wise sayings are reported from him and many remarkable happenings. He died in Muharram in the year 283H, at the age of about eighty.
His Knowledge and the Scholars' Praise for Him:
Imaam Al-Barbahaaree, rahimahullaah, was a formidable and imposing Imaam who spoke out with the truth and called to the Sunnah and to the following of narrations. He also had renown and the respect of the ruler. In his gatherings, various circles for the study of hadeeth, the narrations and Fiqh were held. These were attended by many of the scholars of hadeeth and fiqh.
The scholar, Abu 'Abdillaah said: "If you see a person of Baghdaad loving Abul-Hasan Ibn Bashshaar and Abu Muhammad Al-Barbahaaree, then know that he is a person of the Sunnah."
His high status is hown by what his student, Ibn Battah, rahimahullaah, said: "I heard him - meaning Al-Barbahaaree - saying when the people were prevented from Hajj: O People! If anyone needs assistance to the level of a hundred thousand Deenaars and a hundred thousand Deenaars and a hundred thousand Deenaars - five times - then I will assist him." Ibn Battah said: "If he wanted it the people would have given it to him."
As regards the scholars' praise for him, then a great deal has been reported:
Ibn Abee Ya'laa said: "Shaikh of the Community in his time and the foremost of them in censuring the people of innovation and in opposing them with his hand and tongue. And he had renown with the ruler and prominence amongst those of knowledge. And he was one of the wise scholars, great and precise memorizers of the texts and one of the reliable believers"
Adh-Dhahabee said in Al-'Ibar: "...the exemplary scholar, Shaikh of the Hanbalees in 'Iraaq in speech, action and sticking to what is lawful. He had great renown and total respect."
Ibn Al-Jawzee said: "...He gathered knowledge and abstention form this world (zuhd) and was strong against the people of innovation."
Ibn Katheer said: "The abstemious, man of knowledge, the Hanbalee scholar, the admonisher - and he was strict against the people of innovation and sin. He had great standing and was respected by the elite and by the common people."
His Piety and Abstemiousness:
Imaam Al-Barbahaaree was known for both of these qualities. This can be seen by what Abul-Hasan Ibn Bashshaar mentioned "Al-Barbahaaree shunned seventy-thousand Deenaars, which he inherited from his father." Ibn Abee Ya'laa said: "Al-Barbahaaree strove greatly and stood form for the Religion many times."
His Position with Regard to the People of Innovation:
Imaam Al-Barbahaaree, rahimahullaah, was very stern against the people of innovations and deviant sects, opposing them with his tongue and his hand, all the while following the way of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah with regards tot he treatment of the people of innovation and deviation. His desire was that this Religion remain pure and be kept free from all that the people of innovation and deviance sought to attach to it, whether the beliefs of the Jahmiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, the 'Ash'arees, the Soofees or the Shee'ah and Raafidees.
He makes clear the methods employed by the people of deviant sects to give sanction to their innovations, and he warns us against falling into their ways and methods. He lays out for us the broad and clear outlines describing the people of deviant sects and innovations. It is as if you are looking straight at them.
In summery, his position with regard to the people of deviant sects and innovations was clearly one of opposition and sternness due to his concern and love for the Sunnah and due to the efforts of every deviant innovator to attack it. His position is rightfully seen as a fine example of the positions of the Imaams of Ahl-us-Sunnah with regard to the people of innovation, deviation and misguidance.
Imaam Abu Muhammad Al-Barbahaaree
Author: Compiled from several sources
Source: The book "Explanation of the Creed" published by Al-Hidaayah (pg. 8-14) (pg. 9-11)
Translator: Abu Talha Dawood Burbank
His name, Kunyah and Lineage:
He is the Imaam, the example, the Mujaahid, the Shaikh of the Hanbalee scholars and greatest of them in his time: Abu Muhammad Al-Hasan Ibn 'Alee Ibn Khalf Al-Barbahaaree - an ascription to Barbahaar, which were medicines imported from India.
His Birthplace and Early Life:
The references available do not mention anything about his birth or early life but it appears that he was born and brought up in Baghdaad. This is apparent form his fame amongst its general public, not to mention its scholars. Further, Al-Barabahaaree sat with a group of the companions of the Imaam of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, rahimahullaah. He studied under them and most of them came from Baghdaad as will be explained. This shows that he grew up in an environment of knowledge and adherence to the Sunnah. This clearly had a great influence on his personality.
His Teachers and His Seeking after Knowledge:
Al-Barbahaaree was pre-eminent in seeking after knowledge and expanded great efforts to attain it. He acquired knowledge from a group of the senior students of Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, except that unfortunately, the references available to us only state two of them by name and they are:
1. Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn-ul-Hajjaaj Ibn 'Abd-il-'Azeez Abu Bakr Al-Marwazee: The exemplary Imaam, scholar and Muhaddith, a student of Imaam Ahmad. He died on the sixth of Jumaadal-Oolaa in the year 275H.
2. Sahl Ibn 'Abdullaah Ibn Yunus At-Tusturee, Abu Muhammad: The Imaam, worshipper and one known for abstemiousness from this world. Many wise sayings are reported from him and many remarkable happenings. He died in Muharram in the year 283H, at the age of about eighty.
His Knowledge and the Scholars' Praise for Him:
Imaam Al-Barbahaaree, rahimahullaah, was a formidable and imposing Imaam who spoke out with the truth and called to the Sunnah and to the following of narrations. He also had renown and the respect of the ruler. In his gatherings, various circles for the study of hadeeth, the narrations and Fiqh were held. These were attended by many of the scholars of hadeeth and fiqh.
The scholar, Abu 'Abdillaah said: "If you see a person of Baghdaad loving Abul-Hasan Ibn Bashshaar and Abu Muhammad Al-Barbahaaree, then know that he is a person of the Sunnah."
His high status is hown by what his student, Ibn Battah, rahimahullaah, said: "I heard him - meaning Al-Barbahaaree - saying when the people were prevented from Hajj: O People! If anyone needs assistance to the level of a hundred thousand Deenaars and a hundred thousand Deenaars and a hundred thousand Deenaars - five times - then I will assist him." Ibn Battah said: "If he wanted it the people would have given it to him."
As regards the scholars' praise for him, then a great deal has been reported:
Ibn Abee Ya'laa said: "Shaikh of the Community in his time and the foremost of them in censuring the people of innovation and in opposing them with his hand and tongue. And he had renown with the ruler and prominence amongst those of knowledge. And he was one of the wise scholars, great and precise memorizers of the texts and one of the reliable believers"
Adh-Dhahabee said in Al-'Ibar: "...the exemplary scholar, Shaikh of the Hanbalees in 'Iraaq in speech, action and sticking to what is lawful. He had great renown and total respect."
Ibn Al-Jawzee said: "...He gathered knowledge and abstention form this world (zuhd) and was strong against the people of innovation."
Ibn Katheer said: "The abstemious, man of knowledge, the Hanbalee scholar, the admonisher - and he was strict against the people of innovation and sin. He had great standing and was respected by the elite and by the common people."
His Piety and Abstemiousness:
Imaam Al-Barbahaaree was known for both of these qualities. This can be seen by what Abul-Hasan Ibn Bashshaar mentioned "Al-Barbahaaree shunned seventy-thousand Deenaars, which he inherited from his father." Ibn Abee Ya'laa said: "Al-Barbahaaree strove greatly and stood form for the Religion many times."
His Position with Regard to the People of Innovation:
Imaam Al-Barbahaaree, rahimahullaah, was very stern against the people of innovations and deviant sects, opposing them with his tongue and his hand, all the while following the way of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah with regards tot he treatment of the people of innovation and deviation. His desire was that this Religion remain pure and be kept free from all that the people of innovation and deviance sought to attach to it, whether the beliefs of the Jahmiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, the 'Ash'arees, the Soofees or the Shee'ah and Raafidees.
He makes clear the methods employed by the people of deviant sects to give sanction to their innovations, and he warns us against falling into their ways and methods. He lays out for us the broad and clear outlines describing the people of deviant sects and innovations. It is as if you are looking straight at them.
In summery, his position with regard to the people of deviant sects and innovations was clearly one of opposition and sternness due to his concern and love for the Sunnah and due to the efforts of every deviant innovator to attack it. His position is rightfully seen as a fine example of the positions of the Imaams of Ahl-us-Sunnah with regard to the people of innovation, deviation and misguidance.