Stories of the Scholars
Imam At-Tirmidzi
الإِمَام مُحَمَّد بْنُ عِيسَى التِّرْمِذِيّ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ
Author Jami' At-Tirmidhi, Pioneer of Hadith Science (d. 279 AH)
Muhammad bin Isa At-Tirmidhi was a student of Imam Bukhari who compiled one of the six main hadith books (Kutubus Sittah), Jami' At-Tirmidhi. The specialty of his book lies in his habit of explicitly including an assessment of the degree of each hadith (saheeh, hasan, or dha'if) accompanied by an explanation of the differences in opinion of schools of jurisprudence regarding that hadith - making it an important reference for students who want to understand the relationship between hadith and comparative jurisprudence.
1Compiler of Al-Jami' (Sunan Tirmidhi)
Muhammad bin Isa At-Tirmidhi (209–279 H) was born in Tirmidz, a student of Imam Al-Bukhari, and one of the founders of the Politikus Sittah. His book, Al-Jami' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi), is special because it explains the degree of each hadith (sahih, hasan, dhaif) and the opinions of fiqh scholars.
📖 QS An-Nahl: 43
2Originator of the term "Hasan"
Tirmidhi Masyhur introduced and popularized the hadith term "hasan" as a degree between sahih and dhaif, enriching the science of mustholah hadith. He also compiled the book Asy-Syama'il about the character and morals of the Prophet ﷺ.
📖 QS Al-Qalam: 4
3The Power of Memorization and Its Death
Tirmidhi was known for his extraordinary powers of memorization and piety; at the end of his life he lost his sight. He died in Tirmidz in 279 AH, leaving behind a book which became a reference for hadith and comparative jurisprudence.
📖 QS Fathir: 28