Aban ibn Taghlib
Abu Sa'id Aban ibn Taghlib ibn Rubah al-Kindi (died 758 AD/141 AH) was an outstanding jurist-traditionist and an associate of Muhammad al-Baqir, but also of Zayn al-Abidin and Ja'far al-Sadiq. Al-Baqir is reported to have praised Aban as, "Sit in the mosque of Kufa and give legal judgment to the people. Indeed I would like to see among my Shia, people like you."[1][2] He is considered one of the frequently quoted jurists of Ja'far's period , When he died al-Sadiq is reported to have said, "I would love to have my Shi'a like Aban b. Taghlib," and "his death grieved my heart." Aban's name appears in a good number of traditions, mostly of a practical nature.[3]
There is no information about his birthplace but he is believed to be from Kufa.[4] Aban devoted most of his life to Ahl al-Bayt. He studied various branches of science, in particular hadith from them and attained a prominent position in the school of Imam al-Sadiq. Aban is famous to have quoted extensively from Imam Sadiq and it is reported that he narrated thirty thousand hadiths from him. He is also considered the most outstanding Quranic reciter and his style of Quranic recitation is very famous.[4] He was the first person to publish a book about the meaning of the Holy Quraan which was renewed with different interpretations every year and is still used by many scholars and students even today.
He was considered a master of Quran traditions, jurisprudence, literature, syntax and philology. He was Appointed by Imam Mohammad al-Baqir to work in Medina.[5] Shaykh Tusi has reported that Imam al-Sadiq appointed him to conduct scholarly discourse. Imam Baqir ordered him to "Sit in the Prophet’s mosque in Medina and provide answers to legal questions (wa afti ’l-nās); for I would like it to be known that people like yourself belong to my shīʿa"[2] [6]
Shi'ite scholars consider him reliable and the Sunni scholars such as Al-Nasa'i and Al-Dhahabi which confirmed his reliability and trustiness in his biographical dictionary saying "Aban ibn Taghlib the Kuffen a staunched Shi'ite but trustful, to us his trust, and to him his heresy" he also narrated that Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Yahya ibn Mu'in and Abu Hatam have confirmed him trustful. Books compiled by Aban are now missing but the books ascribed to him in the catalogues are as follows:
- Ma'ani al-Quran
- Kitab al-Qira'at
- Al-Garib fil-Quran
- Al-Fadail
- Kitab Siffin
References
- ^ Lalani 2000, pp. 108, 109.
- ^ a b Kohlberg 2020, p. 202.
- ^ Jafri, Syed Husain Mohammad (1979). The Origins and Early Development of Sheea'h Islam. Beirut: Oxford University Press. p. 214.
- ^ a b Al-Muraja'at: Letter 16:A Hundred Shi`a Authorities Relied upon by Sunnis Archived 2013-06-11 at the Wayback Machine, 1. Aban ibn Taghlib He was a Kufi reciter of the Holy Qur'an. Al-Thahbi has recorded his biography in his own Mizan saying, "....]
- ^ Behar-ul-Anwaar:Vol-02:#80, Appointed by Imam Mohammad al-Baqir for Medina
- ^ Mustadrak-al-Wasail:Vol-17:#21452
- Lalani, Arzina R. (2000). Early Shi'i Thought: The Teachings of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir. I. B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1860644344.
- Kohlberg, Etan (2020). Ehteshami, Amin (ed.). In Praise of the Few. Studies in Shiʿi Thought and History. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-40697-1.