Allama Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (RA)

This is a summary of Ustadh Mahfuz Ahmad’s lecture on Allama Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (RA). to listen to the full lecture follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S3Eq4sSt3A&t=982s

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani:

He served as a judge in Egypt for about 22 years and wrote a book: Raf’ul Isr an Qudaati Misr, on the biographies of the judges of Egypt and in there he included his own biography also.
Asqalan: Palestine, but he was brought up in Egypt.
Born in Sha’baan (773 AH).
His father passed away when he was 4 years.
Memorised Qur’an and lead Taraweeh at the age 12.
Ibn Hajar would write books on his shuyookh. Mashyakha: important to read to know about the shuyookh, but also learn about what books they would read and study as mentioned in them. Learn about the connection of students and teachers.
Grandson: Yusuf ibn Shaaheen, also wrote biography on his grandfather Ibn Hajar.
2 of his students also wrote bio: Biqai and Sakhawi.
Brought up by his sister: Sittur Rakb. ibn Hajar said she is like my mother after my mother died.
He died in 852 AH.
First wife: uns bint Abdil Karim (d. 867) also helped ibn Hajar in his education – he would praise her to his students.
He had 5 daughters from this wife.
He also wanted to have sons, and he did Mashwarah with this wife and married his second wife.
His second wife was a widow (first husband: abu bakr – who made a wasiyyah to ibn Hajar to get married to her).
His 3rd wife was also a widow, she was a umm walad.
Ibn Hajr went to Aleppo, and those who were there arranged his marriage to Layla bint Mahmud, after his marriage, he lived with her for a few months, she was not ready to move to Egypt, and he promised her to take care of her, she would go back and forethought.
He had one son, Muhammad, who narrated a few hadeeth and went with his father to places, but did not become a well known scholar, but served as a judge
His 4 daughters passed away during pandemics.
Ibn Hajar would take his daughters to the different Ulamaa’ to learn under them also.
Zayn Khaatun was one of his daughters, praised by his students. (D. 833) – her son became a great aalim.
During his lifetime, multiple pandemics occurred: in the years: 817, 819, 826 AH.
Other daughters : farrah and Ghaliya (d. 819) and Fatima (d.819).
The other daughter died of natural causes – but also passed away before ibn Hajar.

Yusuf ibn Shaaheen (D. 899) – son of Zayn Khaatoon

Authored few books: An-Nujoom – still manuscript – preserved in Paris.
He makes the statement: I did not praise my grandfather in this short paragraph, if there was no issue of a testimony of a grandson for his grandfather, I would have mentioned the wonderful things I witnessed in his life.

Students who wrote bios

Biqai (the author of nazmud Dur – book about the connection of aayat and Surahs). Ibn Hajar calls this student of him: a great allaamah.
Sakhawi (d.902) (authored Al Jawaahir wad durar)

Ibn Hajar’s books and writing

In the beginning of his life, he was actually not into the field of Hadeeth.
In his early life, he was interested in the field of Adab.
(Opposite to Imam Sibwayh, who was a muhaddith first and then became a scholar of Nahw – after he made a mistake in reading a Hadeeth in front of his teacher Hammad).
First book: At-Tazkiratul Aadabiyah – lost book, was 22 when he authored this book.
2 books in year 795 AH, Muqaddimah fi’l Arudh and summary of Jawzi’s book: Mukhtasaru Talbisi Iblis.
These 3 books focussed on Adab and summarising books on Salaf.

Number of books

Sakhawi mentioned: around 280 books.
Often ibn Hajar tried to write summaries of many books he read.
His students books are great source to confirm the title of ibn Hajar’s book.
Categories of books: Musawwadah (Draft copy), Mubayyadah (finalised copy), mafqoodah (lost) – there was an incident where his books drowned.
Mahmud Tahan (muhaqqiq) said because of the bad hand writing of ibn Hajar, we cannot differentiate between musawwadah and Mubayyadah in many cases.

Style of his books and why they are appreciated

He would have multiple nuskhah (copies) of each book, and would rely on the most correct one.
- Ibn Hajar came from a wealthy family, the one who would look after him was a merchant.
Provided references.
Refer to original sources.
Would get his students and teachers to review his books.
- In Bukhari, in some Tarjamatul Bab he does not mention sanad. Ibn Hajar so wrote Taghleequt Ta’leeq to fill this gap, and then sent to his teachers incl. Imam Bulqini, and they praised him which encouraged him.
Would always edit his own work.
He was able to read really fast and write really fast.
Abdul Fattah al ghudda says that a student should be fast in writing, reading, walking and eating.
The only book he took really long on was fathul Baari: 22 years.

Ibn Hajar Asqalani and Hanafi scholars

Jamalud Deen Az- Zayla’ (brought up in Somalia) – Muhaddith, author of Nasbur Raayah – ibn Hajar summarised this as Diraayah. Zayla’i also did a takhreej of Kashaaf, and ibn Hjar summarised this.
Ibn Hajar says he benefitted from Mughaltai (from Turkey) when it came to his book tahdheeb it-Tahdheeb.
Badrud Deen Ayni – also in Egypt at time of Ibn Hajar (originally from Turkey) – they both wrote a sharah of Bukhari – they did not copy from each other, ibn Hajar wrote a book correcting Badrud Deen Ayni’s mistakes.
Ibnul Humaam (author of Fathul Qadeer)- also considered his student, he wrote a book whilst he was on his hajj journey, following in ibn Hajr’s steps who wrote nukhbatul Fikar on his hajj journey. Ibn Hajar also made dua when drinking zamzam water asking Allah to grant him good memory like Dhahabi, when Ibnul Humaam drank Zamzam, he made duah of istiqaamah.
Anwar Shah Kashmiri (D. 1933) made statement: I don’t doubt ibn Hajr, because when he gives reference and he is mutqin mutathabbit mutayaqqidh.

Ibn Hajar was pleased with only a few books:

He mentions 7 books he was pleased with.

He completed fathul bari (year 842 AH) 10 years before he passed away, spent around 20 years writing it.

When he completed his book, he held a ‘walimah’ and invited different scholars. He gifted them gold. He gave money to the owner of the land as his guest used their land to put their riding animals.