His Name and Background
Abu Qilabah was Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Amr, or it was said Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Amr ibn Natil ibn Malik. He was known as Abu Qilabah al-Jarmi al-Basri. Jarm was a branch of al-Haf ibn Qudaʿah. He came originally from Basrah but later settled in Darayya in al-Sham. The exact year of his birth is unknown.
He was one of the major Imams of the Tabiʿin, known for his deep insight, firm adherence to the Sunnah, abundant knowledge, and great patience. He is remembered as a model of scholarship and piety, despite enduring severe personal hardships throughout his life.
Those Who Narrated From Him
Abu Qilabah narrated from many Companions of the Prophet. He narrated from Thabit ibn al-Dahhak, from Anas ibn Malik, from Malik ibn al-Huwayrith, and from Abdullah ibn Abbas (d. 68 AH). He narrated from Hudhayfah, although he did not meet him, and he narrated from Samurah ibn Jundub, Anbasah ibn Saʿid ibn al-ʿAs, Zahdam ibn Mudarrib, Abu al-Muhallab al-Jarmi, Abu al-Ashʿath al-Sanʿani, and Abu Hurayrah (d. 59 AH). He also narrated from women Companions like Muʿadhah al-ʿAdawiyyah, Zaynab bint Umm Salamah, and Aʿishah al-Kubra (d. 58 AH).
He narrated in all the major hadith collections, including Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, and Sunan al-Nasaʾi. Sometimes his narrations were mursal, meaning he narrated without mentioning a direct link to the Companion. He was known to practise tadlis but was still regarded as a truthful and reliable Imam.
Those Who He Narrated From
Many great scholars narrated from him, including Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani (d. 131 AH), Thabit al-Bunani (d. 123 AH), Qatadah ibn Diʿamah (d. 117 AH), Dawud ibn Abi Hind (d. 140 AH), Yahya ibn Abi Kathir (d. 129 AH), ʿImran ibn Hudayr, Khalid al-Hadhaʾ (d. 141 AH), ʿAsim al-Ahwal (d. 140 AH), Abu ʿAmir al-Khazzar, and many others.
His freedman Abu Rajaʾ Salman was among those who narrated from him. His knowledge reached wide parts of the Muslim world through his students.
His Virtues and Praise by Scholars
Ibn Saʿd (d. 230 AH) said that Abu Qilabah was trustworthy, had abundant hadith, and resided in al-Sham.
Muslim ibn Yasar praised him highly, saying that if Allah had known anyone better than him in Iraq, He would have sent him to them. Similarly, when he arrived in al-Sham, his knowledge was recognised by the scholars there.
Malik ibn Anas (d. 179 AH) said that Abu Qilabah left behind the load of a mule in books, unlike other scholars like Ibn al-Musayyib who died without leaving written works.
Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani said that if Abu Qilabah had been Persian, he would have been the Mobed Mobedan, the chief judge of his people.
Muhammad ibn Sirin (d. 110 AH) regarded him as his brother, and when Abu Qilabah was mentioned to him, he praised his uprightness.
Hammad ibn Zayd narrated from Abu Khushaynah that Ibn Sirin also trusted him deeply, describing him as someone whose reports were reliable.
Ayyub said that Abu Qilabah had a sharp insight into judgments, and he considered him the most knowledgeable in rulings in Basrah.
When the position of judge in Basrah became vacant, Abu Qilabah was nominated, but he fled to al-Yamamah to avoid it. When asked why he fled, he said: “The judge is like a man who falls into the sea, and however much he swims, he will eventually drown.”
His Warnings Against Innovation and His Firmness on the Sunnah
Abu Qilabah warned strongly against sitting with innovators or speaking with them. He said he feared their misguidance would harm the hearts of the believers.
He warned that if someone said, “Leave aside the Sunnah and give us only the Book of Allah,” then he was misguided. Similarly, if someone rejected both the Book and Sunnah for the sake of reason or mystical experience, he likened such a person to Abu Jahl or even Iblis disguised as a man.
He taught that a person should firmly cling to the Sunnah and avoid personal opinions in religious matters.
His Worship, Piety, and Personal Trials
Abu Qilabah was known for his patience and devotion to Allah. Despite severe hardships — losing his hands, feet, and eyesight — he remained thankful and continued worshipping Allah with deep sincerity.
It was said that he once suffered intense thirst while fasting, so he made duʿa to Allah, and a cloud rained upon him alone to quench his thirst.
He refused worldly appointments. Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf tried to appoint him as a judge, but he fled to al-Sham. Even Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan respected his stance and ordered that he be treated well.
When he was ill, the righteous Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz visited him and told him to stay firm so that the hypocrites would not rejoice at his misfortune.
Abu Qilabah lived by high principles, preferring loss of health and hardship over compromising his faith.
His Books and Knowledge
He left behind a large collection of books which were inherited by Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani. It was said that the books were so many that they were the load of a full mule. The cost of transporting them was about ten dirhams.
Ayyub consulted Muhammad ibn Sirin about narrating from the books, and Ibn Sirin said he neither commanded nor forbade him, showing the books’ recognised value.
His Death
Abu Qilabah died in al-Sham, and it was said he died at al-ʿArish in Egypt. The strongest opinion is that he died in 104 AH, although some said he died in 105, 106, or 107 AH. Reports from al-Waqidi, Yahya ibn Maʿin, and al-Haytham ibn ʿAdi confirm these different dates.
He died after a life of hardship, having lost his limbs and sight, yet he remained steadfast and grateful to Allah until his last breath.
Some of His Sayings
Abu Qilabah said: “There is nothing sweeter than the soul; once it is removed, only stench remains.”
He also said: “If you want to deceive your companion, prompt him.”
And he said: “Memorisation in youth is like engraving in stone.”
He taught that it was preferred to narrate hadith while in a state of purity, and that repeating hadith excessively in a sitting removed its light.
He narrated that if someone rejected the Sunnah in favour of reason or taste, it was a sign of misguidance worse than that of Abu Jahl.
He left a legacy of deep knowledge, strict adherence to the Sunnah, wariness of innovation, and pure devotion to Allah.
Siyar A’lam Nubala By Ad Dhahabi (4/468-475)
