Thābit ibn Abī Ṣafiyya famously known as Abū Ḥamza al-Thumālī Thābit ibn Dīnār () (born before 82 Hijri/701 CE – died after 150 Hijri/767 CE), was a Shia Muslim and a companion of Shia Imams Ali al-Sajjad (680–712) and Muhammad al-Baqir (712–732). He is known for transmitting the text for Risalat al-Huquq and the Supplication of Abu Hamza al-Thumali from Ali al-Sajjad. He is regarded as a trustworthy hadith transmitter by Shias, but untrustworthy by Sunni hadith scholars.
Life Abu Hamza al-Thumali claimed to be a companion of Ali al-Sajjad. He also claimed to be a companion of Muhammad al-Baqir and Ja'far al-Sadiq. Al-Najashi said: “He was the best of our companions and the most reliable of them in narration and tradition.” It was reported that Ali al-Rida said: “Abu Hamza at his time is like Salman at his time.” Shia rijal books say that Abu Hamza consumed prohibited intoxicants. Rijāl al-Kashshī, 2/455: no. 353. His sons died as martyrs with the great revolutionist, Zayd ibn Ali.Tanqih al-Maqal, vol.1, p.189.
He died in the year 150 A.H.
Status as a narrator Sunni hadith scholars have made several remarks about Thābit ibn Abī Ṣafiyya:
Umar ibn Hafs ibn Ghiyath (d. 222): “My father abandoned the hadith of Abu Hamzah Al-Thumali.” Ibn Sa'd (d. 230): “He was weak.” Yahya ibn Ma'in (d. 233): “He is worthless.” Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241): “He is weak, he is worthless.” ‘Amr Al-Fallas (d. 249): “He is not reliable.” Al-Jawzajani (d. 259): “He was extremely weak (wahi) in hadith.” Abu Zur’ah (d. 265): “He is weak.” Abu Hatem (d. 277): “He is weak in hadith. His hadith should be written but it cannot be relied upon.” Ya’qub b. Sufyan (d. 277): “He is weak.” Imam Al-Nasa'i (d. 303): “He is not reliable.” Al-‘Uqayli (d. 322), Al-Dulabi (d. 310), and Ibn Al-Jarud (d. 307) and others weakened him. Ibn Hibban (d. 354): “He was very delusional in his transmission such that he cannot be relied upon whenever he exclusively transmits anything, along with his extremism in Shi’ism.” Ibn ‘Adiyy (d. 365): “His weakness is apparent in his transmission, and he is closer to weakness.” al-Daraqutni (d. 385): “He is abandoned (matruk).” Ibn ‘Abdilbarr (d. 463): “He is not strong according to them. There was weakness in his hadith.” Tahdib Al-Tahdhib 2/7-8.
In contrast, Shia hadith scholars consider him a reliable narrator. Mo’jam Rijal Al-Hadith 4/293-295.
Works Kitab fi Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim (An exegesis of the Quran). Kitab al-Nawadir (A Book on the rare things). Kitab al-Zuhd (A Book on Asceticism).
Supplication of Abu Hamza al-Thumali
Abu Hamza al-Thumali has related that during the month of Ramadhan, Ali Zayn al-Abidin used to spend a greater part of the night in prayers and when it used to be the time of beginning of the fast he recited a supplication which later known as Du'a Abi Hamzah al-Thumali (The supplication of Abi Hamzah al-Thumali). This supplication has been recorded in the book Misbah al-Mutahijjid of Shaykh Tusi.
See also List of Shi'a Muslim scholars of Islam Sayyid Murtadhā Sayyid Radhī Shaykh al-Mufīd Shaykh al-Tūsī Shaykh al-Sadūq Muhammad al-Kulaynī Allāmah Majlisī Shaykh al-Hur al-Āmilī Zakaria ibn Idris Ash'ari Qomi Ahmad ibn Ishaq Ash'ari Qomi List of Shia books
References