A brief biography of Al Khatēb Al Bãghdãdi (d. 463 hijri) (May Allah have mercy on him)

[Shehzad Sattar]

His name was Ahmad bin Ali bin Thãbit bin Ali bin Mahdi, he was given the nickname Abu Bakr but was famously known as Al Khatēb Al Bãghdãdi. His origin was Arab and his father wasn't from those who excelled in a specific science from the sciences of knowledge. Al Khatēb describes his father in his book Tãrēkhu Baghdãd (The History of Baghdãd) as being someone who memorized the entire Noble Qurãn. He mentions,

"He was one of those who memorized the Quran, he read upon Abu Hafs Al Kinãnee. He became the Imãm and was entrusted with giving the Friday sermon on the minbar for some twenty years. It appears that Al Khatēb was given this title due to his father being entrusted with preaching for an extended amount of time, then the title was passed down to him".

Abu Bakr Al Khatēb was born on Thursday in the month Jumàdil Ãkhirah in the year 392h. He was raised in the protection of his father. He instilled in him the essence of knowledge and the Qurãn, knowledge and attending in the sittings of the scholars became beloved to him. His father encouraged him to listen to hadith while he was eleven years old. He sat in the gathering of Ibn Rizqaway, then he refrained from attending those lessons for a period of three years. It is possible that the reason for this was because he wanted to begin studying Jurisprudence (Fiqh). He sat with Abu Haamid Al Asfirãyaan who was a renowned scholar in the Shãfi' school of thought in Baghdãd wherein 700 students used to attend his lesson. Al Khatēeb didn't restrict himself to one scholar such that he because from among the major scholars of jurisprudence in the Shãfi' school of thought.
Ath-Thahabi said in his book At-Tathkirah (1137/3),

"And he (Al Khatēb Al Baghdãdi) was from the major scholars of the Shãfi' school of thought. He acquired his fiqh from Abul Hasan Al Hãmili and Al Qãdi Abu Tayyib".

After studying Fiqh, he then inclined towards Hadith until he became engrossed with it just like Ibn Khalkãn mentions,

"He (Al Khatēb Al Baghdãdi) was a scholar in Fiqh until he become overwhelmed and engrossed with Hadith and Tãrēkh (History)." Al Khatēb took a decent portion from every science, he read the Quran and learned numerous recitations in his youth. He also studied Fiqh and it's Usõl until he became from the major scholars in Shãfi' Fiqh. He studied the sciences. He busied himself with Tãrēkh (History) specifically the history of traveling. Then he became engrossed and overwhelmed with Hadith and Tãrēkh (History). He dedicated and devoted all of himself, his time and he became a specialist in these two fields rightfully."

He had splendid noble manners and was sincere in his actions and the works that he authored. Due to Al Khatēb excessive knowledge, he was never amazed at the amount of knowledge he was able to attain, nor was he arrogant. Instead he was humble such that he didn't approve of lofty names and titles being given to himself such as Hãfidh or Muhaddith.

Abu Nasr Muhammad bin Sa'eed Al Muaddib narrated on the authority of his father that he said, "I said to Abu Bakr (Al Khatēb Al Baghdãdi) when I met him, "Are you Al Hãfidh Abu Bakr". He (Al Khatēb Al Baghdãdi) replied, "memorization ended with Ad-dãruqutni. I am Ahmad bin Ali bin Thãbit Al Khatēb" At-Tathkirah (1141/3).

He died (May Allah have mercy upon him) after his illness became worse at forenoon on Monday 7th Dhūl Hijjah in the year 463h. With his death, a page from the pages of knowledge had been folded with authenticating and authoring. The Muslims had indeed lost a flag from the flags of the scholars of hadith, those whom enriched the Islamic treasures with that which it required and the
Muslims with goodness.

ترجمة الشیخ أبي بكر أحمد بن علي بن ثابت بن أحمد بن مھدي، أشتھر بالخطیب البغدادي مأخوذ من كتاب مختصر نصیحة
أھل الحدیث

(Translation by Ismaeel Beaumont for Markaz-us-Sunnah, Rabi Al Akhir, 1435)