# Ibrahim ibn Hammad al-Azdi
**Ibrahim ibn Hammad al-Azdi** (إبراهيم بن حماد بن إسحاق بن إسماعيل) is the narrator usually identified in the biographical literature as Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Hammad ibn Ishaq ibn Ismail ibn [Hammad ibn Zayd](https://www.edgepedia.org/hammad-ibn-zayd) ibn Durham, a Basran-born Maliki judge and hadith transmitter of the family of Hammad ibn Zayd, who died in Baghdad in 323 AH (934/935 CE) at just over eighty years of age[1](https://www.tarajm.com/people/22651) • [2](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF). Al-Dhahabi's *Siyar A'lam al-Nubala* heads his entry "the established imam, shaykh of Islam, Abu Ishaq the devout", a client (mawla) of the Azd[2](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF). A caution applies to the name: every retrieved biographical source gives his nisba as al-Azdi al-Jahdhami (or al-Jundishapuri), and none uses "al-Asadi" for him; that nisba belongs in the rijal literature to a different, earlier Baghdad family[1](https://www.tarajm.com/people/22651) • [3](https://hadith.dev/narrator/1612).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Identity | Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Hammad ibn Ishaq ibn Ismail ibn Hammad ibn Zayd ibn Durham, al-Azdi al-Jahdhami, mawla of the family of Jarir ibn Hazim, Basran, judge and devout ascetic[1](https://www.tarajm.com/people/22651) |
| Dates | Born 241 AH (some reports say Rajab 240 AH); died in Baghdad in Muharram or early Safar 323 AH, with an alternative report of 329 AH[4](https://www.ibnalarabi.com/tarajim/tarjamat.php?id=6360) |
| School and posts | Maliki in fiqh; described as a judge; his son Harun held the judiciary of Egypt in his lifetime[5](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424) • [4](https://www.ibnalarabi.com/tarajim/tarjamat.php?id=6360) |
| Transmission | 103 recorded narrations, appearing in *Sunan al-Daraqutni* and al-Bayhaqi's *al-Sunan al-Kubra*[5](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424) |
| Grading | Al-Daraqutni: "thiqa jabal" per al-Dhahabi, "thiqa fadil" per Sunnah.com's summary; Ibn Hibban listed him in *al-Thiqat*; Ibn Farhun: "thiqa saduq fadil"[2](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF) • [5](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424) |
| Adverse report | Al-Qadi Iyad records Ibn Kamil's allegation that he was suspected of nasb, which sources attribute to Ibn Kamil's repeated attacks on the family of Hammad ibn Zayd[1](https://www.tarajm.com/people/22651) |
| Authorship | A work titled *Ittifaq al-Hasan wa Malik* ("The Agreement of al-Hasan and Malik")[6](https://adab.wiki/wiki/%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%8A_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%82_%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%82_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A%D9%84_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B2%D8%AF%D9%8A_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%B6%D9%85%D9%8A) |
## Name, genealogy, and the nisba problem
The full genealogy runs Ibrahim ibn Hammad ibn Ishaq ibn Ismail ibn Hammad ibn Zayd ibn Durham, with the kunya Abu Ishaq[1](https://www.tarajm.com/people/22651). The last link matters: Hammad ibn Zayd (d. 179 AH/795 CE) was a famous Basran hadith master, and the family was prominent in spreading the Maliki school in Iraq[7](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/hammad-b-ishak).
The nisba in the classical sources is al-Azdi al-Jahdhami, not al-Asadi. He is described as a mawla (client) of the Azd, specifically of the family of Jarir ibn Hazim, and Sunnah.com adds the nisba al-Jundishapuri, associating him with Jundishapur[1](https://www.tarajm.com/people/22651) • [5](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424). The nisba "al-Asadi" does appear in the rijal literature, but for a different family: the database hadith.dev records Hammad ibn Ismail ibn Ibrahim al-Asadi (d. 244 AH), of the family Ibn Abi al-Yasa, graded thiqa by al-Nasa'i and included by [Ibn Hibban](https://www.edgepedia.org/ibn-hibban) in *al-Thiqat*, who died in Baghdad in 244 AH[3](https://hadith.dev/narrator/1612). A reader who searches "al-Asadi" for this narrator should therefore expect to find him under al-Azdi or al-Jahdhami instead.
## Life and scholarly milieu
He was born in 241 AH, with one report placing his birth in Rajab 240 AH[4](https://www.ibnalarabi.com/tarajim/tarjamat.php?id=6360); the biographical sources identify him as a Basran (al-Basri) of the family of Hammad ibn Zayd, while it was his father who belonged to its Baghdad branch[2](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF). The father wrote extensively, including *al-Muhadana* and a refutation of al-Shafi'i[8](https://www.ibnalarabi.com/tarajim/tarjamat.php?id=9874).
**Family network.** Ibrahim studied fiqh with his uncle, the judge Ismail ibn Ishaq, and transmitted his books; he also narrated from his father Hammad and from Ja'far al-Firyabi[6](https://adab.wiki/wiki/%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%8A_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%82_%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%82_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A%D9%84_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B2%D8%AF%D9%8A_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%B6%D9%85%D9%8A). The TDV encyclopedia lists his father's students as including Ibrahim himself, Qadi Husayn ibn Ismail al-Mahamili, and Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Kharaiti[7](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/hammad-b-ishak).
The family's standing reached into state office. His son Harun held the chief judgeship of Egypt (qada' al-diyar al-misriyya) during Ibrahim's lifetime, after Abi Ubayd ibn Harbawihi, with Harun's brother Abu Uthman Ahmad ibn Ibrahim deputizing over a district of Egypt; Harun was dismissed in 316 AH[4](https://www.ibnalarabi.com/tarajim/tarjamat.php?id=6360) • [2](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF).
## Hadith transmission and works
Al-Dhahabi's *Siyar* records that he heard from al-Hasan ibn Arfa, Ali ibn Muslim al-Tusi, Ali ibn Harb, and al-Za'farani[2](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF). Sunnah.com's teacher list adds Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna al-Anazi, Ismail ibn Abi Ayyub al-Asbahi, al-Hasan ibn Arfa al-Abdi, Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Saghani, and Ibrahim ibn Sa'id al-Jawhari[5](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424).
Sunnah.com counts 103 recorded narrations, appearing in *Sunan al-Daraqutni* (its first citation is Sunan ad-Daraqutni, Book 1, Hadith 231) and in al-Bayhaqi's *al-Sunan al-Kubra*[5](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424).
As an author he is credited with *Ittifaq al-Hasan wa Malik*, a work on the points of agreement between al-[Hasan al-Basri](https://www.edgepedia.org/hasan-al-basri) and Malik, a fitting subject for a Maliki of a family devoted to that school[4](https://www.ibnalarabi.com/tarajim/tarjamat.php?id=6360).
## Assessment by hadith critics
The jarh/ta'dil (criticism and validation) record is strongly positive on balance. Al-Daraqutni's grading is reported in two wordings: al-Dhahabi's *Siyar* quotes "thiqa jabal" (trustworthy, a mountain), while Sunnah.com's summary of the graded authorities gives "thiqa fadil" (trustworthy, virtuous)[2](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF) • [5](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424). Abu Hatim ibn Hibban listed him in *al-Thiqat*; al-Khatib al-Baghdadi reported him among trustworthy shaykhs; and Ibn Farhun, in *al-Dibaj al-Mudhhab*, called him "thiqa saduq fadil" (trustworthy, truthful, virtuous)[5](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424). Abu al-Hasan al-Jarrahi said of him, as the *Siyar* records, "I never came to him but I found him reciting or praying", and [Abu Bakr](https://www.edgepedia.org/abu-bakr) ibn Ziyad al-Naysaburi said he never saw a more devout man[2](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF).
One adverse report stands against this. Al-[Qadi Iyad](https://www.edgepedia.org/qadi-iyad) recorded that [Ibn Kamil](https://www.edgepedia.org/ibn-kamil) alleged Ibrahim was suspected of nasb and that the Qadi Abu al-Husayn used to investigate him on that account; the sources note that Ibn Kamil frequently attacked the family of Hammad ibn Zayd, which they present as the context for the accusation[1](https://www.tarajm.com/people/22651).
This pattern of divergent verdicts fits the period's practice. Judgments on Baghdadi transmitters of the 4th/10th century rest primarily on the evaluations of Baghdadi critics of the same generation, using biographical data and techniques such as tafarrud (uniqueness of transmission) and mu'arada (counter-evidence)[9](http://mutefekkir.aksaray.edu.tr/tr/pub/article/1778169). The technical vocabulary itself was still young: Ibn Abi Hatim (d. 327/938) made the first attempt to define reliability terminology, ranking reliable narrators in four tiers beginning with thiqa/mutqin/thabt, and a study of [Ali ibn al-Madini](https://www.edgepedia.org/ali-ibn-al-madini)'s evaluations found only 61 percent consensus with his peers, so disagreement among critics was ordinary[10](https://www.academia.edu/109427398/The_Ambiguity_of_Early_Hadith_Criticism_%CA%BFAl%C4%AB_b_al_Mad%C4%ABn%C4%AB_s_161_234_778_849_Evaluation_of_Hadith_Transmitters).
## References
1. [Ibrahim ibn Hammad ibn Ishaq al-Azdi al-Jahdhami (al-Qadi), Tarajm biographical database](https://www.tarajm.com/people/22651)
2. [Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala: tarjamat Ibrahim ibn Hammad, Islamweb Library](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/library/content/60/3056/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF)
3. [Hammad ibn Ismail ibn Ibrahim al-Asadi, hadith.dev narrator database](https://hadith.dev/narrator/1612)
4. [Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Hammad ibn Ishaq ibn Ismail al-Azdi al-Jahdhami, Tarajim al-Shuyukh wa al-Ulama (ibnalarabi.com)](https://www.ibnalarabi.com/tarajim/tarjamat.php?id=6360)
5. [Ibrahim ibn Hammad al-Azdi, Narrators database, Sunnah.com](https://sunnah.com/narrator/11424)
6. [Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Hammad ibn Ishaq ibn Ismail al-Azdi al-Jahdhami, Mawsu'at al-Adab al-Arabi (adab.wiki)](https://adab.wiki/wiki/%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%8A_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%82_%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%85_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%82_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A%D9%84_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B2%D8%AF%D9%8A_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%B6%D9%85%D9%8A)
7. [HAMMÂD b. İSHAK, TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/hammad-b-ishak)
8. [Hammad ibn Ishaq ibn Hammad al-Jahdhami al-Azdi (the father), Tarajim al-Shuyukh wa al-Ulama (ibnalarabi.com)](https://www.ibnalarabi.com/tarajim/tarjamat.php?id=9874)
9. [4./10. Asır Bağdat'ında Ricâl Âlimleri ve Cerh-Ta'dîl Yöntemleri, Mütefekkir](http://mutefekkir.aksaray.edu.tr/tr/pub/article/1778169)
10. [The Ambiguity of Early Hadith Criticism: ʿAlī b. al-Madīnī's Evaluation of Hadith Transmitters, Academia.edu](https://www.academia.edu/109427398/The_Ambiguity_of_Early_Hadith_Criticism_%CA%BFAl%C4%AB_b_al_Mad%C4%ABn%C4%AB_s_161_234_778_849_Evaluation_of_Hadith_Transmitters)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Philosophy, religion, and mythology › Religion and spirituality › Religious biographies › Jewish, Islamic, and Dharmic religious leaders › Islamic religious leaders and scholars › Sunni imams and classical Islamic scholars › Hadith scholars and traditionists*
*Initially written Oct 10, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
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