I have noticed in many of your answers you reference to Ibn Abi Dunya. Can you provide a short bio and a general ruling on his books?
Answer
Imam ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad, Ibn Abid Dunya (rahimahullah) was a pious, ascetic Hadith Scholar.
Born in the year 208 A.H. he acquired Hadith from many senior Muhaddithun of his era.
He heard Hadiths from close to a thousand teachers.
Among his teachers were: Imam Bukhari and Imam Zuhayr Ibn Harb (rahimahumallah)
Imam Ibn Abid Dunya (rahimahullah) was a very prolific writer and has written many booklets on a wide variety of Hadith related topics. Some contemporaries have cited over two hundred titles of his books.
‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) describes him as: ‘The author of many compilations.’ ‘His books have many unique and strange narrations.’
His books are a rich source for Hadiths of Nabi (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) as well as narrations from the Sahabah and Tabi’un.
A recent collection of over fifty of his books (Mawsu’ah Ibn Abid Dunya) consists of approximately fifteen thousand narrations!
He is a reliable Muhaddith and the Hadiths in his books vary in their levels of reliability.
Although there are many weak narrations too in his books, each narration should be evaluated according to its chain whilst also keeping in mind the subject matter for which it was cited.
(Also see: Hukmul ‘amali bil Hadithid Da’if, of Shaykh ‘Awwamah, hafizahullah, pg.85-86)
Imam Ibn Abid Dunya (rahimahullah) passed away in the year 281 A.H.
References for the above:
Siyar A’lamin Nubala, vol.13 pg.399-404 & Introduction to Mawsu’ah Ibn Abid Dunya.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar