IBN HAJAR AL-'ASQALANI

The full name of the famous Imam Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalani is Abul-Fadl, Shihabuddin Ahmad bin 'All bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Ahmad Ai-Kinani AshShafi'i. Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalani was born on 10th Sha'ban, 773 H. in Egypt, where he grew up also. He memorized the Qur'an at the age of nine years and also memorized Al-Hawi, the book Muktasar of Ibn Al-Hajib, and other books. He traveled to Malika and listened to the teaching of its 'Ulama.

His Teachers

While he admired the knowledge of Hadith and began to acquire it from the great Sheikh in Hijaza, Ash-Sham, Egypt and stayed with Az-Zain Al-'Iragi for ten years. He also studied under Al-Balqini, Ibn Al-Mulaqqin and others. Many eminent Sheikh of his time approved his knowledge and allowed him to give religious verdicts and teach.

He had learned the two sources (Qur'an and Hadith) from Al-'Izz bin Jama'a, the language from Al-Majd Al-Fairuzabadi, the Arabic from Al-'Amari, literature and poetry from Al-Badr Al-Mushtaki and writing from a group of professors. He also recited some parts of the Qur'an in all the seven styles of recitation before At-Tanukhi.

His work

Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalani authored more than 150 books —most of them being in the studies of Hadith—which flourished during his lifetime, and the kings and princes exchanged them as gifts. Some of his works include

1. Fath ul Baari fi Sharh Sahih Bukhari:
A commentary on the superb collection of Hadith by Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail Al-Bukhari. The most famous and well-informative commentary on Sahih Bukhari.
 

2. Bulugh Maram min adillatil ahkaam:
[English: Attainment of the objective according to evidence of the ordinances]. A very popular book on Hadith as it relates to finding evidence for basic Islamic jurisprudence.

His famous book

Bulugh Al-Marham Min Adillat Al-Ahkam, it contains a total of 1358 ahadith. At the end of each Hadith narrated in Bulugh al-Maram, al-Hafidh ibn Hajar mentions who collected that hadith originally.

Personality

As concerns his personality, Al-'Asqalani was humble, tolerant, patient and enduring. He was also described to be hilarious, steadfast, prudent, ascetic. selfless, generous, spender in charity and a person praying and fasting voluntarily. On the other hand he was said to be used to cracking of light Jokes and telling of humorous anecdotes. He had also good manners of dealing with all the Imam whether highly or lowly placed and with all those who sat with him whether old or young.

His death

Ibn Hajar died after the 'Isha prayer on Saturday, 8th Dhul-Hijja 852 H. May Allah reward him generously.

References

http://www.dar-us-salam.com/authors/hafiz-ibn-hajar.htm\