The Iranian Sunni scholar and compiler of hadith, al-Qushayri Naishapuri, the author of “Sahih Muslim”

Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On 25th of the Islamic month of Rajab in 261 AH, the Iranian Sunni scholar and compiler of hadith, Abul-Hussain Muslim ibn Hajjaj al-Qushayri Naishapuri, the author of “Sahih Muslim”, passed away at the age of 55 years in his hometown Naishapur in Khorasan, northeastern Iran.
He was a student of the other famous Iranian Sunni Muslim hadith compiler, Mohammad bin Ismael Bukhari, and among his students was the third famous Iranian Sunni Muslim compiler of hadith, Mohammad bin Eisa Tirmizi. After travelling throughout Iran, the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Iraq and Syria, he settled down in his hometown Nayshapour where he first met Bukhari, with whom he would have a lifelong friendship.
Of the thousands of hadith he has collected in his "Sahih", 2000 are common with Bukhari's "Sahih". There are many hadith in “Sahih Muslim” on the merits of the Ahl al-Bayt including the unrivalled position of Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) compared to the companions of the Prophet. He has mentioned that the term Ahl al-Bayt as referred to by God Almighty in ayah 33 of Surah Ahazab exclusively pertains to Imam Ali, Hazrat Fatema, Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace upon them) and does not include the Prophet’s wives.