طبقات الصحابة والتابعين عند الحاكم النيسابوري في كتابه (معرفة علوم الحديث وكمية أجناسه)

Abstract

It is a clear fact the contemporary writers have exerted great efforts in keeping the prophetic tradition. Amongst those outstanding scientists is Al- Neissaburi who had searched for knowledge since a very early age. He travelled a lot searching for knowledge to various countries such as Iraq, Khurasaan and those countries which behind the river. He was a widely- learned , wrote many books. He had written about five hundred books. Due to his honesty , he became responsible for the judiciary in Neissabur and Nasa. Among the most important subjects mentioned in his books "The Science of Layers". It is the science which enables us to distinguish similar persons in the documentation and those who are similar in age. Thus it is possible to distinguish one from the other and to be acquainted with the trusted ones from those who are weak and also to know the articulated documentation from the unarticulated one. He divided the Layers in his book entitled "The Traditions and their Kinds". He divided the Followers into twelve layers starting with the mentioning of followers who entered Islam in Mekkah such as Abu Bakr , Omar , Othman and Ali "PBU" them. He ended that layer with those followers who had witnessed the Messenger of Allah "pbuh" during the capture of Mekkah or in the last pilgrimage . When he mentioned the followers , he started mentioning those followers who had followed the Ten sublimed "enter heaven" such as Qays bin abi Hazim and Saeed bin al Musseib and others. He also mentioned the latest ones such as Anas bin Malik in Basra , Abdulla bin abi Awfa from Kufa. He actually did a wonderful job in his division in the layers of the followers. This was admitted by Sheikh Ahmed Shakir when he commented on the book "Al-Baith". He depended on various scales; priority in Islam, merit in religion and participation in the battle and so on. I beseech Almighty Allah to consider this work totally for His sake.

Keywords

Layers, companions, ruler