Abà « Jaÿfar Aḥmad aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwë () (853 â 5 November 933), commonly known as at-Tahawi (), was an Egyptian Arab Hanafi jurist and Traditionalist theologian. He studied with his uncle al-Muzani and was a Shafi'i jurist, before then changing to the Hanafi school. He is known for his work al-'Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah, a summary of Sunni Islamic creed which influenced Hanafis in Egypt.
According to al-Dhahabi, his name was Abu Ja'far Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Malik ibn Salamah, al-Azdi al-Hajari al-Misri al-Tahawi al-Hanafi.
Aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwë was born in the village of Ṭaḥàin upper Egypt in 853 (239 AH). However, this birthdate is highly debated. The years 229 AH/843 AD, 230/844, 238/852, and 239/853 are all dates that have been mentioned . Even within the years of birth, the exact dates are debated as well. Another date within 239 AH/853 AD that is presented is the 10th of Rabëâ al-Awwal, which would be August 19, 853 AD . Another author adds that his birth was on Sunday night, 11 of the First RabiâÂÂ. The biography of ibn KhallikÃÂn mentions that 229 AH, the date reported by Abu SaâÂÂd al-SamâÂÂÃÂnëâÂÂs, is correct. However, the majority of biographers say that it was the year 239, which is determined by narrations directly from Ibn Yà «nus, his student, and the year 239 is explicitly mentioned in al-SamâÂÂÃÂnëâÂÂs own work, al-AnsÃÂb, further indicates that the report citing the year 229 likely stems from a scribal error.
He was born to an affluent Arab family of Azdë origins, which is a renowned tribe in Yemen. His grandfather served as an army commander, while his father was engaged in the fields of poetry and literature. Al-ṬaḥÃÂwë even consulted his fatherâÂÂs expertise in verifying poetry within his own work, Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar. His mother attended the scholarly gatherings of Imam Shafi'i, and al-Rafi'i cited her as a source regarding the subject of zakat. He then began his studies with his maternal uncle, IsmÃÂÿël ibn Yaḥyàal-Muzanë, a leading disciple of ash-ShÃÂfiÿë, but in 873 (259 AH), at approximately 20 years of age, aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwë abandoned the ShÃÂfiÿë school of jurisprudence in favour of the Ḥanafë school. Different versions are given by his biographers of his conversion to the Ḥanafë school, but the most probable reason seems to be that the system of Abà « Ḥanëfa appealed to his critical insight more than that of ash-ShÃÂfiÿë. However, other reasons are given as to why he switched over. One is that he was influenced by al-Muzani's comments, who said to him one day, âÂÂBy God! No good will ever come of you.âÂÂâ Al-ṬaḥÃÂwi switched over to Abi Ja'far ibn Abi âÂÂImran after these comments upset him. Another reason, related by Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Shurà «á¹Âi, is that he asked him why he differed in opinion from his uncle and preferred Aba ḤanifahâÂÂs way, to which al-ṬaḥÃÂwi replied, "Because I saw my uncle examine the works of Aba Ḥanifah. Thus, I switched over to him."
Aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwë then studied under the head of the Ḥanafës in Egypt, Aḥmad ibn Abë ÿImrÃÂn al-Ḥanafë, who had himself studied under the two primary students of Abà « Ḥanëfa, Abà « Yà «suf and Muḥammad ash-ShaybÃÂnë. Aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwë then travelled to Syria in 882 (268 AH) for further studies in Ḥanafë jurisprudence and became pupil to Abà « KhÃÂzim ÿAbd al-Ḥamëd ibn ÿAbd al-ÿAzëz, the chief qÃÂá¸Âi of Damascus.
Aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwë gained a vast knowledge of ḥadëth in addition to Ḥanafë jurisprudence and his study circles consequently attracted many students of knowledge who related ḥadëth from him and transmitted his works. Among them were al-Da'udi, the head of the Zahiris in Khurasan, and aá¹Â-ṬabarÃÂnë, well known for his biographical dictionaries of ḥadëth transmitters.
Aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwë was famed for his expertise in both ḥadëth and Ḥanafë jurisprudence even during his own lifetime, and many of his works, such as KitÃÂb MaÿÃÂni al-ÃÂthÃÂr and ÿAqëdah aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwëyyah, continue to be held in high regard by Sunni Muslims today.
He died on the 14th day of Dhà «-l Qaÿdah, 321 AH (5 November 933 CE), and was buried in al-QarÃÂfah, Cairo. Another date given for his death was Thursday, 1st of Dhu âÂÂI-QaâÂÂadah, 321 (A. D 933)
Many of al-ṬaḥÃÂwë's contemporaries praised him and noted him as both a reliable scholar and narrator of ḥadëth. He was widely held as a distinguished and prolific writer and became known as the most learned faqëh amongst the Ḥanafës in Egypt, despite having knowledge of all the madhÃÂhib. Over fifteen commentaries have been produced on his creedal treatise, ÿAqëdah aá¹Â-ṬaḥÃÂwëyyah, including shuruh by the Hanafi jurist Ismail ibn Ibrahim al-Shaybani and the Taymiyyan-inclined Ibn Abi al-Izz.
An examination of the works of al-ṬaḥÃÂwë'sâÂÂwho lived during a period when ÃÂḥadëth and the sciences of ÃÂḥadëth were being systematically compiledâÂÂreveals that he was an authoritative figure in subjects such as nÃÂsikh wa mansà «kh (abrogating and abrogated Hadiths), âÂÂilal al-hadëth (defects in Hadith), gharëb al-hadëth (obscure Hadith terms), taâÂÂwël mukhtalif al-hadëth (reconciling conflicting Hadiths), and jarḥ wa taâÂÂdël (criticism and authentication of narrators). The characterization of him as "trustworthy and reliable" (thiqa wa sabt) by his studentâÂÂthe Hadith memorizer, Abu SaâÂÂid ibn YunusâÂÂwas accepted by the majority of later Hadith scholars. Imam al-Nawawi referred to him as "the Imam of the Hanafis in Hadith".
He authored many other works, close to forty different books, some of which are still available today, including: