Al-Bayhaqi

Islamic scholar Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi
Title	Imam Al-Bayhaqi
Born	384 AH/994 CE
Died	458 AH/1066 CE
Era	Islamic golden age
Main interest(s)	Hadith, Shafi'i fiqh
Notable work(s)	Sunan al-Kubra, Al-Asma' wa al-Sifat
Influenced by Imam al-Hakim

Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn Ibn 'Ali Ibn Moussa al-Khosrojerdi al-Bayhaqi, البيهقي also known as Imam Al-Bayhaqi was born 994 CE/384AH in the small town of Khusraugird near Sabzevar, then known as Bayhaq, in Khurasan. During his lifetime, he became a famous Sunni hadith expert, following the Shafi'i school in fiqh.

Biography

Al-Baihaqi was a scholar of fiqh, of the Shafi'i school of thought as well as hadith. He studied fiqh under Abu al-Fath Nasir ibn al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Naysaburi and others. He also studied hadith under Hakim al-Nishaburi and others, and was al-Nishaburi's foremost pupil. He died in 1066 CE.

Works

Imam Bayhaqi was a prominent author in his time, having authored more than one thousand volumes according to Al-Dhahabi. Among the most well-known books authored by him are:

• Al-Sunan al-Kubra, commonly known as Sunan al-Bayhaqi
• Ma`arifa al-Sunan wa al-Athar
• Bayan Khata Man Akhta`a `Ala al-Shafi`i (The Exposition of the Error of Those who have Attributed Error to al-Shafi`i)
• Al-Mabsut, a book on Shafi`i Law
• Al-Asma' wa al-Sifat (The Divine Names and Attributes)
• Al-I`tiqad `ala Madhhab al-Salaf Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a
• Dala'il al-Nubuwwah (The Signs of Prophethood)
• Shu`ab al-Iman (The branches of faith)
• Al-Da`awat al-Kabir (The Major Book of Supplications)
• Al-Zuhd al-Kabir (The Major Book of Asceticism)