GREAT PEOPLE OF TERMEZ:Abu Isa Muhammad at-Termizi

Abu Isa Muhammad at-Termizi

His full name is Muhammad bin Savra bin Musa bin az-Zakhkhak Abu Isa s-Sullami az Khariyr al-Bugi at-Termizi. He was born in 209 / 824 in the village Bug, which was situated not far from Terinez, in a poor family. He spent all his life in Termez. It is here where his second name at-Termizi comes from. Al-Samani cites the following from at-Termizi's words "Kitab al-Ansub": "My grandfather was Marva by origin - he lived under Laisa bin Sayyara and then he moved to Termez from that place.»(1)

Muhammad at-Termizi showed a great interest for various sciences, especially for prophet's Khadith from his early ages. For further improvement of his knowledge he travelled for a long time to the coun­tries of the east. Many years he lived in Mecca and Madina where he met many famous learned people, and studied and became experienced. Such famous Khadith specialists imam al-Bukhari, imam Moslim, imam Abu Daud bin Sayyid, Ishak bin Musa, Mahmud bin Giylan, Said bin Abdurahman, Muhammad bin Bashshar, Ali bin Hajar al-Marvazi, Ahmad bin Muni, . Muhammad bin al-Musanna, Sufiya bin Vaki taught him.

In his turn imam Muhammad at-Terrnizi had his own pupils. Among them Makhul bin al-Fade, Muhammad bin Mahmud Anbar, Khammad bin Shakir, Abu bin Muhammad, Khaisam bin Kulaib as-Shashi, Ahmad bin Yusuf an-Nasafi, Abu-1 Abbas Muhammad bin Mahbub al-mahbubi can be men­tioned. There were representatives of various coun­tries and people, among Muhammad at-Termizi' s teachers and pupils. Imam al-Bukhari, who was his teacher and contemporary, had a great impact on him. The two famous experts of Khadith met be­tween 863 - 868 in Nishapur, in the city where al-

Bukhari lived and taught Khadith of the prophet af­ter returning from the east. Muhammad at-Termizi spoke with pleasure about his meeting (with) imam al-Bukhari in his main work titled "Al-Jamiy al-Kabiyr»("Major Collection of Khadith").

A close relation between the two scholars lasted until imam al-Bukhari died in 870. Shams ad-Din az-Zakhabi, author of the famous work "Tazkirat at-Khuffaz»(A Book About Khafizes (singers)), states about a strong adherent to his teacher. He says the following in this book: "At-Termizi mourned over his teacher al-Bukhari's death that he became blind up to the end of his life.

At-Termizi himself had numerous pupils in dif­ferent cities of the east, including Samarkand and Tashkent. Glory followed his as far as his death in 892 and has lived for many centuries.

Imam Muhammad at-Termizi left rich spiritual heritage. All his life he collected khadith — stories about life and activity of prophet Muhammad thor­oughly and had done much to systematize it. Imam Muhammad at-Termizi wrote more than ten works. Among them "Al-Jami al-Kabiyr»("Major Collection of Khadith") which was also known as "Sakhiykh at-Termizi»or "Sunnat at-Termizi", "Ash-Shamail an-Nabaviyya»("The Moral Qualities of the Prophet"), "Kitab at-Tarikh»(A Book About History), "Kitob al-Ilal»("A Book About Misinterpretation in Rendering the Khadith"), "Kitab az-Zukhd»("A Book About Piety"), "Kitab al-Asma valkuna»("A Book About Messengers Names and Nicknames"), "Asma as-sakhaba»("The Names of Prophet's Fellow Fighters"), "Risala fil hilad val jalal»("Treatise on Discord and Dialectics") and others can be mentioned.