International Scholarly Attention to the Legacy of Imam al-Darimi

An international academic seminar was held as part of the joint project “Al-Azhar and the Scholars of Transoxiana: A Bridge of Scientific and Cultural Relations,” implemented in cooperation between the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center and Al-Azhar University of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The seminar, entitled “Imam Abu Muhammad al-Darimi al-Samarqandi: The Naming and Scholarly Classification of His Sunan,” featured a presentation by Professor Salah Ahmad Isa al-Jibali, a scholar at Al-Azhar University and lecturer at the School of Hadith Studies in Samarkand.

In his presentation, the professor explored the life, scholarly standing, and intellectual contributions of Imam Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Darimi, an eminent ninth-century scholar from Samarkand who made significant contributions to the advancement of Islamic scholarship, particularly in the fields of hadith and Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh).

Particular attention was devoted to scholarly discussions surrounding the title, structure, and classification of Imam al-Darimi’s renowned work, Sunan al-Darimi. The speaker emphasized that the work is more appropriately classified as a Sunan rather than a Musnad, given its systematic arrangement according to thematic chapters and legal subjects.

He also examined the work’s significance within the discipline of hadith studies, the distinctive characteristics of the narrations it contains, and the assessments offered by prominent hadith scholars throughout Islamic intellectual history.

During the seminar, special emphasis was placed on Imam al-Darimi’s scholarly profile not only as a distinguished hadith expert (muhaddith) but also as an accomplished jurist with profound expertise in Islamic law.

Drawing on specific examples, the professor illustrated Imam al-Darimi’s approaches to various jurisprudential questions and highlighted his scholarly methodology in establishing a harmonious relationship between hadith evidence and legal reasoning.

The presentation further addressed the intellectual responsibility of a mujtahid — a scholar qualified to exercise independent legal reasoning (ijtihad) — in deriving legal judgments. It also emphasized the importance of relying on the established scholarly legacy of recognized authorities for those who have not attained the qualifications required for independent jurisprudential interpretation.

These issues were also discussed in the context of contemporary Islamic studies and modern hadith scholarship, underscoring their continued academic and practical relevance.

The seminar marked another significant step in strengthening academic cooperation between the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center and Al-Azhar University, while promoting the international study, preservation, and dissemination of the rich intellectual heritage of scholars from Transoxiana (Mawarannahr).

International academic seminars are being organized regularly within the framework of this collaborative project, providing an important platform for scholarly dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the development of enduring academic ties between the two institutions.