AtTirmidhi

al-Tirmidhi, full name Abu Isa Muhammad ibn Isa al-Tirmidhi, was a prominent Persian hadith compiler and Islamic jurist who flourished in the 9th century. Born circa 824 CE in Termez in Transoxiana, he traveled widely to study and collect hadith, studying under many respected scholars of Khurasan, Basra, and Baghdad. He is traditionally dated to have died around 892 CE.

His best-known work is Jami' al-Tirmidhi, also referred to as Sunan al-Tirmidhi. This hadith collection is arranged by topic and is notable for the author’s critical apparatus, including remarks on the reliability of chains (isnad), occasional competing chains, and commentary on the text. The collection is regarded as one of the canonical six major Sunni hadith compilations, though its structure and grading differ from those of Bukhari and Muslim.

In addition to Jami' al-Tirmidhi, he authored works such as Shama'il al-Muhammadiyya, which describes the Prophet Muhammad’s appearance and character, as well as various shorter treatises. His methodology emphasizes the examination of transmission chains, compatibility with legal reasoning, and the contextual assessment of narrations. He sought to present authenticated material while documenting alternative chains and scholarly opinions when available.

al-Tirmidhi’s influence extends through his rigorous approach to hadith criticism and his extensive narrations, which continue to be cited in Islamic jurisprudence and scholarship. His works contributed to the development of Sunni hadith study and remain a key source for researchers and students of Islamic tradition.