Book: Siyar A'lam An-Nubala by Ad-Dhahabi - سير أعلام النبلاء ـ الإمام الذهبي

Shaykh of Readings: Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Khalil ibn Sa'ada

He was the Chief Judge, Shihab al-Din Abu Abdullah al-Dimashqi al-Shafi'i. In "Mu'jam Shuyukhih al-Kabir" "2/144", it is mentioned about him: He was a versatile, distinguished scholar and author, encompassing virtues. Born in the year 626 AH / 1229 AD, he heard from Ibn al-Lati, al-Sakhawi, Ibn al-Salah, and others, and many gave him permission to narrate. I sat before him, and he questioned me on various issues of the readings, and by the grace of Allah, I answered him. Those present testified to my authorization, and he permitted me to narrate his texts. He died in Ramadan of the year 693 AH / 1294 AD.

The Continued Study of Readings by Al-Hafiz

Al-Hafiz continued his study of the science of readings, learning from his shaykh Muhammad ibn Jawhar ibn Muhammad ibn Malik, the proficient reader, Abu Abdullah al-Tala'fri al-Sufi al-Muqri', born in the year 615 AH / 1218 AD. He mastered the Quran from Abu Ishaq ibn Wathiq al-Andalusi and composed a primer on Tajweed, which Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi transcribed in 691 AH / 1296 AD. He also studied the seven readings under his shaykh Muhammad ibn Mansur ibn Musa, the imam, reader, grammarian, Shams al-Din Abu Abdullah al-Halabi al-Hadari al-Shafi'i, one of the notable scholars at the Adiliyyah and the Ummayad Mosque.

Al-Hafiz Al-Dhahabi in "Mu'jam Shuyukhih al-Kabir" "2/290-291"

He read to several groups, writing on al-Kamal al-Dareer, and al-Dahhan. He was a close student of Ibn Malik and learned a great deal of Arabic from him. I read the seven readings with him, as did Ibn Ghadir. He passed away in Safar of the year 700 AH / 1301 AD, having reached nearly seventy years of age.

The Eminence of Al-Hafiz Al-Dhahabi in Readings

Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi became a distinguished scholar in the readings; thus, the Hafiz, the reader Muhammad ibn Abdul Aziz al-Dumyati, relinquished his teaching circle to him. Al-Hafiz states in "Mu'jam Shuyukhih al-Kabir" "2/218":

I completed the readings with our shaykh, the imam, reader Muhammad ibn Abdul Aziz al-Dumyati, along with Ibn Ghadir and Shaykh Badr al-Din. He was of good character and patient temperament, and he relinquished his teaching circle to me in his illness, during which he passed away in the year 693 AH / 1293 AD.

The Pursuit of Hadith by Al-Hafiz Al-Dhahabi

Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi sought the study of Hadith at the age of eighteen, hearing in Damascus from Umar ibn al-Qawas, Ahmad ibn Hebat Allah ibn Asakir, Yusuf ibn Ahmad al-Ghasuli, and others.

In Baalbek, he heard from Abdul Khaliq ibn Alwan, Zaynab bint Umar ibn Kindi, and others.

In Egypt, he studied with al-Abrakuhwi, Isa ibn Abdul Munim ibn Shihab, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Daqiq al-'Id, the two Al-Hafiz, Abu Muhammad al-Dumyati, and Abu al-Abbas ibn al-Zahiri, among others.