ABU SALAMA SAMARKANDI

The scholar’s full name is Abu Salama Muhammad ibn Muhammad Samarkandi Bukhari. Very little information has reached us about him. It is not known when he was born and when he died. He lived and worked in the second half of the 4th century AH.

Abu Salama learned jurisprudence from Abu Ahmad Iyadi. This is mentioned in “al-Jawahir al-Mudiyya” by Qurashi, “Taj al-Tarajim” by Ibn Qutlubugha, and “Tabaqat al-Saniyya” by Tamimi. These sources provide almost the same information about the scholar. In addition, Abul Mu’in al-Nasafi also gave information about him. He noted that Abu Salama studied kalam and jurisprudence from Abu Ahmad Iyadi and received permission from him.

There is no information about Abu Salama’s direct relationship with Imam Maturidi. However, if we take into account that he was educated by Abu Ahmad Iyadi, it can be said that he was a student of Imam Maturidi’s student.

The only known work of Abu Salama Samarkandi is “Jumal Usul al-Din”. Like “al-Sawad al-A’zam” by Hakim Samarkandi, this book was also written on the basis of an official order issued by the Samanid emir in order to teach the people the basic principles of Islam. The work mainly covers the creedal views of Imam Maturidi. It is small in size, consists of 16 pages. It was researched by the Turkish researcher Ahmet Saim Kilavuz in 1989 and translated into Turkish under the name “Matüridiliğin Temel İnanç İlkeleri” (The main creedal concepts of Maturidiyya). In addition, it was published by Ilham Qasimi and filled with comments.

The scholar Ibn Zakariya Yahya ibn Ishaq, known as Ibn Yahya, wrote a commentary on this book of Abu Salama entitled “Sharh Jumal Usul al-Din li Abi Salama Samarkandi”.

This commentary by Ibn Yahya helps to complete the information about the life of Abu Salama Samarkandi. In particular, it can be learned that he defeated the people of bid’ah with his hand and tongue. Abulhasan Rustufaghni, a student and close friend of Imam Maturidi, stated that he was one of the al-faqih al-mutlaq (absolute jurist).

Abu Salama Samarkandi reached the level of being able to teach jurisprudence to students, issue fatwas, and debate jurisprudential issues. After that, he gained high attention in the science of kalam.