Question

I am looking for the source and Arabic text for this narration:

When Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash was about to pass away, his sister cried. He said: “Don’t cry! look at that corner of the house. Indeed your brother made eighteen thousand khatms in that corner.”

Answer

Imams Abu Nu’aym, Khatib Baghdadi (rahimahumallah) and others have recorded this incident:

When Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash (rahimahullah) was about to pass away, his sister started to cry. He said -while pointing to one corner of the house- “Do not cry for your brother completed the recital of eighteen thousand Qurans there.”

(Hilyatul Awliya, vol. 8, pg. 304, Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 16, pg. 556. Also see: Siyaru A’lamin Nubala, vol. 8, pg. 504)

Arabic text (as appears in Hilyatul Awliya)

لما حضرت أبا بكر بن عياش الوفاة بكت أخته، فقال: لا تبكي وأشار إلى زاوية في البيت فقد ختم أخوك في تلك الزاوية ثمانية عشر ألف ختمة

In addition to this miraculous feat, Imam Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash (rahimahullah) was also preoccupied in seeking knowledge. He took Hadith from Abu Ishaq As Sabi’i, A’amash, Mansur ibnul Mu’tamir, Habib ibn Abi Thabit (rahimahumullah) and many others.

Imams ‘Abdullah ibnul Mubarak, Waki’, Abu Dawud, Ahmad ibn Hambal, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, Hannad (rahimahumullah) have all taken Hadith from him.

He was known for his piety (rahimahullah).

(Refer: Siyaru A’lamin Nubala, vol. 8, pgs. 495-508)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar