Please tell us more about the famous Taabi'ee Shaykh Ibraaheem An-Nakh'i. Why An-Nakh'i? Who were some of his teachers? Who were some of his students? Are there any books today in which his teachings have been recorded?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

Ibraaheem An-Nakh'i is one of the well-known Muslim Imaams. His name was Abu 'Imraan Ibraaheem Ibn Zayd Ibn Qays Ibn Al-Aswad An-Nakh'i Al-Yamaani, Al-Koofi. Imaam Ath-Thahabi said about him: 'He was a great Imaam, the most knowledgeable man in Islamic jurisprudence in Iraq, and he was one of the well-known scholars. He was well aware of the knowledge of Ibn Mas'ood, he reported many narrations, he was an honourable scholar and had many virtues.'

He had many Shaykhs under whom he studied, among whom are: His maternal uncle Yazeed An-Nakh'i, Masrooq, 'Ubaydah As-Salmaani, Khaythamah Ibn 'Abdur-Rahmaan, Rabee' Ibn Khuthaym, Qaadhi Shurayh, Shareeh Ibn Artaat and Abu 'Abdur-Rahamaan As-Sulami, and other great scholars from the Salaf. He used to enter to the mother of the believers, 'Aa'ishah while he was a boy. The scholars of Prophetic narrations consider him among the Taabi'een (the generation after the companions) but not among their seniors.

Al-'Ijli said about him: 'He did not report any narration from the companions but he has seen some of them, and he saw (met) 'Aa'ishah .'

Among his students are: Al-Hakam Ibn 'Utaybah, Hammaad Ibn Abu Sulaymaan, Simaak Ibn Harb, Mugheerah Ibn Maqsam, Mansoor, Sulaymaan Al-A'mash, 'Ataa' Ibn As-Saa'ib, and others.

Muhammad Ruwaas Qal'aji compiled his Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) views in a book in two volumes and he entitled it: "Ibraaheem An-Nakh'i's Fiqh Encyclopaedia." [This book is written in Arabic].

Allaah Knows best.