Who were the famous people As-Suddi and Adh-Dhahhaak whose names we find mentioned frequently in Tafseer literature? Who were some of their teachers and who were some of their students? Were they both based in Al-Koofah?

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.

As-Suddi: his name was Ismaa'eel Ibn 'Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abu Kareemah, and his nick name was Abu Muhammad Al-Hijaazi, from Koofah, the interpreter of the meaning of the Quran.

Among his Shaykhs were: Anas Ibn Maalik, Ibn 'Abbaas, 'Abd Khayr Al-Mahdaani and Mus'ab Ibn Mus'ad, Abu Saalih Bathaam, Abu 'Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sulami and others. It is said that he saw Abu Hurayrah and Al-Hassan Ibn 'Ali .

Among his students were: Shu'bah, Sufyaan Ath-Thawri, Zaa'idah, Israa'eel, Abu 'Awaanah, Al-Mutlab Ibn Ziyaad, Asbaat Ibn Nasr, Abu Bakr Ibn 'Ayyaash, and others.

He died in 127 A.H.

Adh-Dhahhaak: his name was Ibn Muzaahim Al-Hilaali and his nick name was Abu Muhammad, and it was said that it was Abul-Qaasim. He had massive knowledge, and was well-known for the field of interpreting the Quran.

Among his Shaykhs were: Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, Ibn 'Umar, Anas Ibn Maalik, Al-Aswad, Sa'eed Ibn Jubayr, 'Ataa', Taawoos and others . 

Among his students were: 'Imaarah Ibn Abu Hafsah, Abu Sa'd Al-Baqqaal, Juwaybir Ibn Sa'eed, Muqaatil, 'Ali Ibn Al-Hakam, Nahshal Ibn Sa'eed, 'Umar Ibn Ar-Rammaah, 'Abdul-'Azeez Ibn Abu Rawwaad, Qurrah Ibn Khaalid, and others. He was a trustworthy person but he was not very concise in reporting the Prophetic narrations [due to his lack of concentration and weakness of his memory], as stated by Ath-Thahabi it was for this reason that the narrations reported by him were reported by Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa'ee, Ibn Maajah, and At-Tirmithi but not reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. He was considered among the people of Balakh and Samarqand, and he met Sa'eed Ibn Jubayr in Ar-Ray and he learnt the interpretation of the Quran from him. 

He died in 102 A.H.

Allaah Knows best.