Born near Termez, he compiled al-Jami', better known as the Sunan of al-Tirmidhi — one of the six canonical collections of hadith in Sunni Islam.
A student of al-Bukhari
Abu Isa Muhammad at-Tirmidhi was born in 824 near Termez, on the Amu Darya. Like the scholars of his age he travelled for knowledge — to Khorasan, Iraq and the Hijaz — and studied with the greatest collectors of his day, above all al-Bukhari, who is reported to have told him: "I have benefited more from you than you have from me."
A book for working scholars
His al-Jami' does more than collect. After each narration he notes its strength — sound, good or weak — and which jurists acted on it. That made it a practical handbook for anyone deciding questions of law, and earned it a place among the six canonical collections of Sunni hadith. His shorter al-Shama'il gathers reports of the Prophet's character, dress and habits, and is still read and taught today.
Blindness and a quiet end
In his final years at-Tirmidhi lost his sight — tradition says from weeping in prayer. He died in 892 in his home district near Termez. His mausoleum in the Sherobod district of Surxondaryo, restored in recent decades, draws visitors from across the Muslim world, and an international research centre bearing his name now studies his legacy.
Key achievements
- Compiled al-Jami', one of the six canonical hadith collections of Sunni Islam
- Graded each narration as sound, good or weak, making his book a working reference for jurists
- Wrote al-Shama'il, a portrait of the Prophet's character and appearance