الحافظ عثمان بن ابي شيبة والاحاديث المنتقدة عليه

This research investigates the biography of Hafiz Othman bin Mohammed bin Abi Shaybah Ibrahim bin Othman bin Khawasti. He descended from a family known for their knowledge. His father and grandfather were judges and his two brothers, son and nephew were traditionists. Othman was keen to seek knowledge and learn prophetic traditions. He traveled to different places and learnt from a number of traditionists such as Yazeed ibn Haroun, Shareek, Ibn Mahdi, Yahya Al-Qattan and Jarir ibn Abd al- Hameed. Consequently, he accomplished a high status in learning and knowledge to the extent that he was commended by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal. Many students were taught under him, including Al-Bukhari and Muslim. He wrote a number of books such as Al-Musnad and Al-Tafseer, but none was printed. He was accused of making certain interpolations of certain Qur’anic verses either unintentionally or for fun. He was criticized for six prophetic traditions that were examined by four Hadith narrators. However, he proved to be correct in only two of those traditions and this should not distort his status among traditionists, since Muslim and Al- Bukhari narrated on his authority in their Sahih Books