Imam al-Nasa'i's Practical Life and Piety

The practical lifestyle of Imam al-Nasa’i can be well understood from a statement by Muhammad ibn al-Muzhaffar, which al-Dhahabi quoted as follows: «I heard our scholars in Egypt describe al-Nasa’i’s devotion to worship both day and night. He went out for battle with the governor of Egypt and was praised for his dignity, his strict adherence to the established Sunnah in serving the Muslim cause, and his caution in avoiding the gatherings of the ruler who accompanied him.» [Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, Tahdhib al-Kamal 1/334]

Al-Dhahabi narrates: “I heard our teachers in Egypt say that al-Nasa’i was devoted to worship day and night. He accompanied the Egyptian governor in jihad, and gained fame for his dignity, sharp intellect, and practice of the established Sunnahs among Muslims. Although he traveled with the ruler, he stayed away from his assemblies.”

SB Ibn al-Athir in Jami' al-Usul: He says, there is no stronger proof of Imam al-Nasa’i’s scrupulousness and piety than this: when he received hadith from his teacher Harith ibn Miskin, he never used the common narration terms like "haddathana" (he narrated to us) or "akhbarana" (he informed us). Instead, he used the more careful phrase, “He was read to while I listened” (quri'a 'alayhi wa ana asma'). Harith ibn Miskin held a judicial post in Egypt and due to distance or formal issues, al-Nasa’i could not attend his study circle openly. So he would listen to the lessons secretly from outside, ensuring that Harith wouldn’t see him. Due to this caution, he did not use the usual narration formulas.

It is also said that Harith ibn Miskin was engaged in some governmental duties when al-Nasa’i visited him in an unusual outfit. People say he wore a long robe and a tall hat, which Harith disliked. Suspecting that he might be a government spy due to his unusual appearance, Harith didn’t allow him to attend his class. Thus, al-Nasa’i would sit by the door and listen to the reading from outside. This is why he refrained from using the narration terms “haddathana” and “akhbarana” when narrating from him. [Jami’ al-Usul 1/128]

It is also worth noting that Imam Abu Dawood used the same phrasing: “It was read to Harith ibn Miskin,” as seen in the final chapters of Kitab al-Tibb and in Kitab al-Sunnah under the chapter “Children of the Polytheists.”