Abu 'Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Bin al-Husayn al-Sulami al-Shafi'i (), commonly known as Muhammad Bin Husayn al-Sulami (425-412) was a renowned Shafi'i hadith expert, muffassir. Sheikh of saints, and a prolific writer. Al-Dhahabi said of him: "He was of very high status." Biography Eary Al-Sulami came from a modest background and was orphaned in his teens after the passing of his father who was known for his piety and refined manners. His grandfather became his new guardian, who raised him up and took charge of his education. Al-Sulami was only 8 years old when he begane to narrate Hadiths which were narrated in writing directly taken from his teacher, Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Subghi. Education As Al-Sulami got older, he travelled and narrated hadiths from scholars Nishapur, Merv, Iraq, Hejaz (Mecca & Medina) and he transmitted hadith to others for over 40 years. His works became prominent and spread far and wide during his lifetime. He took knowledge of Tasawwuf from the malamati Sheikhs such as Ibn Munzil and Abu ali al-Thaqafi in Khurasan, as well as mureed sheikhs such as Sheikh Abu Uthman al-Hiri, Abu Nasr al-Sarraj, Abu Amr bin Nujayd and finally, Sheikh Abu al-Qasim al-Narabadhi. Teachers Al-Sulami studied under numerous hadith scholars, his most prominent ones include: Al-Daraqutni Al-Hakim al-Nishapuri Bin Muhammad al-Nishapuri (hadith master) Abu Amr Ismail Bin Nujayd (his Muhaddith grandfather) Students Al-Sulami had many students who narrated from him, among them were: Al-Qushayri Al-Bayhaqi Ahmed al-Thaqafi al-Jubari (Imam of Asbahan) Ahmad Ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali al-Tusi (the uncle of the great Imam al-Ghazali) Umar Ibn Ismail al-Jissimi (a jurist scholar) Death Towards the end of his life, Al-Sulami founded a spiritual khanqa for Iʿtikāf. His intention was to build a solitude for pious worshippers and spiritual seekers of Nishapur. which was then visited by the famous Imam al-Khatib. When Al-Sulami died, he was buried in the same place when he founded the spiritual house. Legacy To this date, Al-Sulami works remain one of the most important authorities for the history of early Sufi literature, and many of his books have been preserved over the centuries have been copied and produced since the middle of the last century. Preserved more than any other Sufi source, Sulami writings on the explanation of the mystical meanings behind the letters shows a method in which Sufis of the second/eight to the fourth/tenth centuries have expounded the letters of the Arabic alphabet