Al-Duri

Abu ‘Amr Hafs Ibn ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Baghdadi, better known as Al-Duri (150-246AH), was a significant figure in the transmission of the Qira'at, or methods of reciting the Qur'an. Of the seven canonical reciters, al-Duri was a transmitter for two entirely separate methods: that of Abu 'Amr ibn al-'Ala' and that of Al-Kisa'i. He was an indirect disciple of the latter due to a generational gap and a direct disciple of the former. Learned men were said to have traveled from various different countries to learn both Qur'an recitation as well as Hadith from him. Among his students in recitation were his contemporaries Muhammad bin Dawud al-Zahiri and Niftawayh.

Al-Duri was born in Samarra in the year 767CE, died in Baghdad during the month of Shawwal in the year 860CE. Though he was born and grew up in Samarra, his roots were traced to his city of death and he was a member of the Arabian tribe of Azd. A simple and pious man, he lost his sight in his old age.