Adh-Dhahabi about Warsh

Question:

Was Warsh accepted as evidence by Adh-Dhahabi?

Answer:

Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Adh-Dhahabi writes: “Warsh is the teacher of the reciters in the Egyptian territory, he is Abu Sa’id and Abu Amr, Uthman Ibn Sa’id Ibn Abdillah Ibn Amr. It is said: “His grandfather’s name is Udayy Ibn Ghazwan, the African Copt and serf of the Zubair family.” It is said: “He was born in the year 110 and took the readings at Nafi’ until the end.” Nafi’ gave him the name Warsh because of his very bright colour and Warsh is a prepared milk. They say: “He named it after a bird whose name is Warshan.” Then it was shortened so that he didn’t mind and said: “Nafi’, my teacher, gave me the name!” In his youth, he was giant, blond, stout, modestly dressed and wise in the Arabic language.The leading reciters go back to him and the reading was learned from him: “Ahmad Ibn Salih Al-Hafiz, Dawud Ibn Abi Tayyibah, Yusuf Al-Azraq, Abd-us-Samad Ibn Abd Ar-Rahman Ibn Al-Qasim, Yunus Ibn Abd Al-A’la and a great number. He was trustworthy (Thiqah) and in the readings a proof (Hujjah), but as far as traditions are concerned, we saw nothing with him. We already dealt with his background in the reports on the reciters. Yunus says:”He was good at recitation and had a beautiful voice when he read with Hamzah and Maddah.” They say:”He learned to read with Nafi’ in four degrees in one month and he was strong and clear in expression and listening to him did not lead to boredom.” He died in Egypt in 197. [Siyar A’lam An-Nubala’, Volume 9 Pages 295 – 296]

قال محمد بن أحمد الذهبي: ورش شيخ الإقراء بالديار المصرية أبو سعيد وأبو عمرو عثمان بن سعيد بن عبد الله بن عمرو وقيل: اسم جده عدي بن غزوان القبطي الإفريقي مولى آل الزبير قيل: ولد سنة عشر ومائة جود ختمات على نافع, ولقبه نافع بورش لشدة بياضه, والورش لبن يصنع, وقيل: لقبه بطائر اسمه ورشان, ثم خفف, فكان لا يكرهه, ويقول: نافع أستاذي سماني به وكان في شبيبته رواسا وكان أشقر أزرق, ربعة سمينا, قصير الثياب, ماهرا بالعربية, انتهت إليه رئاسة الإقراء تلا عليه: أحمد بن صالح الحافظ, وداود بن أبي طيبة, ويوسف الأزرق, وعبد الصمد بن عبد الرحمن بن القاسم, ويونس بن عبد الأعلى, وعدد كثير وكان ثقة في الحروف حجة, وأما الحديث, فما رأينا له شيئا, وقد استوفيت ترجمته في أخبار القراء قال يونس: كان جيد القراءة, حسن الصوت, إذا قرأ يهمز, ويمد ويقال: إنه تلا على نافع أربع ختمات في شهر واحد ويشدد, ويبين الإعراب, لا يمله سامعه مات بمصر في سنة سبع وتسعين ومائة