Bibi Karimah bint Ahmad Maruzi

She had been a world reputed scholar in fifth century Hijrah. She was daughter of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Hatam. She was born in Iranian town of Merv. She studied theology for years and learnt Ahadith from great scholars. She went to Makkah after having been qualified to narrate Hadith. She commenced delivering Dars at Makkah. The noted Muhaddith of Muslim Spain, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Sabaq Saqli was a devoted learner from her. He, after the Muslim rule at Saqqlyah (Sicily) ended, had gone to Makkah where he achieved learning of Hadith from her. He, afterwards went to Spain and made her abode in Granada to narrate Ahadith, he had learnt at Makkah. Ibn Bashkwal says…

(Abu Bakr Muhammad reported Ahadith from Karimah bint AhmadAl-Maruzi and others, He came to Andalus and the people of Granada passionately learned from him).

AIlama Khatib Baghdadi says in Tarikh Baghdad (History of Baghdad) that he, in 463H, during the days of Hajj, heard Sahih Bukhari from Karimah. Hundreds of seekers participated in the Dars session of Muhaddithah Karimah and quenched their thirst of learning. Besides Abu Bakr Muhammad, Allama Khatib Baghdadi and Allama Abu Talib Zaynabi, a number of other scholars of great esteem attained knowledge of Hadith from her. Bibi Karimah was said to have achieved perfection in mysticism besides other faculties of studies. She presumabty died about 464H with the controversy on the exactness of the date.

(Khazinat-ul-Asfia, Tarikh Saqqlya)