b. Bas̲h̲īr al-Azdī al-K̲h̲urāsānī al-Balk̲h̲ī , Abu ’l-Ḥasan, traditionist and commentator on the Ḳurʾān, was born in Balk̲h̲ and lived in Marw, Bag̲h̲dād and Baṣra, where he died in 150/767 at an old age according to some biographers. He is also said to have taught in Mecca, Damascus and Beirut.
Muḳātil’s prestige as a traditionist is not very great; he is reproached with not being accurate with the isnād . His exegesis enjoys even less confidence. The biographers vie with one another in telling stories which illustrate his mendacity and particularly his profe…