FULL NAME: ‘Eesaa bin Maynaa bin Wardaan bin ‘Eesaa al-Madani [d. 835 AH]
- He was born in 120 Al-Hijara and died 220 Al-Hijara in Al-Medinah.
- He was the client of Banoo Zahrah
- was nicknamed Aba Musaa
- He was the stepson of Naafi’.
- He was of Roman heritage.
- He was known as “Qaaloon”, which in Roman means ‘excellence, good’ because of his excellence in Qiraa’ah [Recitation]. His Sheikh, Imam Naafi’, nicknamed him Qaloon because of the quality of his qira’ah.
- He was born and died in Madinah.
- He remained an authority on Qir’aah until his death.
- He learned this science from Naafi’ by associating closely with him for many years, continuously sitting and learning from him. Until Imaam Naaf’i told him that that this time period was sufficient for him and that he was granted permission to sit near one of the pillars of the Prophet’s Masjid and teach (as was the practice of the scholars.)
- Although he was deaf and could not even hear a horn, but if someone recited the Qur’an to him, he could hear, he was also able to deduce mistakes by watching the mouth of the reciter.
- Some biographies say the deafness came when he was older, but others mention it as if he was always deaf, and Allah knows best.
- Qaaloon is recited in Tunisia, Libya and some parts of Algeria.