Saʿīd ibn Masrūq

If these ignorant, obstinate people do not acknowledge Abū Ḥanīfa’s merit, how can that harm him after these great righteous scholars? Evidence is that Sufyān al-Thawrī initially did not acknowledge his merit. Abū Ḥanīfa’s companions visited Sufyān, debated with him and presented questions. Sufyān paid attention to their wording and answered according to what he heard. They told Abū Ḥanīfa that Sufyān answered these questions well. He said: “Woe to you! Do you not realize that he is clever, taking your wording and answering? Put the question to him and remain silent until he answers.” They went, posed the questions and fell silent. He erred in most of them, and this distressed him.

Abū Ḥanīfa sat after the night prayer, presenting questions to his companions and teaching them. Sufyān came to his mosque after the night prayer, wrapped himself in his cloak as if disguised and uncovered his ears to hear Abū Ḥanīfa’s questions without being noticed. When the companions visited him and questioned him, he answered well, as though he had been with them. They told Abū Ḥanīfa, who asked: “Was anyone with us who conveys our questions to him?” They said no. Later, Abū Ḥanīfa noticed him: Sufyān entered after the night prayer and sat in a corner, wrapped in his cloak with his ears uncovered, listening. Abū Ḥanīfa noticed and cited a hadith supporting a question, saying: “Saʿīd ibn Masrūq, the father of this cloaked man, related to me.” When Sufyān realized he had been noticed, he rose, left the mosque and fled.