محمد بن النضر (report 2339; identity unresolved)

Muḥammad ibn ʿĀṣim related to us. He said: Muḥammad ibn al-Naḍr related to us. He said: Al-Qāsim ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us. He said: I heard Abū Isḥāq al-Ṭālaqānī relate from Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mukhtār, who said: I heard Abū Ḥanīfa say: “I asked Qatāda about God’s words, ‘The one who had knowledge from the Book’ [al-Naml: 40]. He replied: ‘He was one of Solomon’s companions.’ I asked him: ‘Was there among Solomon’s companions someone more learned than he was?’ He became angry. I asked him about the words of God, mighty and exalted: ‘I created jinn and humankind only to worship Me’ [al-Dhāriyāt: 56]: ‘Is this general or particular?’ He replied: ‘General.’ I asked him about the words of God, mighty and exalted: ‘By time! Truly humankind is in loss’ [al-ʿAṣr: 1–2]: ‘Is this general or particular?’ He replied: ‘Particular.’ He became angry with me and said: ‘I will not answer you.’ I replied: ‘In that case, I do not mind.’”