al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn

Among Abū Ḥanīfa’s companions was al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn.

He was a descendant of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd. Alongside his distinction in jurisprudence and his profound knowledge of it, he was a leading authority in Arabic, pre-eminent in that field. [Indeed,] Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan transmitted reports from him in his books, referring to him explicitly by name and also by his kunya. He held the judgeship of Kufa after Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Nakhaʿī.

Among Abū Ḥanīfa’s companions was al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn.

He was a descendant of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd, may God be pleased with him. Alongside his distinction in jurisprudence and his profound knowledge of it, he was a leading authority in Arabic, pre-eminent in that field. Indeed, Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan transmitted reports from him in his books, referring to him explicitly by name and also by his kunya. He held the judgeship of Kufa after Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Nakhaʿī.

ʿAbbās ibn al-Faḍl al-Hāshimī informed us, saying: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Nakhaʿī related to us, saying: Nujayḥ related to us, saying: Ibn Karāma related to us, saying: We were with Wakīʿ one day when a man said Abū Ḥanīfa made a mistake.” Wakīʿ said: “Could Abū Ḥanīfa make a mistake when he had with him the likes of Abū Yūsuf and Zufar in their analogical reasoning, the likes of Yaḥyā ibn Abī Zāʾida, Ḥafṣ ibn Ghiyāth, Ḥibbān, and Mandal in their memorization of hadith, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn in his knowledge of language and Arabic, and al-Fuḍayl ibn ʿIyāḍ and Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī in their renunciation and scrupulousness? Someone whose companions were these people would not err, because if he erred they would correct him.”

ʿAbbās ibn al-Faḍl al-Hāshimī informed us, saying: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Nakhaʿī related to us, saying: Nujayḥ related to us, saying: Ibn Karāma related to us, saying: We were with Wakīʿ one day when a man said Abū Ḥanīfa made a mistake.” Wakīʿ said: “Could Abū Ḥanīfa make a mistake when he had with him the likes of Abū Yūsuf and Zufar in their analogical reasoning, the likes of Yaḥyā ibn Abī Zāʾida, Ḥafṣ ibn Ghiyāth, Ḥibbān, and Mandal in their memorization of hadith, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn in his knowledge of language and Arabic, and Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī and al-Fuḍayl ibn ʿIyāḍ in their renunciation and scrupulousness? Someone whose companions were these people would not err, because if he erred they would correct him.”

Abū Ḥafṣ ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm the Qurʾān reciter informed us: Makram ibn Aḥmad narrated to us: Ibn Mughallis narrated to us: Ibn ʿĀbis narrated to us: I heard Ḥammād ibn Salama say: After Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī’s death, the mufti of Kufa and the person to whom people looked in jurisprudence was Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān. He supplied the people’s needs. When he died, they needed someone to sit and teach them. His companions feared that his memory would die and knowledge disappear. Ḥammād had a son with good knowledge, and they agreed upon him. His father’s companions—Abū Bakr al-Nahshalī, Abū Burda al-ʿUtbī, Muḥammad ibn Jābir al-Ḥanafī, and others—came and attended him. But grammar and Arab speech predominated in his interests, and he could not patiently remain sitting with them. Their opinion then settled on Abū Bakr al-Nahshalī. They asked him, but he declined. They asked Abū Burda, but he declined. Then they asked Abū Ḥanīfa. He said: I do not wish knowledge to die. He agreed and sat to teach them, and they attended him. After them came Abū Yūsuf, Asad ibn ʿAmr, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn, Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl, al-Walīd, and men from Kufa. Abū Ḥanīfa taught them understanding of religion, showing them great kindness and continual care. Ibn Abī Laylā, Ibn Shubruma, Sharīk, and Sufyān opposed him and sought to discredit him. This continued until his position became firmly established, the governors needed him, and the caliphs spoke of him.

Abū Ḥafṣ ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm the Qurʾān reciter informed us: Makram ibn Aḥmad narrated to us: Ibn Mughallis narrated to us: Ibn ʿĀbis narrated to us: I heard Ḥammād ibn Salama say: After Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī’s death, the mufti of Kufa and the person to whom people looked in jurisprudence was Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān. He supplied the people’s needs. When he died, they needed someone to sit and teach them. His companions feared that his memory would die and knowledge disappear. Ḥammād had a son with good knowledge, and they agreed upon him. His father’s companions—Abū Bakr al-Nahshalī, Abū Burda al-ʿUtbī, Muḥammad ibn Jābir al-Ḥanafī, and others—came and attended him. But grammar and Arab speech predominated in his interests, and he could not patiently remain sitting with them. Their opinion then settled on Abū Bakr al-Nahshalī. They asked him, but he declined. They asked Abū Burda, but he declined. Then they asked Abū Ḥanīfa. He said: I do not wish knowledge to die. He agreed and sat to teach them, and they attended him. After them came Abū Yūsuf, Asad ibn ʿAmr, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn, Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl, al-Walīd, and men from Kufa. Abū Ḥanīfa taught them understanding of religion, showing them great kindness and continual care. Ibn Abī Laylā, Ibn Shubruma, Sharīk, and Sufyān opposed him and sought to discredit him. This continued until his position became firmly established, the governors needed him, and the caliphs spoke of him.

Abū al-Qāsim ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Ḥulwānī informed us: Makram ibn Aḥmad narrated to us: Aḥmad ibn ʿAṭiyya narrated to us: Al-Ḥasan ibn al-Rabīʿ narrated to us: Ibn al-Mubārak narrated to us: I heard Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī say: The people’s mufti in Kufa was Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān. Ḥammād had a son called Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān. When Ḥammād died, they agreed that Ismāʿīl should sit to teach them and patiently attend to them. But they found that poetry, evening conversation, and accounts of bygone people predominated in his interests. Abū Bakr al-Nahshalī, one of Ḥammād’s companions, Abū Burda, Muḥammad ibn Jābir al-Ḥanafī, and a group of Ḥammād’s companions spoke; Abū Ḥuṣayn and Ḥabīb ibn Abī Thābit said: This silk merchant has good knowledge, though he is young; have him sit to teach. They did so. He was wealthy, generous, and intelligent. He sat and patiently devoted himself to them, generously supported them and gave them gifts. Judges and governors honored him, and his standing rose. The senior generation attended him; after them came Abū Yūsuf, Asad ibn ʿAmr, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn, Abū Bakr al-Hudhalī, and al-Walīd ibn Abān. Those who opposed him and criticized him were Ibn Abī Laylā, Ibn Shubruma, al-Thawrī, Sharīk, and a group who disagreed with him and sought to discredit him. His standing continued to rise and his companions multiplied until his circle was the largest in the mosque and the most ample in answering questions. He was patient with them, generously provided for every needy person among them, and gave gifts to every prosperous person. People’s attention turned toward him until governors, judges, and nobles honored him. He met extraordinary expenses, everyone praised him, and he accomplished things that defeated the Arabs. His broad knowledge enabled him, and destiny favored him; those who envied him multiplied. He used to say: A judge is like a swimmer in the sea: how long can he swim, and whom can he satisfy, even if he is learned?

Abū al-Qāsim ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Ḥulwānī informed us: Makram ibn Aḥmad narrated to us: Aḥmad ibn ʿAṭiyya narrated to us: Al-Ḥasan ibn al-Rabīʿ narrated to us: Ibn al-Mubārak narrated to us: I heard Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī say: The people’s mufti in Kufa was Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān. Ḥammād had a son called Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān. When Ḥammād died, they agreed that Ismāʿīl should sit to teach them and patiently attend to them. But they found that poetry, evening conversation, and accounts of bygone people predominated in his interests. Abū Bakr al-Nahshalī, one of Ḥammād’s companions, Abū Burda, Muḥammad ibn Jābir al-Ḥanafī, and a group of Ḥammād’s companions spoke; Abū Ḥuṣayn and Ḥabīb ibn Abī Thābit said: This silk merchant has good knowledge, though he is young; have him sit to teach. They did so. He was wealthy, generous, and intelligent. He sat and patiently devoted himself to them, generously supported them and gave them gifts. Judges and governors honored him, and his standing rose. The senior generation attended him; after them came Abū Yūsuf, Asad ibn ʿAmr, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn, Abū Bakr al-Hudhalī, and al-Walīd ibn Abān. Those who opposed him and criticized him were Ibn Abī Laylā, Ibn Shubruma, al-Thawrī, Sharīk, and a group who disagreed with him and sought to discredit him. His standing continued to rise and his companions multiplied until his circle was the largest in the mosque and the most ample in answering questions. He was patient with them, provided abundantly for every needy person among them, and gave gifts to every prosperous person. People’s attention turned toward him until governors, judges, and nobles honored him. He met extraordinary expenses, everyone praised him, and he accomplished things that defeated the Arabs. His broad knowledge enabled him, and destiny favored him; those who envied him multiplied. He used to say: A judge is like a swimmer in the sea: how long can he swim, and whom can he satisfy, even if he is learned?

Al-ʿAbbās ibn Aḥmad al-Hāshimī narrated to us: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Manṣūrī narrated to us: ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Nakhaʿī narrated to us: ʿAlī ibn ʿUbayda narrated to us: Muḥammad ibn Shujāʿ narrated to us, saying: I heard ʿAbd Allāh ibn Dāwūd, when Isḥāq asked him about Abū Ḥanīfa’s companions, say: ‘Abū Yūsuf, Zufar, ʿĀfiya al-Awdī, Asad ibn ʿAmr, ʿAlī ibn Mushir, Yaḥyā ibn Abī Zāʾida, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn, and Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī.’ Then ʿAbd Allāh said: ‘If Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī were weighed against the people of the earth, he would outweigh them in virtue and righteousness.’

Al-ʿAbbās ibn Aḥmad al-Hāshimī narrated to us: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Manṣūrī narrated to us: ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Nakhaʿī narrated to us: ʿAlī ibn ʿUbayda narrated to us: Muḥammad ibn Shujāʿ narrated to us, saying: I heard ʿAbd Allāh ibn Dāwūd, when Isḥāq asked him about Abū Ḥanīfa’s companions, say: ‘Abū Yūsuf, Zufar, ʿĀfiya al-Awdī, Asad ibn ʿAmr, ʿAlī ibn Mushir, Yaḥyā ibn Abī Zāʾida, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn, and Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī.’ Then ʿAbd Allāh said: ‘If Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī were weighed against the people of the earth, he would outweigh them in virtue and righteousness.’

Al-Ḥusayn ibn Hārūn related to us: Aḥmad ibn Saʿīd informed us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad ibn al-Bahlūl related to me, saying, “This is my grandfather Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād’s book.” I read in it: Al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn related to me: Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl informed me: One day Dāwūd discussed a question with me. I gave an opinion, and he said, “You are wrong.” I explained it until he retracted and felt ashamed, then recited Ibn Shubruma’s verse:

“His foot almost slipped from a lofty height, / had Nūḥ ibn Darrāj not caught it.” He then said, “Abū al-Hudhayl, love of boasting has ruined me.”

Al-Ḥusayn ibn Hārūn related to us: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad informed us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad ibn al-Bahlūl related to me, saying, “This is my grandfather Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād’s book.” I read in it: Al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn related to me: Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl informed me: One day Dāwūd discussed a question with me. I gave an opinion, and he said, “You are wrong.” I explained it until he retracted and felt ashamed, then recited Ibn Shubruma’s verse: “His foot almost slipped from a lofty height, / had Nūḥ ibn Darrāj not caught it.” He then said, “Abū al-Hudhayl, love of boasting has ruined me.”

The judge ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad informed us: Abū Bakr al-Dāmghānī the jurist narrated to us: Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭaḥāwī narrated to us: I heard Ibn Abī ʿImrān say: I heard Muḥammad ibn Marwān al-Khaffāf—one of our school’s jurists—say: I heard Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād ibn Abī Ḥanīfa say: I held a document against a man for eight thousand dirhams. He paid me six thousand, leaving two thousand owing, which he denied. The judge then was Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allāh. I brought the man before him and said, “May God honor the judge! I have a document against this man for eight thousand dirhams, of which I demand two thousand.” Sharīk said, “What is this talk? Would you, grandson of Abū Ḥanīfa, leave even two dirhams to anyone?” He made me leave. I went to al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn and told him my case. Al-Qāsim said, “You asked Sharīk to deal with something he does not understand. I will take care of him for you.” He met him and explained it. Then he met me and told me to appear before him. I did so and made the same claim as before. Sharīk said, “Yes, that is how to put it, grandson of Abū Ḥanīfa.” He asked for evidence; I brought my witnesses, and he ruled for me. When I wanted to appear before him, I had been kept back until I gave some dirhams to the man standing beside his head, who then brought me forward. I went to al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn and told him all this, saying, “I saw an objectionable thing in his session: the man standing beside him advances whomever he wishes and delays whomever he wishes. I was among those he advanced for dirhams he took from me.” He replied, “You too, Ismāʿīl, did something objectionable: you gave dirhams so that he delayed those who should have preceded you.” Sharīk was later dismissed and al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn appointed; Ismāʿīl was appointed after him. All these men judged in Kufa. Ismāʿīl additionally judged in all districts of Baghdad and in Basra. He remained there until paralysis afflicted him, and he wrote asking leave to depart, which was granted.

The judge ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad informed us: Abū Bakr al-Dāmghānī the jurist narrated to us: Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭaḥāwī narrated to us: I heard Ibn Abī ʿImrān say: I heard Muḥammad ibn Marwān al-Khaffāf—one of our school’s jurists—say: I heard Ismāʿīl ibn Ḥammād ibn Abī Ḥanīfa say: I held a document against a man for eight thousand dirhams. He paid me six thousand, leaving two thousand owing, which he denied. The judge then was Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allāh. I brought the man before him and said, “May God honor the judge! I have a document against this man for eight thousand dirhams, of which I demand two thousand.” Sharīk said, “What is this talk? Would you, grandson of Abū Ḥanīfa, leave even two dirhams to anyone?” He made me leave. I went to al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn and told him my case. Al-Qāsim said, “You asked Sharīk to deal with something he does not understand. I will take care of him for you.” He met him and explained it. Then he met me and told me to appear before him. I did so and made the same claim as before. Sharīk said, “Yes, that is how to put it, grandson of Abū Ḥanīfa.” He asked for evidence; I brought my witnesses, and he ruled for me. When I wanted to appear before him, I had been kept back until I gave some dirhams to the man standing beside his head, who then brought me forward. I went to al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn and told him all this, saying, “I saw an objectionable thing in his session: the man standing beside him advances whomever he wishes and delays whomever he wishes. I was among those he advanced for dirhams he took from me.” He replied, “You too, Ismāʿīl, did something objectionable: you gave dirhams so that he delayed those who should have preceded you.” Sharīk was later dismissed and al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn appointed; Ismāʿīl was appointed after him. All these men judged in Kufa. Ismāʿīl additionally judged in all districts of Baghdad and in Basra. He remained there until paralysis afflicted him, and he wrote asking leave to depart, which was granted.

Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣayrafī informed us: Abū Bakr al-Miskī related to us: ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn Kāʾs related to us: al-Bukhtarī ibn Muḥammad related to us: Ibn Samāʿa related to us, from Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan: al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn related to me that Abū Ḥanīfa spent a night standing with this verse: “Rather, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour is more calamitous and bitter,” repeating it, weeping, and supplicating humbly.

Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣayrafī informed us: Abū Bakr al-Miskī related to us: ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn Kāʾs related to us: al-Bukhtarī ibn Muḥammad related to us: Ibn Samāʿa related to us, from Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan: al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn related to me that Abū Ḥanīfa spent a night standing with this verse: “Rather, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour is more calamitous and bitter,” repeating it, weeping, and supplicating humbly.

Al-Ḥusayn ibn Hārūn related to us: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad informed us: Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad al-Kindī related to us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ḥammād Abū Ḥakīma related to us: Muḥammad ibn Barrād related to me: I heard al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn say: When Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī withdrew, I visited him and said, “Abū Sulaymān, you have left your brothers and the company of those who discuss learning with you.” He remained silent for a long time, then said, “God have mercy on you: I saw heedless hearts, tongues in agreement, intentions at odds, desires followed, and this world preferred. In withdrawing, I found greater safety.”

Al-Ḥusayn ibn Hārūn related to us: Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad informed us: Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad al-Kindī related to us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ḥammād Abū Ḥakīma related to us: Muḥammad ibn Barrād related to me: I heard al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn say: When Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī withdrew, I visited him and said, “Abū Sulaymān, you have left your brothers and the company of those who discuss learning with you.” He remained silent for a long time, then said, “God have mercy on you: I saw heedless hearts, tongues in agreement, intentions at odds, desires followed, and this world preferred. In withdrawing, I found greater safety.”