Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā ibn Abī Zāʾida

Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣayrafī informed us, saying: ʿAlī ibn ʿAmr al-Ḥarīrī informed us, saying: Ibn Kāʾs al-Nakhaʿī related to us on the authority of his father, who said: Ṣāliḥ ibn Suhayl related to me, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā ibn Abī Zāʾida possessed the strongest memory for hadith of the people of his time and was the most learned in jurisprudence. He spent much time in the company of Abū Ḥanīfa and Ibn Abī Laylā and possessed religious devotion and scrupulousness.

Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣayrafī informed us. He said: ʿAlī ibn ʿAmr al-Ḥarīrī informed us. He said: Ibn Kās al-Nakhaʿī narrated to us from his father, who said: Ṣāliḥ ibn Sahl narrated to me. He said: Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā ibn Abī Zāʾida had the strongest retention of hadith among the people of his time and was the most knowledgeable of them in jurisprudence. He frequently attended the sessions of Abū Ḥanīfa and Ibn Abī Laylā, and possessed religious commitment and scrupulousness.

Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣayrafī informed us, saying: ʿAlī ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Ibn Kāʾs related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn al-Naḍr al-Azdī related to me, saying: I heard ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī say: “Knowledge culminated in Ibn ʿAbbās in his time, in al-Shaʿbī in his time, in Sufyān al-Thawrī in his time, and in Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā ibn Abī Zāʾida in his time.”

Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣayrafī informed us. He said: ʿAlī ibn ʿAmr narrated to us. He said: Ibn Kās narrated to us. He said: Muḥammad ibn al-Naḍr al-Azdī narrated to me. He said: I heard ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī say: Learning culminated in Ibn ʿAbbās, may God be pleased with them both, in his time, in al-Shaʿbī in his time, in Sufyān al-Thawrī in his time, and in Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā ibn Abī Zāʾida in his time.

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.”

Judge Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḍabbī related to us: Abū al-ʿAbbās Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Hamdānī informed us: Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā ibn Shaybān related to us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Māhān related to us: I heard Ḥafṣ ibn Ghiyāth say: Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī sat with us at Abū Ḥanīfa’s gatherings until he excelled in legal reasoning. Then he rejected that and hadith, of which he had acquired much, and devoted himself to worship and keeping away from people.

Judge Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḍabbī related to us: Abū al-ʿAbbās Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Hamdānī informed us: Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā ibn Shaybān related to us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Māhān related to us: I heard Ḥafṣ ibn Ghiyāth say: Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī sat with us at Abū Ḥanīfa’s gatherings until he excelled in legal reasoning. Then he rejected that and hadith, of which he had acquired much, and devoted himself to worship and keeping away from people.

Al-Ḥusayn ibn Hārūn ibn Muḥammad related to us: Aḥmad ibn Saʿīd related to us: Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā related to me: Sahl ibn ʿĀmir related to us: I visited Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī and stood at the door, saying, “Peace be upon you.” He returned the greeting and fell silent. I asked, “May I enter?” He said, “Enter.” I entered, sat, and remained silent, and he said nothing to me. When someone entered and asked him something, he answered; if the visitor remained silent, he would not begin speaking until the visitor left.

Al-Ḥusayn ibn Hārūn ibn Muḥammad related to us: Aḥmad ibn Saʿīd related to us: Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā related to me: Sahl ibn ʿĀmir related to us: I visited Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī and stood at the door, saying, “Peace be upon you.” He returned the greeting and fell silent. I asked, “May I enter?” He said, “Enter.” I entered, sat, and remained silent, and he said nothing to me. When someone entered and asked him something, he answered; if the visitor remained silent, he would not begin speaking until the visitor left.