and likewise in Hamadhan, Herat, the Two Sanctuaries, Kufa, Tus, Karkh, Nasa, Wasit, Mosul, Nihawand, Talqan, Bushanj, and al-Mada’in, in addition to many other places whose names would be too numerous to mention. Indeed, he even visited Jerusalem and Hebron while both were in Frankish hands, resorting to stratagems and courting danger to accomplish that—something that neither al-Silafī nor Ibn ʿAsākir had been able to do.

Abū al-Qāsim the ḥāfiẓ records him in the History of Damascus, saying: “Abū Saʿd al-Samʿānī the jurist, Shafiʿi, ḥāfiẓ, preacher, and orator…,” until he continued:

“He heard hadith in many lands. I met him in Nishapur, Baghdad, and Damascus. He then returned to Khurasan and entered Herat, Balkh, and the territories beyond the river. He is now the undisputed shaykh of Khurasan, on account of his integrity, learning, abundance of transmission, and prolific writings. He has collected hadith in numerous lands, amassed a large number of manuscripts, written from me and I from him, and he was scrupulous, chaste, and of fine character.”

He further said: “Abū Saʿd narrated to us in Damascus; ʿAbd al-Ghaffār al-Shīrawī informed us …,” and he cited from the fascicle of Ibn ʿUyaynah the hadith: “O Messenger of Allah, when is the Hour? (1)” His son Abū Muḥammad al-Qāsim transmitted it alongside him, after which he recorded his death.

Those who also transmitted from Abū Saʿd include his two sons—Abū al-Muẓaffar ʿAbd al-Raḥīm and Muḥammad—Abū Rūḥ ʿAbd al-Muʿizz ibn Muḥammad al-Harawī, Abū al-Ḍawʾ Shihāb al-Shadhyānī, al-Iftikhār Abū Hāshim ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib al-Ḥalabī al-Ḥanafī, ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn Sukayna, Abū al-Fatḥ Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṣāʿigh, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Manīnā, and others.

Ibn al-Najjar said: “I copied the titles of his works from his own handwriting: The Supplement (al-Dhail (2)) to al-Khaṭīb’s History – 400 fascicles; The History of Marw – 500 fascicles; The Muʿjam …”