And al-Awzaʿi (1), whose bond with the law of the Chosen Prophet is the most perfect of connections;
And Misʿar (2), to whom, in every branch of knowledge, people point as clearly as to the new-moon crescent;
And Zāʾidah (3); add Jarīr (4) as well—for each of the two is a champion on the field of contest;
And the like of Ibn al-Mubārak (5) or Ibn Wahb (6), and of al-Qaṭṭān (7), a man of noble rank and worth;
And Ḥammād (8), and Ḥammād (9)—both together—and Ibn al-Dastuwāʾī (10), a paragon of graceful excellence;
After them comes Wakiʿ (11), and Ibn Mahdī (12)—a rightly guided exemplar in every quality;
And Makki (13), Wahb (14), and the Humaydi ʿAbd Allāh (15), and Layth, a figure of formidable might;
And Ḍaḥḥāk (16), right after Yazīd (17)—that is, Ibn Hārūn, unsurpassed in every praiseworthy trait.
(1) The well-known imam, Abu Amr ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn ʿAmr al-Awzaʿi; died 157 AH.
(2) That is Masʿar ibn Kidam al-Hilali al-Kufi, a reliable and trustworthy transmitter; died 153 or 155 AH.
(3) Abu al-Salt Zayda ibn Qudama al-Thaqafi al-Kufi; died 160 AH.
(4) Jarir ibn ʿAbd al-Hamid ibn Qurt al-Dabbi al-Kufi, who later lived in Rayy; died 188 AH.
(5) Refers to the famous imam ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Mubarak; died 181 AH.
(6) ʿAbd Allah ibn Wahb ibn Muslim al-Qurashi, their mawla, Abu Muhammad al-Misri, the jurist; died 197 AH.
(7) Yahya ibn Saʿid ibn Furukh al-Tamimi, Abu Saʿid al-Qattan al-Misri; died 198 AH.
(8) Hammad ibn Zayd ibn Dirham al-Azdi al-Jahdami al-Basri; died 179 AH.
(9) Hammad ibn Usama al-Qurashi al-Kufi; died 201 AH.
(10) Abu Bakr Hisham ibn Abi ʿAbd Allah al-Dastuwaʾi al-Basri al-Bakri; died 153 or 154 AH.
(11) Wakiʿ ibn al-Jarrah al-Ruʾasi, Abu Sufyan al-Kufi; died 196 AH.
(12) ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi ibn Hassan al-Anbari, their mawla, Abu Saʿid al-Basri, a firm and reliable authority; died 198 AH.
(13) Abu al-Sakan Makki ibn Ibrahim ibn Bashir al-Tamimi al-Balkhi; died 215 AH.
(14) Wahb ibn Jarir ibn Hazim ibn Zayd, Abu ʿAbd Allah al-Azdi al-Basri; died 206 AH.
(15) ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Zubayr ibn ʿIsa al-Humaydi al-Qurashi, companion of al-Shafiʿi; died 219 AH.
(16) Beyond doubt the reference is to al-Dahhak ibn Makhlad ibn al-Dahhak ibn Muslim al-Shaybani, Abu ʿAsim al-Nabil; died 212 AH.
(17) Yazid ibn Harun ibn Zadhan al-Sulami, their mawla, Abu Khalid al-Wasiti; died 206 AH.