Saʿid ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz related—on the authority of Muslim ibn Mishkam—who said:
Abu al-Dardaʾ said to me, “Count the people in our session.”
He continued, “They numbered about one thousand six-hundred-odd. They would be reading and racing one another in groups of ten. When he had performed the dawn prayer, he would turn around and recite a juzʾ (one section of the Qur’an); they would gather closely around him, listening to every word, and Ibn ʿAmir held pride of place among them (1).

Hisham ibn ʿAmmar said: Yazid ibn Abi Malik narrated to us—from his father—who said:
Abu al-Dardaʾ would pray, then teach and recite, and when he was about to leave he would ask his companions, “Is there a walīma or an ʿaqīqa (2) for us to attend?” If they answered, “Yes,” he would go; otherwise he would say, “O Allah, I call You to witness that I am fasting.” He is the one who instituted these recitation circles.

Al-Qasim ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman said, “Abu al-Dardaʾ was among those who were granted knowledge (3).”

Abu al-Duḥā narrated—from Masruq—who said:
“I scrutinised the Companions of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and found that their knowledge ultimately rested with: ʿUmar, ʿAli, ʿAbd Allah, Muʿadh, Abu al-Dardaʾ, and Zayd ibn Thabit (4).”

And Yazid ibn Muʿawiya said, “Abu al-Dardaʾ is one of the scholars and jurists who heal the malady (5).”