ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn al-Walīd ibn Abī al-Sāʾib transmitted—from his father, from Makḥūl—who said: “I have never seen anyone comparable to Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī.” (1)

Abū Mushir narrated the same report through Saʿīd, from Makḥūl.

Saʿīd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz also related that he said, “After Abū al-Dardāʾ, the leading scholar of Syria was Abū Idrīs.” (2)

Ibn Jawsaʾ the ḥāfiẓ said: ʿAmr ibn ʿUthmān narrated to us; Muḥammad ibn Ḥimyar narrated to us; Saʿīd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz narrated to me; I heard Makḥūl say:

“There was a circle of the Prophet’s Companions studying together. Whenever they reached a verse that requires prostration, they would send for Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī; he would recite it, then prostrate, and all the study circles would prostrate with him.” (3)

Muḥammad ibn Shuʿayb ibn Shābūr reported that Yazīd ibn ʿUbaydah told him: “I saw Abū Idrīs in the time of ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān. The study circles in the Damascus mosque were reciting the Quran together while Abū Idrīs sat by one of the columns. Whenever a circle came to a verse of prostration, they would summon him to recite it; they would fall silent and he would lead them all in prostration—sometimes as many as twelve in one sitting. When they had finished reading, Abū Idrīs would deliver an exhortative narrative.” Yazīd ibn ʿUbaydah added, “Later on he began giving the narrative first.” (4)

Al-Walīd ibn Muslim reported: Khālid ibn Yazīd ibn Abī Mālik narrated to us, from his father, who said:

“We used to sit with Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī while he related traditions to us. One day he recounted one of the Prophet’s campaigns in full. A man sitting at the edge of the gathering then said to him…"