Ismaʿil ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Qustantin said:
“I recited to Shibl ibn ʿAbbad, who had recited to Ibn Kathir; Ibn Kathir informed him that he had recited to Mujahid, and Mujahid had recited to Ibn ʿAbbas.” (1)
Sufyan al-Thawri said, “Take Qur’anic exegesis from four men: Mujahid, Saʿid ibn Jubayr, ʿIkrimah, and al-Dahhak.” (2)
Khusayf said, “Mujahid was the most knowledgeable of them in exegesis.” (3)
Qatadah said, “Of those who remain, the one best versed in exegesis is Mujahid.”
Abu Bakr ibn ʿAyyash related, “I asked al-Aʿmash, ‘Why do they avoid Mujahid’s commentary?’ He answered, ‘They were of the view that he consulted the People of the Book.’” (4)
Ibn al-Madini said, “Mujahid heard (hadith) from ʿAʾishah.”
Yahya al-Qattan said, “He did not hear from her.” (5)
I say: Rather, he did hear a small amount from her.
Ibn Jurayj said, “If only I had heard from Mujahid so that I could say, ‘I heard Mujahid,’ it would be dearer to me than my family and my wealth.” (6)
I say: Even so, he scarcely heard two words from Mujahid.
Yahya ibn Maʿin and a number of scholars declared, “Mujahid is reliable.”