good in bearing, often perfumed, modest; he spoke only in response and never involved himself in matters that did not concern him.
Ibn al-Mubārak said, “I have never seen anyone more dignified in his gathering, nor of finer demeanor and greater forbearance, than Abū Ḥanīfah.”
Ibrāhīm ibn Saʿīd al-Jawharī reported from al-Muthannā ibn Rajāʾ: Abū Ḥanīfah bound himself that whenever he swore by Allah—even truthfully—he would give one dīnār in charity, and whenever he spent on his family, he would donate an equal amount in charity.
Jabārah ibn al-Mughallis narrated from Qays ibn al-Rabīʿ: “Abū Ḥanīfah was scrupulous, God-fearing, and generous toward his brothers.”
Al-Khuraybī said: “We were with Abū Ḥanīfah when a man remarked, ‘I drafted a letter in your handwriting to so-and-so, and he gave me 4,000 dirhams.’ Abū Ḥanīfah said, ‘If you can benefit from this, then do so.’”
Sharik said, “Abū Ḥanīfah was long in silence and abundant in intellect.”
Abū ʿĀṣim al-Nabīl said, “Abū Ḥanīfah was nicknamed ‘the stake’ because of the great amount of prayer he performed.”
Ibn Isḥāq al-Samarkandī narrated from the judge Abū Yūsuf: “Abū Ḥanīfah used to complete the Qurʾān every night in a single rakʿah.”
Yaḥyā ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd al-Ḥimmanī reported from his father that he accompanied Abū Ḥanīfah for six months. He said, “I never saw him perform the dawn prayer except with the ablution of the night prayer, and he would finish the Qurʾān every night just before dawn.”
Zayd ibn Kumayt related that he heard a man say to Abū Ḥanīfah, “Fear Allah.” Abū Ḥanīfah trembled, his color paled, and he lowered his head, saying, “May Allah reward you with goodness; how much people at every moment need someone to tell them such words.”
It is also reported that Abū Ḥanīfah completed the Qurʾān seven thousand times.