Ibn Zabr narrated: al-Hasan ibn Jarir told us, saying: Muhammad ibn Ayyub ibn Suwayd reported from his father that al-Awzaʿi joined the expedition to al-Yamamah. When he reached the town he entered its main mosque and prayed. Yaḥya ibn Abi Kathir was close by, watching his prayer, and it impressed him. He then sat with him and asked about his homeland and other matters. Al-Awzaʿi thereupon left the army register and stayed with him for a time, writing down what he heard. Yaḥya said to him, “You should hasten to Basra; perhaps you will still find al-Hasan and Ibn Sirin and learn from them.”

So he set out to meet them, but found that al-Hasan had already died, while Ibn Sirin was still alive. Al-Awzaʿi later told us that he entered upon him, visited him during his illness, and remained with him for some days until he passed away, yet managed to hear nothing from him. He said: “He was suffering from an abdominal illness (1).”

Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Sulami said: “I saw al-Awzaʿi; he was slightly above medium height, slender, of brown complexion, and he dyed (his hair) with henna.”

Muhammad ibn Kathir, quoting al-Awzaʿi, said: “I set out intending to meet al-Hasan and Muhammad, but found that al-Hasan had died and Ibn Sirin was ill.”

ʿAbd al-Razzaq said: “The first to compile (books) were Ibn Jurayj and al-Awzaʿi.”

Abu Mushir related to me—al-Hiql reporting—that al-Awzaʿi issued answers concerning seventy thousand legal questions, or something close to that number.

Ismaʿil ibn ʿAyyash said: “In the year 140 AH I heard the people saying, ‘Today al-Awzaʿi is the scholar of the ummah.’ ”

Abu Mushir also told us—Saʿid reporting—: “Al-Awzaʿi is the scholar of the people of greater Syria.”

I heard Muhammad ibn Shuʿayb say: “I asked Umayyah ibn Yazid, ‘How does al-Awzaʿi compare with Makḥul?’ He replied, ‘In our view he ranks higher than Makḥul.’ I said, ‘Without doubt, his scope of knowledge is broader than Makḥul’s.’ ”