Hisham was the most accurate of them in transmitting from him, Saʿid was the most knowledgeable about him, and Shuʿbah knew best what Qatadah had actually heard and what he had not. In my judgment, Hammam was in no way inferior to those men regarding Qatadah, although Yahya ibn Saʿid had no favorable opinion of him, whereas ʿAbd al-Rahman held him in high regard.

ʿUmar ibn Shabbah narrated that al-Fallas said:
“Ibn Abi ʿAdi related a hadith from Ibn Abi ʿArubah, from Qatadah, but Yahya ibn Saʿid rejected it and remarked, ‘Ibn Abi ʿArubah has achieved nothing.’
Then ʿAffan—who was present—said, ‘Hammam has narrated it to us from Qatadah,’ whereupon Yahya fell silent. We were astonished at Yahya: when Ibn Abi ʿAdi reports it to him through Saʿid he rejects it, yet when ʿAffan reports it through Hammam he remains silent.”

I say: This shows that Yahya’s opinion of Hammam later changed, or that once he saw the two chains agreeing on the same hadith he felt at ease.

Abu al-Walid and Habbān reported that Hammam said:
“I feel ashamed before Allah to consult the written text and memorize the hadith merely so that I can relate it to people.”

Ahmad ibn Abi Khaythamah said that Ibn Mahdi declared:
“Yahya ibn Saʿid wronged Hammam; he knew nothing about him, had never sat with him, yet still spoke against him.”

Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmmar related:
“I heard Yahya al-Qattan say, ‘Are you not amazed that ʿAbd al-Rahman says, “Whoever missed Shuʿbah can listen to Hammam,” while Yahya pays no heed to Hammam?!’ ”

Ahmad also reported from Ibn Mahdi:
“Yahya ibn Saʿid mentioned ʿAsim ibn Saʿid, from whom Qatadah related, and—apparently aiming at Hammam—said, ‘He has inserted himself between Qatadah and Saʿid.’ At this, ʿAbd al-Rahman burst into laughter.”

Ibrahim ibn ʿArʿarah said to Yahya, “ʿAffan narrated to us—Hammam narrated to us…,” whereupon Yahya retorted, “Be quiet, woe to you!”