Ibn ʿAdī said, “There is nothing wrong with him.”

Al-Nasāʾī stated in Tabaqāt al-Ḥanafiyyah, “Abu Yusuf is trustworthy.”

Abu Ḥātim said, “His ḥadith should be written down.”

Bakkār ibn Qutaybah related: “I heard Abu al-Walīd say:

‘When Abu Yusuf arrived in Basra with al-Rashid, the jurists and hadith scholars gathered at his door. He looked out at them and declared, “I belong to both camps alike and will not give preference to one over the other.”

He was the Qāḍī al-Āfāq (Chief Judge of the realms), al-Rashid’s minister, and his companion on the pilgrimage.’”

Muhammad ibn Shujāʿ reported: “al-Ḥasan ibn Abī Mālik narrated to us: I heard Abu Yusuf say,

‘We do not pray behind anyone who says, “The Quran is created,” and whoever takes pleasure in any part of speculative theology (kalam) will never prosper.’”

I say: Abu Yusuf attained a degree of scholarly pre-eminence beyond which there was no further rise, and al-Rashid spared no effort in honoring him.

Muhammad ibn Saʿdān said: “Abu Sulaymān al-Jūzajānī narrated to us: I heard Abu Yusuf relate,

‘I entered upon al-Rashid while he was turning two pearls over in his hand. He asked, “Have you ever seen anything finer than these?” I replied, “Yes, Commander of the Faithful.” He said, “And what is that?” I answered, “The vessel that contains them.” Thereupon he tossed them to me and said, “They are yours; do with them as you wish.”’”

Bishr ibn al-Walīd said, “Abu Yusuf died on Thursday, the fifth of Rabiʿ al-Awwal in 182 AH.”

Another reported, “He passed away at the outset of Rabiʿ al-Ākhir, having lived sixty-nine years.”

I have devoted a separate biographical booklet to him. (1)