—he came to us.

He continued, “They then pounced on me and said, ‘Did we not tell you he has come only to ruin your ḥadīth?’ The Baghdadis leapt at me, while a group from Rayy rallied to my side, and a fierce quarrel broke out between them.

ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad narrates: I said to ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah, ‘From whom do you have the report about the divorce of the mute?’ He replied, ‘From Jarīr, from Mughīrah, in Mughīrah’s own words.’ ʿAbd al-Raḥmān adds, ‘ʿUthmān used to tell our companions, “We wrote from Jarīr out of his own books.”’

So I went to him and asked, ‘Abū al-Ḥasan, did you really copy from Jarīr’s own books?’ He said, ‘From where else, then?’ and began to evade me. I asked, ‘From his original volumes or from secondary copies?’ He kept sidestepping the question and said only, ‘From books.’ I said, ‘Very well—but did you transcribe those copies on trust?’ He answered, ‘His practice was based on honesty. Our colleagues told us that when they visited Jarīr—after his books had been destroyed—he said to them, “This is a copy from which I relate in good faith. I do not know; perhaps one wording differs from another (1). It is all a matter of trust.”’

ʿAbbās reported, on the authority of Yaḥyā: I heard Ibn ʿUyaynah say, ‘Ibn Shubrumah said to me, “How astonishing is this man from Rayy (2)! I offered to give him a charitable stipend of one hundred dirhams a month, but he asked, ‘Will all Muslims receive the same?’ I replied, ‘No.’ He then said, ‘I have no need of it.’”’

Yaḥyā then said, ‘I also heard Jarīr say, “In Kūfah they offered me two thousand dirhams, to be given along with the Qur’an reciters, but I refused. Today, however, I have come seeking what they possess—or whatever is in their hands!”’

I remarked, ‘By saying this he was belittling himself.’