a brother named Jabalah, a man of some standing and social prestige. (1)

Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal said, “No one transmits the ḥadīths of the Syrians more abundantly than al-Walīd ibn Muslim and Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAyyāsh.”

Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mundhir al-Ḥizāmī related: “When I arrived in Basra, ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī came to me and said, ‘The very first thing I want is for you to bring out to me the narrations of al-Walīd ibn Muslim.’

I replied, ‘Son of my mother—glory be to God! How does what I have heard compare with what you have heard?’ I kept refusing while he persisted, whereupon I asked him, ‘Tell me, why are you so insistent?’

He answered, ‘Let me explain. Al-Walīd is a man from Syria and he possesses a great deal of knowledge, yet I have never managed to sit with him. He used to narrate to you people in Madinah during the pilgrimage seasons, and so the valuable material is with you, for pilgrims converge upon Madinah from every land, and along with them come some of his rare transmissions—indeed, more than that.’

So I produced the material for him, and he marvelled at the notebook; he nearly copied it word for word.

Yaʿqūb al-Fasawī heard this account from Ibrāhīm. (2)

Abū al-Yamān said, “I have never seen anyone like al-Walīd ibn Muslim.”

Abū Zurʿah al-Rāzī was asked, “Who is more knowledgeable, al-Walīd or Wakīʿ?” He replied, “Al-Walīd with regard to the military expeditions, and Wakīʿ in the ḥadīths of the Iraqis.”

Abū Mushir said, “Al-Walīd was one of the ḥuffāẓ among our companions.”

Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī stated, “His transmission is sound.” (3)

Abū Aḥmad ibn ʿAdī said, “The trustworthy narrators from Syria include men like al-Walīd ibn Muslim.”