This was transmitted by Ismāʿīl ibn Aḥmad—the governor of Khurasan—from his father, on the authority of Abū ʿĀṣim.

Another view is that he was called al-Nabīl because he wore khazz silk and fine garments; whenever he entered, Ibn Jurayj would say, “The nabīl—the distinguished one—has arrived.”

It is also said that Shuʿbah once swore he would not narrate to the hadith students for a whole month. Abū ʿĀṣim went to him, entered his gathering and said, “Narrate, and my servant the perfumer is hereby set free for the sake of Allah as expiation for your oath.” Shuʿbah was impressed by this. (1)

Muḥammad ibn ʿĪsā al-Zajjāj recounted: “I heard Abū ʿĀṣim say, ‘Whoever seeks hadith has sought the loftiest of pursuits; therefore he must be the best of people.’” (2)

ʿAmr ibn ʿAlī al-Fallās reported: “I heard Abū ʿĀṣim say, ‘My mother was born in the year 110 AH, and I was born in 122 AH.’” (3)

ʿAbd Allāh ibn Isḥāq al-Jawharī, the mustamli—an innovation (4)—said: “I heard Abū ʿĀṣim state, ‘I was born in Rabīʿ al-Awwal of the year 122 AH.’”

Muḥammad ibn Saʿd said: “He passed away in Dhū al-Ḥijjah of the year 212 AH, after fourteen nights of the month had elapsed.” (5)

The same date is affirmed by Khalīfah, al-Kudaymī, Abū Dāwūd, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Ḥabīb al-Dharrāʿ (6), and several others.