ʿUlayyah—he had been one of Abū Bakr al-Aṣamm’s young disciples (1) and was holding his study-circle at the Sufi Gate (2). When we read it to him, he began adducing proofs to invalidate it.
We wrote down his objections and brought them to al-Shāfiʿī, who overturned them and spoke at length refuting them. We then recorded his words, returned to Ibn ʿUlayyah, and he demolished them in turn. We went back once more to al-Shāfiʿī, who said, “Ibn ʿUlayyah is astray; he has stationed himself at the Gate of the Strays, leading people astray.” (3)

I say: Ibrāhīm was among the leading Jahmīs, whereas his father Ismāʿīl (4) was the shaykh of the hadith scholars, an eminent imām.

Al-Muzanī said: I heard al-Shāfiʿī state, “Whoever learns the Quran, his worth is magnified; whoever engages in jurisprudence, his rank increases; whoever records hadith, his proof is strengthened; whoever studies language, his taste is refined; whoever studies arithmetic, his judgement becomes weighty; and whoever does not guard his own soul, his knowledge will be of no benefit to him.” (5)

Ibrāhīm b. Mattūyah al-Iṣfahānī said: I heard Yūnus b. ʿAbd al-Aʿlā say: al-Shāfiʿī declared, “Any hadith that comes from Iraq and has no basis in the Hijaz—do not accept it, even if it is sound. I wish only to advise you.” (6)

I say: Al-Shāfiʿī later retracted this position and authenticated whatever of their reports was supported by a reliable chain of transmission.