Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar al-Qattāt said: “Abū Nuʿaym—the one whose eyes were slightly crossed—narrated to us in the year 218 AH.

Jaʿfar ibn ʿAbd al-Wāḥid al-Hāshimī transmitted from Abū Nuʿaym, who said: “In my possession from the Commander of the Believers in ḥadīth, Sufyān, are four thousand reports.” (1)

al-Faḍl ibn Ziyād said: I asked Aḥmad, “Does Ibn Fuḍayl, in your view, occupy the same rank (2) as ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Mūsā?” He replied, “No. Ibn Fuḍayl was more discreet, whereas ʿUbayd Allāh was prone to confusion and related objectionable ḥadīths.”

I said, “What about Abū Nuʿaym—does he share their standing?” He answered, “No. Abū Nuʿaym is wide-awake in ḥadīth, and he stood firm during the Affair—that is, the Inquisition (al-miḥna).”

He then added, “If you remove Abū Nuʿaym from the realm of ḥadīth, he amounts to nothing.” (3)

al-Marwadhī reported from Abū ʿAbd Allāh [Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal]: “Yahyā, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, and Abū Nuʿaym are authoritative, firmly grounded proofs.” (4)

al-Maymūnī also narrated that Aḥmad praised Abū Nuʿaym, saying: “He was trustworthy, alert in ḥadīth, thoroughly versed in it. Then, during the ordeal, he took a stand unmatched by anyone else—may Allah grant him well-being.”

Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmmār said: “Abū Nuʿaym was a meticulous ḥāfiẓ; when he relates from reliable transmitters, his ḥadīth is admissible—the most cogent proof there can be.” (5)