“We used to regard the jurists of Khurasan as three: ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Mubarak, Yahya ibn Yahya, and another.”

Abu Ahmad Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab said: I heard al-Husayn ibn Mansur relate:

“We were in the presence of Ahmad ibn Hanbal when he reported a hadith from Sufyan. I said, ‘Yahya ibn Yahya differs with you on this.’ He paused and declared, ‘There is no good in any report that conflicts with the narration of Yahya ibn Yahya.’”

Abu Zurʿah said: I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal mention Yahya ibn Yahya al-Naysaburi and extol his merit and precision in the strongest terms (1).

Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Shadhrah al-Khatib said: I heard Abu ʿAli Ahmad ibn ʿUthman say—I heard Muhammad ibn ʿAzrah say:

“ʿAbd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, ‘I often heard my father say, “How I wish I had met Yahya ibn Yahya al-Naysaburi.”’

“One day I was sitting and writing when a man, showing the marks of travel and carrying a staff and a water-skin, stopped beside me. He asked, ‘My son, is this the house of Abu ʿAbd Allah?’

“I replied, ‘Yes.’

“He asked, ‘Is he in?’

“I said, ‘Who are you?’

“He answered, ‘I am Yahya ibn Yahya.’

“I leapt up in delight and informed my father. He lowered his head for a moment, then said, ‘Convey my greetings to him and say: May Allah grant you the reward of what you intended.’

“I returned somewhat embarrassed, and he said, ‘I entrust you to Allah, my son,’ and went on his way.”

This story is unfounded; nothing of it actually happened. ʿAbd Allah sought him only after Yahya ibn Yahya had died, and, moreover, we have no evidence that Yahya ever entered Baghdad.

Al-Hakim said: I heard Muhammad ibn Hamid, who said: I heard Abu Muhammad al-Mansuri, who said: I heard Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab, who said: I heard al-Husayn ibn Mansur say, “He intended—”