Moreover, Muslim—and al-Nasāʾī, albeit only through an intermediary—also recorded his narrations. He was reliable, an imam, a veritable ocean of knowledge.

Ibn ʿAdī said, “In people’s estimation he is trustworthy.” He then quoted the words of Abū Isḥāq al-Saʿdī al-Jawzajānī about Saʿīd ibn ʿUfayr: “He was involved in more than one kind of innovation and was a muddler, not reliable.” This is one of al-Saʿdī’s reckless statements.

Ibn ʿAdī added, “What al-Saʿdī has said is meaningless. I have never heard—nor has anything reached me from anyone—any criticism of Saʿīd ibn ʿUfayr, and the leading imams have narrated from him, unless al-Saʿdī meant some other Saʿīd ibn ʿUfayr.” (1)

Abū Ḥātim said, “He used to read from people’s notebooks, and he is truthful.” (2)

Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn said, “In Egypt I saw three wonders: the Nile, the Pyramids, and Saʿīd ibn ʿUfayr.”

I say: It is enough that Yaḥyā, the imam of the hadith scholars, was dazzled by Ibn ʿUfayr.

Abū Saʿīd ibn Yūnus stated, “Saʿīd was among the most learned of people in genealogies, past events, the memorable days of the Arabs, and history; in all of this he was something extraordinary. Along with that he was cultured and eloquent, of fine expression and ready argument; one never tired of his company, nor could his knowledge be drained.

“He was also a poet of graceful verse. When the emir ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṭāhir came to Egypt, he met him, was impressed by him, and admired what he produced. Saʿīd held the office of naqīb of the Anṣār and supervised the distribution among them, and he has many well-known reports.”

He then mentioned his birth (3) and went on: “Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Ḥaḍramī told me, ‘ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān narrated to us…’