mastery of the Sunnah—both in knowledge and in practice—as well as mastery of ḥadīth and its sciences, and mastery of jurisprudence and its many branches.
He stood at the very forefront of asceticism, scrupulous piety, worship, and truthfulness.
Sāliḥ ibn Aḥmad said: “When al-Mutawakkil arrived he encamped at al-Shammāsiyyah⦗1⦘ on his way to al-Madāʾin. My father said to me, ‘I would prefer that you not go to them and so draw attention to me.’
“The next day, while I was seated—and it was a rainy day—suddenly Yaḥyā ibn Khāqān appeared in a grand procession, the rain pouring down upon him. He said to me, ‘Glory be to Allah! You have not come to convey to the Commander of the Faithful your shaykh’s greeting, so he has sent me.’ He then dismounted outside the alley. I tried hard to persuade him to enter on horseback, but he refused and began wading through the rain on foot.
“When he reached the house he removed his leather overshoes⦗2⦘ and entered, while my father was sitting in the corner wrapped in a cloak. Yaḥyā greeted him, kissed his forehead, inquired about his condition, and said, ‘The Commander of the Faithful sends you his greetings and asks, “How are you faring? How is your health? I take comfort in being near you, and I ask you to pray for me.”’
“My father replied, ‘Not a day passes but that I pray to Allah for him.’
“Yaḥyā then said, ‘He has sent with me one thousand dinars for you to distribute among those in need.’
“My father said, ‘Abū Zakariyyā, I live in seclusion, and he has excused me from everything I dislike; this is something I dislike.’
“Yaḥyā responded, ‘Abū ʿAbd Allāh, the caliphs will not accept that.’
“He said, ‘Abū Zakariyyā, please deal with the matter gently.’
“So Yaḥyā prayed for him, then rose. When he reached the courtyard he returned and said, ‘Would you act the same way if one of your own brothers had sent this to you?’
“He answered, ‘Yes.’
“When we reached the vestibule he said, ‘The Commander of the Faithful has ordered me to hand it to you so that you may distribute it.’
“I replied, ‘Keep it with you until these days have passed.’”
Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn Muʿāwiyah al-Rāzī said: “Bakr ibn ʿAbd Allāh narrated to us…”