He also said: I heard ʿUmar ibn Ḥafṣ al-Ashqar relate—“I heard ʿAbdān say, ‘With my own eyes I have never seen a youth more perceptive than this one,’” and he pointed with his hand to Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl (1).

He added: I heard Ṣāliḥ ibn Mismār al-Marwazī say, “I heard Nuʿaym ibn Ḥammād declare, ‘Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl is the jurist of this community’” (2).

He went on: I heard Ibrāhīm ibn Khālid al-Marwazī report that Musaddad said, “O people of Khurāsān, do not prefer anyone over Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl.”

He further said: I heard Mūsā ibn Quraysh relate that ʿAbd Allāh ibn Yūsuf said to al-Bukhārī, “Abū ʿAbd Allāh, review my books and tell me where anything is missing.” He answered, “Very well.”

Muḥammad said: Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl narrated to me, “Whenever I entered upon Sulaymān ibn Ḥarb he would say, ‘Show us Shuʿbah’s mistakes’” (3).

He continued, “I also heard him say: ‘The hadith scholars gathered together and asked me to speak to Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Uways so that he might increase what he recites to them. I did so. Ismāʿīl then called for a maidservant, ordered her to bring out a purse of gold dinars, and said, “Abū ʿAbd Allāh, distribute this among them”’” (4).

I said, “They only wanted more hadith.” He replied, “I have granted the increase you requested, but I would like this gift to be joined to that, so that your influence among them may be evident.”