in al-Andalus anyone to rival him in the finesse of his reasoning and the sharpness with which he marshalled proof (1).

Aḥmad ibn al-Jabbāb said, “Among all the itinerant scholars who set foot in al-Andalus, I have never seen anyone in fiqh the equal of Qāsim (2).”

Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Qāsim, the ascetic, related: “I heard Baqī ibn Makhlad say, ‘Qāsim ibn Muḥammad is more knowledgeable than Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakam’ (3).”

Aslam ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz reported: “I heard Ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakam say, ‘No one who has come to us from al-Andalus is more learned than Qāsim ibn Muḥammad. When he resolved to return to al-Andalus I remonstrated with him, saying, “Stay with us, for here you will hold a position of leadership and the people need you.” He replied, “A man must go back to his homeland” (4).’”

Ibn al-Farḍī notes: “Qāsim authored a distinguished refutation of Yaḥyā ibn Muzayn, al-ʿUtubī, and ʿAbd Allāh ibn Khālid—a work that clearly exhibits his learning. He also produced an eminent treatise on solitary reports, and he oversaw the official documents of Emir Muḥammad—meaning the ruler of al-Andalus—throughout (5) his reign.”

I add: He likewise composed the book al-Īḍāḥ, a rebuttal of those who engage in blind imitation, and he was strongly inclined toward the transmitted reports.

Abū ʿAlī al-Ghassānī said: “I heard Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr declare, ‘In our land no one surpassed Qāsim ibn Muḥammad and Aḥmad ibn al-Jabbāb in jurisprudence.’”