—spelled with the dotted consonant (ḍ)—; Naṣr b. Aḥmad b. al-Khalīl al-Marjī; Abū al-Shaykh; and a great many others besides.

Yazīd b. Muḥammad al-Azdī says in his “History of Mosul”: “Among them is Abū Yaʿlā al-Tamīmī.” He then gives Abū Yaʿlā’s lineage and the names of his senior teachers and adds: “He was a man of truthfulness, trustworthiness, religion and forbearance. He narrated from Ghassān b. al-Rabīʿ, Muʿallā b. Mahdī and other scholars of Mosul,” and continues:

“He possessed an abundant share of ḥadīth. He compiled the Musnad, several works on asceticism and heart-softening exhortations, and produced collections of rare reports. He was intelligent, gentle, patient and well-mannered. I heard him say: ‘I heard Ibn Qudāmah say: I heard Sufyān say:

‘No one has ever tasted a pleasure like the remembrance of Allah.’

David—peace be upon him—said: ‘How sweet is the remembrance of Allah upon the tongues of the devoted worshippers.’”

Abū Yaʿlā also narrated to us: Ibn Zanjūwayh narrated to us: I heard ʿAbd al-Razzāq say, “In my view, the Rāfiḍī is a disbeliever.”

We have been informed from Abū ʿAmr b. Ḥamdān that he used to prefer Abū Yaʿlā al-Mawṣilī to al-Ḥasan b. Sufyān. He was asked, “How can you give him preference when the Musnad of al-Ḥasan is larger and his teachers are of higher standing?” He replied, “Because Abū Yaʿlā transmitted ḥadīth seeking Allah’s reward, whereas al-Ḥasan b. Sufyān transmitted in order to earn a living.”

Abū Ḥātim al-Bustī and others declared Abū Yaʿlā reliable. Ibn Ḥibbān said, “He was among the meticulous scholars who constantly safeguarded the religion and the means of obedience.” Ibn ʿAdī remarked, “I have never heard a Musnad recited as it ought to be except the Musnad of Abū Yaʿlā, for he narrated solely for the sake of Allah.” Ibn al-Muqriʾ said, “I heard Abū Isḥāq b. Ḥamzah praise the Musnad of Abū Yaʿlā, saying: ‘Whoever writes it down will rarely miss any ḥadīth.’”