and Abū Kurayb; these men surpass him in precision and in flawless integrity, yet his reach in ḥadith is broader than theirs.

Abū al-Ṭayyib Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Harthamah said: “We were in the presence of Abū al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿUqda, writing down his dictation, while a Hāshimī sat beside him. The discussion turned to the great ḥadith-masters, and Abū al-ʿAbbās remarked, ‘I can answer for three hundred thousand ḥadith transmitted by the People of this man’s Household, over and above all others,’ then he placed his hand on the Hāshimī.” (1)

With this same chain reaching al-Khaṭīb: al-Ṣūrī narrated to us; ʿAbd al-Ghanī narrated to us; I heard Abū al-Ḥasan—meaning al-Dāraqutnī—say: “I heard Ibn ʿUqda declare, ‘I can answer for three hundred thousand ḥadith exclusively from the People of the Household.’” (2)

Abū al-Ḥasan added: “His father ʿUqda was the most accomplished grammarian of his time.” (3)

Likewise, Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf al-Naysābūrī narrated to us; Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh the ḥāfiẓ narrated to us; I heard Abū Bakr ibn Abī Dārim the ḥāfiẓ say: “I heard Abū al-ʿAbbās Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd state, ‘I have memorized three hundred thousand ḥadith for the People of the Household.’” (4)

Through the same chain, Abū al-ʿAlāʾ Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Yaʿqūb—more than once—narrated to us; I heard Abū al-Ḥasan Muḥammad ibn ʿUmar ibn Yaḥyā al-ʿAlawī say: “Ibn ʿUqda visited my father. My father said to him, ‘O Abū al-ʿAbbās, people speak a great deal about the extent of your memorization of ḥadith; I would like you to tell me how much you actually remember.’ He refused and showed dislike for the request, so my father repeated the question…”