I say: This is exactly how al-Khaṭīb records the story—he simply passes it on and moves ahead without so much as hinting at what is objectionable in it.

As for Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā, one of Kufah’s master memorisers, he died in 183 AH. Those who narrated from him include Ibn Maʿīn, Abū Kuraib, Hannād, ʿAlī ibn Muslim al-Ṭūsī, and a great many others, the last of them being Yaʿqūb al-Dawraqī; some say he died in 182 AH.

At that time Abū Saʿīd al-Ashajj was a young man of full age—indeed, already bearded. He had journeyed about and taken ḥadith from Hushaym, and he passed away only a few months after Yaḥyā. Hence, his having heard directly from Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā is not at all far-fetched.

Al-Ḥākim said: I asked Abū ʿAlī the ḥāfiẓ, “Some people raise objections against Abū al-ʿAbbās.” He replied, “Concerning what?” I said, “Because he alone transmits these interpolated reports from unknown narrators.” He answered, “Do not busy yourself with such talk. Abū al-ʿAbbās is an imām and ḥāfiẓ whose standing is that of one to whom people turn with questions about the Successors and their followers.” (1)

With this same chain al-Khaṭīb narrated: Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn Aḥmad ibn Naʿīm al-Baṣrī—verbatim—told us; Muḥammad ibn ʿAdī ibn Zahr told us; I heard Muḥammad ibn al-Fatḥ al-Qalānisī say, “I heard ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal remark, ‘Ever since this youth came on the scene he has corrupted the ḥadith of Kūfa’—meaning Ibn ʿUqda.” (2)

Aḥmad ibn Sulaymān ibn ʿAlī al-Wāsiṭī the Qur’an-reciter informed me; Abū Saʿd al-Mālinī informed us; Ibn ʿAdī narrated to us; I heard ʿAbdān al-Ahwāzī say, “Ibn ʿUqda has departed from the methodology of the ḥadith scholars, so his narrations are not mentioned alongside theirs—meaning because of the vast quantity of material and numerous copies he would flaunt.”

Muṭayyin also criticised him later on, after Ibn ʿUqda refused him access to his books.