Those who transmitted from him include Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Warrāq, Abū al-Ḥasan al-Dāraqutnī, Ibn al-Thallāj, Abū al-Ḥusayn ibn Jumayʿ, and others.

He compiled an intikhāb (selected recension) of the narrations of Khaythama al-Aṭrābulusī.

He died while still in his middle years.

Al-Khaṭīb said, “He was reliable, renowned for the precision of his memorisation, and praised for his understanding.” (1)

Ṭalḥah al-Shāhid reported: “The ḥadith master Abū Aḥmad al-Zaydī died in 328 AH.”

Muḥammad ibn al-Fayyāḍ dated his death likewise, adding, “in the month of Ramaḍān.” (2)

Ibn Yūnus said: “He possessed memorisation and discernment; he died in Ramaḍān of 329 AH in Baghdad.” (3)

Al-Khaṭīb remarked, “The first date is more accurate, and I have been informed that he was born in 282 AH.” (4)

I (the author) say: Had his death not occurred so early, I would have mentioned him together with Ibn ʿAdī and al-Ismāʿīlī.

With my chain of transmission to Ibn Jumayʿ: Ḥāmid ibn Muḥammad Abū Aḥmad—the ḥadith master—narrated to us; he said: Muḥammad ibn ʿImrān narrated to us; he said: Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā al-Qaṣrī narrated to us; he said: Bishr ibn ʿAqqār narrated to us, from ʿAzrah ibn Thābit, from Maṭar al-Warrāq, from Ibn Sīrīn, from Abū Hurayrah, who said:

“My close friend, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), advised me to do three things: to perform Witr before sleeping, to fast three days of every month, and to bathe on Friday.” (5)

This is a singular (gharīb) ḥadith.