Al-Bukhārī said (1):
“ʿAbd Allah ibn Idrīs (2) was asked about praying behind ahl al-bidʿah (the People of Innovation). He replied, ‘In every age, if there is someone sound (3) and just among them, then pray behind him.’
I said, ‘What about the Jahmiyyah?’
He responded, ‘No—those are among the people who must be fought. One does not perform the prayer behind them, nor enter into marriage with them; repentance is required of them.’
Hafs ibn Ghiyāth (4) was likewise asked, and he gave the same answer as Ibn Idrīs.
It was asked, ‘And the Jahmiyyah?’
He said, ‘I do not (5) know them (6).’
He was told, ‘They are a group who say that the Qur’an is created.’
He exclaimed, ‘May Allah not reward you with good (7); you have brought to my heart something it had never heard before!’
I said, ‘Yet they (8) do say that.’
He replied, ‘Such people are not to be married, nor is their testimony admissible.’"
(1) Fi Khalq Af‘al al-‘Ibad (On the Creation of the Servants’ Acts), p. 39.
(2) He is Abu Muhammad ‘Abd Allah ibn Idris ibn Yazid ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Awdi al-Kufi. He was authenticated by the Imams, and Imam Malik, Ibn al-Mubarak, and others narrated from him. He died in 192 AH. Imam Ahmad said of him: “Ibn Idris was unmatched.” Abu Hatim said: “He is an imam among the Muslims’ imams, a proof.” See: Tadhkirat al-Huffaz by al-Dhahabi, 1:282–284; Al-Wafi bil-Wafayat by al-Safadi, 17:64–65; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib by Ibn Hajar, 5:144–146.
(3) In Fi Khalq Af‘al al-‘Ibad: maraḍ (ailment).
(4) He is Abu ‘Umar Hafs ibn Ghiyath ibn Taliq al-Nakha‘i al-Kufi, one of the trustworthy imams. He served as qadi of the eastern district of Baghdad, then was appointed qadi of Kufa. Imam Ahmad and Yahya ibn Ma‘in narrated from him. Al-Baghdadi said: “Hafs narrated many hadiths; he memorized them and was steadfast.” He died in 194 AH. See: Tarikh Baghdad by al-Baghdadi, 8:188–200; Mizan al-I‘tidal by al-Dhahabi, 1:567; Al-Wafi bil-Wafayat by al-Safadi, 13:98–99.
(5) la’ (no): omitted in MS S.
(6) In Fi Khalq Af‘al al-‘Ibad: “… what Ibn Idris said about the killing of the Jahmiyya, and he said, ‘I do not know him.’ ”
(7) The original reads khayr (better). This reading is confirmed by MSS S, T, and Fi Khalq Af‘al al-‘Ibad.
(8) In Fi Khalq Af‘al al-‘Ibad: “faqultu: ‘innahum’ ” (and I said: “they…”).