by the Hanbalis (1).

He (2) also said to a man who had travelled to Baghdad to collect (3) hadith from the shaykhs—but who had never managed to hear from Ibn Jarir because the Hanbalis would not allow anyone to meet him—that (4): “Had you written from him, it would have been better for you than everything else you have recorded (5).”

I say: Ibn Jarir was distinguished for his worship, asceticism, scrupulousness, and unwavering stand for the truth—never intimidated by the blame of any critic. His Qur’an recitation (6) was of the highest (7) quality, and he ranked among the great righteous. He was one of the four “Muhammads” (8) who gathered in Egypt during the days of the amir [Ibn] (9) Tulung: Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Khuzaymah, the Imam of the Imams; Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi; Muhammad ibn Harun al-Ruyani; and this Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari—we have mentioned this in the biography of Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi (10). The one who rose to lead the prayer was Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Khuzaymah, though some say it was Muhammad ibn Nasr; Allah granted them blessing through his prayer (11).

On one occasion the Caliph al-Muqtadir Billah (12) wished to draft a waqf (pious endowment) document whose stipulations would enjoy the consensus of the jurists. He was told, “No one can prepare this except Muhammad ibn Jarir (13).” The caliph therefore asked him to do so, and Ibn Jarir composed it. The caliph then summoned him (14) and said, “Ask for whatever you need.” He replied, “I have no need.” The caliph insisted, “You must ask me for something (15).” Ibn Jarir said, “I ask the Commander of the Faithful to order the police to prevent beggars, on Fridays, from entering the maqsurah (royal enclosure) of the congregational mosque.” The caliph complied with his request.

Ibn Jarir supported himself from the revenue of a village in Tabaristan that his father had bequeathed to him.