“I have adopted your view, Abū 'Abd Allāh. Had my companion seen what I have seen, he would have changed his view as I have.” Abū Yūsuf and Muhammad agreed with the other jurists that no zakāh is due on vegetables, as held by Mālik, al-Shāfi'ī and Ahmad, and that no zakāh is due on less than five wasqs, as these scholars also held. They also agreed concerning endowments, which he considered legally binding, in accordance with these scholars’ position.

Mālik said, “Your ratls, people of Iraq,” because the Umayyad dynasty had come to an end and the dynasty of the descendants of al-'Abbās had only recently come to power. His brother Abū Ja'far, known as al-Mansūr, then assumed power, built Baghdad and made it his seat of rule. Abū Ja'far knew that the people of the Hijaz at that time were more concerned with the religion of Islam than the people of Iraq. It is related that he said this to Mālik or another of the scholars of Medina:

“I examined this matter and found the people of Iraq given to lying and misrepresentation”—or words to that effect—“and found the people of Syria devoted to military campaigns and jihad, while I found this matter among you.”

It is also said that he told Mālik, “You are the most learned person in the Hijaz,” or words to that effect. Abū Ja'far therefore asked the scholars of the Hijaz to go to Iraq and spread knowledge there. Those who came to them included Hishām ibn 'Urwa, Muhammad ibn Ishāq, and Yahyā ibn