Biography

He was a close friend of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Abu `Abd Allah al-Shaybani was an important Muslim scholar and theologian. He is considered the founder of the Hanbali school of fiqh...

.He is often quoted regarding Ilm ar-Rijal

Ilm ar-Rijal

Biographical evaluation, , literally: "knowledge of men", refers to a discipline of Islamic religious studies within hadith terminology in which the narrators of hadith are evaluated. Its goal is to distinguish authentic hadith from hadith unacceptable in establishing sanctioned religious...

Imam Yahya ibn Ma’een (rahmatullahi alaih) (passed away 233 A.H.) was a famous Muhaddith and expert of Rijaal (critical analysis of the narrators of ahadeeth). He taught Imam Bukhari (rahmatullahi alaih) and other muhadditheen.

This same Yahya ibn Ma’een (rahmatullahi alaih) attests to the great calibre of Imam Abu Haneefah (rahmatullahi alaih) and says, “He is thiqa (reliable) and trustworthy and I have never heard anyone who regards him to be a weak narrator.” [Umdatul Qaari, volume 3, page 66]

He also mentioned that the best fiqh in his estimation is that of Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahmatullahi alaih).

[Towards Understanding Taqleed, page 306]