Sufyan ibn Uyaynah (From Siyar)
B: 107H Kufa
D: Rajab 198H Makkah (Age 91)
Hadith (سماع): 119H or Age 15.

سير أعلام النبلاء

١٢٠ - سُفْيَانُ بنُ عُيَيْنَةَ بنِ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ مَيْمُوْنٍ الهِلاَلِيُّ * (ع)

مَوْلَى مُحَمَّدِ بنِ مُزَاحِمٍ، أَخِي الضَّحَّاكِ بنِ مُزَاحِمٍ، الإِمَامُ الكَبِيْرُ، حَافِظُ العَصْرِ، شَيْخُ الإِسْلاَمِ، أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ .الهِلاَلِيُّ، الكُوْفِيُّ، ثُمَّ المَكِّيُّ

Sufyan ibn Uyaynah ibn Abi Imran Maymun al-Hilaliy. Mawla of Muhammed ibn Muzahim, the brother of Dahhak ibn Muzahim.
Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, Dahahabi wrote, he was a great Imam, the Hafidh of his time, Sheikh-ul-Islam, Abu Muhammed, al-Hilaliy, al-Kufiy, then Makkiy (i.e. from Kufah, then settled in Makkah).

مَوْلِدُهُ: بِالكُوْفَةِ، فِي سَنَةِ سَبْعٍ وَمائَةٍ.

He was born in Kufa in 107H.

قال الذهبي: وَطَلَبَ الحَدِيْثَ وَهُوَ حَدَثٌ، بَلْ غُلاَمٌ، وَلَقِيَ الكِبَارَ، وَحَمَلَ عَنْهُم عِلْمًا جَمًّا، وَأَتقَنَ، وَجَوَّدَ، وَجَمَعَ، وَصَنَّفَ، وَعُمِّرَ دَهْرًا، وَازدَحَمَ الخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَانْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ عُلُوُّ الإِسْنَادِ، وَرُحِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ البِلاَدِ، وَأَلْحَقَ الأَحْفَادَ بِالأَجدَادِ.

سَمِعَ فِي سَنَةِ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ وَمائَةٍ، وَسَنَةَ عِشْرِيْنَ، وَبَعدَ ذَلِكَ، فَسَمِعَ مِنْ: عَمْرِو بنِ دِيْنَارٍ - وَأَكْثَرَ عَنْهُ -.

Imam Dhahabi wrote: He (Sufyan) sought Hadith early, in fact when he was a young boy. He met great scholars, and took from them a lot of knowledge, he was precise and perfected, authored books and lived a long life. And people crowded to meet him. He had the cherished short high level chains of Hadith and people traveled to him from distant lands - the young grandchildren and the older grandparents were connected (i.e. via his high level hadith chains).

And he heard (hadith) in the year 119H (i.e. roughly age 12), 120H and after that. He took the hadith from Amr ibn Dinar and narrated a lot from him.

قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بنُ يُوْنُسَ: حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ:
أَوَّلُ مَنْ جَالَسْتُ عَبْدُ الكَرِيْمِ أَبُو أُمَيَّةَ، وَأَنَا ابْنُ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً.

قَالَ: وَقَرَأْتُ القُرْآنَ وَأَنَا ابْنُ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً.

Abdurahman ibn Yunus related that Sufyan ibn Uyahnah said to me: 'The first person that I sat with to take hadith from was Abdul Karim Abu Umayyah when I was fifteen years old'.

And he said, 'I was a reciter of Qur'an (i.e. memorised and learnt Qur'an) when I was fourteen years of age.'

Note: The Brother of Sufyan ibn Uyaynah was a great Scholar too!

أَخُوْه
: إِبْرَاهِيْم بنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ *
مُحَدِّثٌ، إِمَامُ خَيْرٍ.
وُلِدَ: نَحْو سَنَةِ عِشْرِيْنَ وَمائَةٍ.
قِيْلَ: تُوُفِّيَ سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَتِسْعِيْنَ وَمائَةٍ.
قَالَ ابْنُ مَعِيْنٍ: كَانَ مُسْلِمًا، صَدُوقًا، لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الحَدِيْثِ.
وَقَالَ النَّسَائِيُّ: لَيْسَ بِالقَوِيِّ.

Imam Dhahabi further wrote in Siyar aalam Nubula:
Ibrahim ibn Uyaynah, the brother of Sufyan ibn Uyaynah:
Abu Ishaq, Ibraheem ibn Uyaynah: Scholar of Hadith (Muhaddith), an Imam, great Scholar. He was born in about 120H. It was said that he died in 199H.

سَمِعَ فِي سَنَةِ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ وَمائَةٍ، وَسَنَةَ عِشْرِيْنَ، وَبَعدَ ذَلِكَ، فَسَمِعَ مِنْ: عَمْرِو بنِ دِيْنَارٍ - وَأَكْثَرَ عَنْهُ -.

He heard (hadith from Scholars) in the year 119H (i.e. roughly aged 12), in 120H, and after that. He took the Hadith from Amr ibn Dinar and he narrated a lot from him.

:وممن سمع منهم
...ابن شهاب الزهري، وَعَبْدِ اللهِ بنِ دِيْنَارٍ، وَزَيْدِ بنِ أَسْلَمَ

Among the Scholars that he got Hadith from include Ibn Shihab az-Zuhri, Abdullah ibn Dinar, Zaid ibn Aslam, … (and many others).

حَدَّثَ عَنْهُ:
الأَعْمَشُ، وَابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، وَشُعْبَةُ - وَهَؤُلاَءِ مِنْ شُيُوْخِهِ - و …، وَحَمَّادُ بنُ زَيْدٍ، …، وَعَبْدُ اللهِ بنُ المُبَارَكِ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، وَيَحْيَى القَطَّانُ، وَالشَّافِعِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، وَالحُمَيْدِيُّ، وَسَعِيْدُ بنُ مَنْصُوْرٍ، وَيَحْيَى بنُ مَعِيْنٍ، وَعَلِيُّ بنُ المَدِيْنِيِّ، …، وَأَحْمَدُ بنُ حَنْبَلٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ بنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، و…، وَإِسْحَاقُ بنُ رَاهْوَيْه،

وَجَاوَرَ عِنْدَهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الحُفَّاظِ.

وَمِنْ كِبَارِ أَصْحَابِهِ المُكْثِرِيْنَ عَنْهُ: الحُمَيْدِيُّ، وَالشَّافِعِيُّ، وَابْنُ المَدِيْنِيِّ، وَأَحْمَدُ، وَإِبْرَاهِيْمُ الرَّمَادِيُّ.

The Scholars who took Hadith from Sufyan ibn Uyaynah and related from him include:
al-A'amash, Ibn Jurayj, Shu'bah - and these who related hadith from him were also his teachers - and Hammad ibn Zaid, …, Abdullah ibn Mubarak, Abdurahman ibn Mahdi, Yayha al-Qattan, ash-Shafiee, Abdur-Razzaq, al-Humaidiyy, Sa'eed ibn Mansur, Yahya ibn Ma'een, Ali ibn al-Madeeniy, …, Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, …, Ishaq ibn Rahawayh.

And numerous great Huffadh (Scholars of Hadith) stayed with him.

And among the greats of Students of Sufyan ibn Uyaynah who related a lot of hadith from him are al-Humaidiyy, Shafiee, Ibn-ul-Madiniyy, Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Ibrahim ar-Ramadiyy.

What Others Said About Greatness of Ibn Uyaynah

وَلَقَدْ كَانَ خَلْقٌ مِنْ طَلَبَةِ الحَدِيْثِ يَتَكَلَّفُوْنَ الحَجَّ، وَمَا المُحَرِّكُ لَهُم سِوَى لُقِيِّ سُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ؛ لإِمَامتِهِ وَعُلُوِّ إِسْنَادِهِ.

Dhahabiy said: Number of Seekers of Hadith used to take on a journey to Hajj and nothing motivated them as much as to meet Sufyan ibn Uyaynah due to his great status as an Imam and the high level (short) chains for Hadith that he had acquired."

قَالَ الإِمَامُ الشَّافِعِيُّ: لَوْلاَ مَالِكٌ وَسُفْيَانُ بنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، لَذَهَبَ عِلْمُ الحِجَازِ.

Imam Shafiee said: If it wasn't for Malik and Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, the knowledge of Hijaz would have gone!

وَعَنْهُ، قَالَ: وَجَدْتُ أَحَادِيْثَ الأَحكَامِ كُلَّهَا عِنْدَ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، سِوَى سِتَّةِ أَحَادِيْثَ، وَوَجَدتُهَا كُلَّهَا عِنْدَ مَالِكٍ سِوَى ثَلاَثِيْنَ حَدِيْثًا.

And Imam Shafiee also said: I found that the Hadith of Ahkam (pertaining to Fiqh) all of them were with (chains with) Ibn Uyaynah except for six Hadith, and I found all of them with Malik except thirty Hadith.

فَهَذَا يُوَضِّحُ لَكَ سَعَةَ دَائِرَةِ سُفْيَانَ فِي العِلْمِ، وَذَلِكَ لأَنَّهُ ضَمَّ أَحَادِيْثَ العِرَاقِيِّينَ إِلَى أَحَادِيْثِ الحِجَازِيِّينَ.

So, this makes it clear to us the vast knowledge of Sufyan and that is because he collected the Hadith from Scholars of Iraq as well as from Hijaz.

وَارْتَحَلَ، وَلَقِيَ خَلْقًا كَثِيْرًا مَا لَقِيَهُم مَالِكٌ، وَهُمَا نَظِيْرَانِ فِي الإِتْقَانِ، وَلَكِنَّ مَالِكًا أَجَلُّ وَأَعْلَى، فَعِنْدَهُ نَافِعٌ، وَسَعِيْدٌ المَقْبُرِيُّ.

He travelled and met many Scholars/Narrators that Malik did not meet while both of them are similar in terms of perfection of their precision, except that Malik is greater and higher (in rank).

قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بنُ مَهْدِيٍّ: كَانَ ابْنُ عُيينَةَ مِنْ أَعْلَمِ النَّاسِ بِحَدِيْثِ الحِجَازِ.

Abdurahman ibn Mahdiy said: Ibn Uyaynah was among the most knowledgeable of people about Hadith in Hijaz.

وَقَالَ أَبُو عِيْسَى التِّرْمِذِيُّ: سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدًا -يَعْنِي: البُخَارِيَّ- يَقُوْلُ: ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ أَحْفَظُ مِنْ حَمَّادِ بنِ زَيْدٍ.

Abu Eisa Tirmidhi said: I heard Muhammed (Bukhari) say, "Ibn Uyaynah memorised more (Hadith) than Hammad ibn Zaid.

قَالَ حَرْملَةُ: سَمِعْتُ الشَّافِعِيَّ يَقُوْلُ:
مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا فِيْهِ مِنْ آلَةِ العِلْمِ مَا فِي سُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُ أَكَفَّ عَنِ الفُتْيَا مِنْهُ، قَالَ: وَمَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيْرًا لِلْحَدِيْثِ مِنْهُ.

Harmalah said: I heard Shafiee say, "I did not see with the tools of knowledge as much as Sufyan ibn Uyaynah had, yet I did not see anyone more refraining from giving fatwah (opinions) than him!" Shafiee also said, "I did not see anyone better at explaining Hadith than him."

قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بنُ وَهْبٍ: لاَ أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا أَعْلَمَ بِتَفْسِيْرِ القُرْآنِ مِنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، وَقَالَ: أَحْمَدُ بنُ حَنْبَلٍ أَعْلَمُ بِالسُّنَنِ مِنْ سُفْيَانَ.

Abdullah ibn Wahb said: I do not know anyone more knowledgeable of Tafsir of Quran than Ibn Uyaynah. And Ahmed ibn Hanbal was more knwoledgeable of the Sunnah than Sufyan."

قَالَ عَلِيُّ بنُ المَدِيْنِيِّ: مَا فِي أَصْحَابِ الزُّهْرِيِّ أَحَدٌ أَتقَنُ مِنْ سُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ.

Ali ibn al-Madeeniyy said: "No one is more precise among the students of Zuhriy than Sufyan ibn Uyaynah."

قَالَ ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ: حَجَّ بِي أَبِي، وَعَطَاءُ بنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ حَيٌّ.

Ibn Uyaynah said: "My father performed Hajj with me while Ata ibn Abi Rabah was alive.

وَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ بنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ العِجْلِيُّ: كَانَ ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ ثَبْتًا فِي الحَدِيْثِ، وَكَانَ حَدِيْثُهُ نَحْوًا مِنْ سَبْعَةِ آلاَفٍ، وَلَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ كُتُبٌ.

Ahmed ibn Abdullah al-'Ejliyy said: Ibn Uyaynah was more trustworthy and reliable in Hadith (transmission), and he had (collected) about seven thousand Hadith, and he did not have books.

قَالَ بَهْزُ بنُ أَسَدٍ: مَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَ سُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ.
فَقِيْلَ لَهُ: وَلاَ شُعْبَةُ؟
قَالَ: وَلاَ شُعْبَةُ.

Bahz ibn Usayd said: "I did not see the like (in greatness) of Sufyan ibn Uyaynah." It was said to him, "Not even Shubah?" He said, "Not even Shubah!"

قَالَ يَحْيَى بنُ مَعِيْنٍ: هُوَ أَثْبَتُ النَّاسِ فِي عَمْرِو بنِ دِيْنَارٍ.

Yahya ibn Maeen said: "He is the most trustworthy and reliable in (transmission) of Hadith from Amr ibn Dinar."

وَقَالَ ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ: عِنْدَ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ مِنْ مَعْرِفَتِهِ بِالقُرْآنِ وَتَفْسِيْرِ الحَدِيْثِ، مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ.

Abdurahman ibn Mahdiyy said: "Ibn Uyaynah has knowledge of Quran and explanation of Hadith that Sufyan Thawriyy did not have."

… سَمِعْتُ البُوَيْطِيَّ، سَمِعْتُ الشَّافِعِيَّ يَقُوْلُ: أُصُوْلُ الأَحكَامِ نَيِّفٌ وَخَمْسُ مائَةِ حَدِيْثٍ، كُلُّهَا عِنْدَ مَالِكٍ، إِلاَّ ثَلاَثِيْنَ حَدِيْثًا، وَكُلُّهَا عِنْدَ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، إِلاَّ سِتَّةَ أَحَادِيْثَ.
رُوَاتُهُ ثِقَاتٌ.

Buwaitiyy said: I heard Shafiee say, "Hadith of Ahkam (pertaining to rulings of Fiqh) are five hundred odd Hadith. Malik has all of them except thirty and Ibn Uyaynah has all of them except six hadith."

Note:
Remember student of Shafiee is Buwaitee.

قَالَ أَحْمَدُ بنُ حَنْبَلٍ: دَخَلَ سُفْيَانُ بنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَلَى مَعْنِ بنِ زَائِدَةَ -يَعْنِي أَمِيْرَ اليَمَنِ- وَلَمْ يَكُنْ سُفْيَانُ تَلَطَّخَ بَعْدُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ أَمرِ السُّلْطَانِ، فَجَعَلَ يَعِظُهُ.

Ahmed ibn Hanbal said: "Sufyan ibn Uyaynah entered in presence of Mayan ibn Zaidah - that is the Governor of Yemen - and Sufyan had not yet got mixed up at all with matters of Rulers - and Sufyan kept on admonishing him."

قَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الرَّامَهُرْمُزِيُّ: حَدَّثَنَا مُوْسَى بنُ زَكَرِيَّا، حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بنِ خُزَاعِيٍّ، سَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ بنَ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُوْلُ:
كَانَ أَبِي صَيْرَفِيًّا بِالكُوْفَةِ، فَرَكِبَهُ دَيْنٌ، فَحَمَلَنَا إِلَى مَكَّةَ، فَصِرْتُ إِلَى المَسْجِدِ، فَإِذَا عَمْرُو بنُ دِيْنَارٍ، فَحَدَّثَنِي بِثَمَانِيَةِ أَحَادِيْثَ، فَأَمْسَكْتُ لَهُ حِمَارَهُ حَتَّى صَلَّى وَخَرَجَ، فَعَرَضْتُ الأَحَادِيْثَ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: بَارَكَ اللهُ فِيْكَ.

Abu Muhammed Ramahurmuziyy said: Musa ibn Zakariyyah related: Zayed ibn Abdullah ibn Khuza'eiyy related: I heard Sufyan ibn Uyaynah say, "My father was a money dealer in Kufah and he got into debt. So he carried us to Makkah. I went to the Masjid and Amr ibn Dinar was there! He narrated to me eight Hadith. Then I held for him his donkey until he prayed and exited. Then I related back to him those Hadith (precisely) and he (exclaimed and) said, 'May Allah place blessings (barakah) in you!"

قَالَ أَبُو حَاتِمٍ الرَّازِيُّ: سُفْيَانُ بنُ عُيَيْنَةَ: إِمَامٌ، ثِقَةٌ، كَانَ أَعْلَمَ بِحَدِيْثِ عَمْرِو بنِ دِيْنَارٍ مِنْ شُعْبَةَ.

Abu Hatim ar-Razi said: "Sufyan ibn Uyaynah was an Imam (Leader/role-model), trustworthy and reliable. He was more knowledgeable than Shubah about the Hadith of Amr ibn Dinar

وَقَدْ كَانَ سُفْيَانُ مَشْهُوْرًا بِالتَّدْلِيسِ، عَمَدَ إِلَى أَحَادِيْثَ رُفِعَتْ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَدِيْثِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، فَيَحذِفُ اسْمَ مَنْ حَدَّثَهُ وَيُدَلِّسُهَا، إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لاَ يُدَلِّسُ إِلاَّ عَنْ ثِقَةٍ عِنْدَهُ (١)

Sufyan was well known to do Tadlees (in Hadith) - the Hadith that he got from Zuhriy he deleted the name of who related it and did tallis of it, except he did not do Tadlis except from whoever he deemed to be trustworthy and reliable.

َقالَ عُثْمَانُ بنُ زَائِدَةَ: قُلْتُ لِسُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ: مِمَّنْ نَسْمَعُ؟
قَالَ: عَلَيْكَ بِابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، وَزَائِدَةَ.

Uthman ibn Zaaidah said: I said to Sufyan Thawriy, "From whom should we hear (the Hadith)?" ath-Thawriyy replied, "You have to (hear from) Ibn Uyaynah and Zaaidah.

قَالَ نُعَيْمُ بنُ حَمَّادٍ: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَجْمَعَ لِمُتَفَرِّقٍ مِنْ سُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ.

Nuaim ibn Hammad said: I did not see anyone well at the dispersed (solving the apparently contradictory names in chains of hadith) than Sufyan ibn Uyaynah.

وَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بنُ نَصْرٍ الجَهْضَمِيُّ: حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ بنُ الحَجَّاجِ، قَالَ:
رَأَيْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ غُلاَمًا، مَعَهُ أَلوَاحٌ طَوِيْلَةٌ عِنْدَ عَمْرِو بنِ دِيْنَارٍ، وَفِي أُذُنِهِ قُرْطٌ، أَوْ قَالَ: شَنْفٌ .

Ali ibn Nasr al-Jahdamiyy said: Shubah ibn Hajjaj said: "I saw Ibn Uyaynah when he was a child, with him were long scrolls, he was at Amr ibn Dinar, …

وَقَالَ ابْنُ المَدِيْنِيِّ: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُوْلُ:
جَالَسْتُ عَبْدَ الكَرِيْمِ الجَزَرِيَّ سَنَتَيْنِ، وَكَانَ يَقُوْلُ لأَهْلِ بَلَدِهِ: انْظُرُوا إِلَى هَذَا الغُلاَمِ يَسْأَلُنِي وَأَنْتُم لاَ تَسْأَلُوْنِي.

Ibn-ul-Madeeniyy said: I heard Ibn Uyaynah say, "I sat with Abdul Karim al-Jazariyy for two years, and he used to say to people of his place, 'Look at this young boy, he asks me (to learn more hadith) and you do not ask me."

قَالَ يَحْيَى بنُ آدَمَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا يَخْتَبِرُ الحَدِيْثَ إِلاَّ وَيُخْطِئُ، إِلاَّ سُفْيَانَ بنَ عُيَيْنَةَ.

Sayings of Sufyan ibn Uyaynah

قَالَ مُجَاهِدُ بنُ مُوْسَى: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُوْلُ: مَا كَتَبتُ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ حَفِظتُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَكْتُبَهُ.

Mujahid ibn Musa said: I heard Ibn Uyaynah saying, 'I did not write anything except that I had memorised it before writing it.'

قَالَ ابْنُ المُبَارَكِ: سُئِلَ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، فَقَالَ: ذَاكَ أَحَدُ الأَحَدَيْنِ (١)، مَا أَغْرَبَهُ.

Abdullah ibn Mubarak said: 'I asked Sufyan Thawriy about Sufyan ibn Uyaynah so Thawriy told me (about Sufyan ibn Uyaynah), 'That is one of the two! What a rare amazing person!'

وَقَالَ ابْنُ المَدِيْنِيِّ: قَالَ لِي يَحْيَى القَطَّانُ:
مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ مُعَلِّمِيَّ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُ سُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، وَهُوَ إِمَامٌ مُنْذُ أَرْبَعِيْنَ سَنَةً.

Ali ibn al-Madini, the great Scholar, said, 'Yayha ibn al-Qattaan said, "None of my teachers remain except Sufyan ibn Uyaynah - He has been an Imam since forty years!"

وَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: سَمِعْتُ بِشْرَ بنَ المُفَضَّلِ يَقُوْلُ: مَا بَقِيَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ يُشْبِهُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ.
وَحَكَى حَرْمَلَةُ بنُ يَحْيَى: أَنَّ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ قَالَ لَهُ - وَأَرَاهُ خُبْزَ شَعِيْرٍ -: هَذَا طَعَامِي مُنْذُ سِتِّيْنَ سَنَةً.

Ali also said, 'I heard Bishr ibn Mufaddal say, "No one remains on the face of the earth similar (in greatness) to Ibn Uyaynah."

And Harmalah ibn Yahya related that Ibn Uyaynah said to him when he was shown a barley bread, Sufyan said, "This has been my food since sixty years!"

الحُمَيْدِيُّ: سَمِعَ سُفْيَانَ يَقُوْلُ:
لاَ تَدْخُلُ هَذِهِ المَحَابِرُ بَيْتَ رَجُلٍ، إِلاَّ أَشْقَى أَهْلَهُ وَوَلَدَهُ.

Humaidiy said that he heard Sufyan saying, "These ink pens do not enter the house of a man except that his family and children come in hardship (due to test form Allah for the high status of pursuing Islamic knowledge)."

وَقَالَ سُفْيَانُ مَرَّةً لِرَجُلٍ: مَا حِرْفَتُكَ؟
قَالَ: طَلَبُ الحَدِيْثِ.
قَالَ: بَشِّرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالإِفْلاَسِ.

Sufyan once asked a man, "What is your work profession?" The man replied, "Seeking (knowledge of) Hadith." Sufyan said to him, "Give good news to your family of bankruptcy!"

وَرَوَى: عَلِيُّ بنُ الجَعْدِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ: مَن زِيْدَ فِي عَقْلِهِ، نَقَصَ مِنْ رِزْقِهِ.

Ali ibn Ja'd related from Sufyan ibn Uyaynah that Sufyan said, "Whoever is increased in his intelligence (i.e. knowledge and understanding), his provisions (rizq) will reduce!"

وَنَقَلَ سُنَيْدُ بنُ دَاوُدَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ:
مَنْ كَانَتْ مَعْصِيَتُهُ فِي الشَّهْوَةِ، فَارْجُ لَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ مَعْصِيَتُهُ فِي الكِبْرِ، فَاخْشَ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنَّ آدَمَ عَصَى مُشْتَهِيًا، فَغُفِرَ لَهُ، وَإِبْلِيْسَ عَصَى مُتَكَبِّرًا، فَلُعِنَ.

Sunaid ibn Dawud related from Sufyan ibn Uyaynah that he said, "Whoever his sins were to do with (materialistic) desires, have hope for him. But whoever his sins were to do with arrogance, then fear for him because (Prophet) Adam sinned out of passions and desire and was forgiven."

وَمِنْ كَلاَم ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ،
قَالَ: الزُّهْدُ: الصَّبْرُ، وَارْتِقَابُ المَوْتِ.

Among the sayings of Ibn Uyaynah is that he said, "Zuhd (abstinence) is (to have) patient (sabr) and be watchful of death."

وَقَالَ: العِلْمُ إِذَا لَمْ يَنْفَعْكَ، ضَرَّكَ.

And he said: "If knowledge didn't help you, it'll harm you."

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ: الوَرَعُ طَلَبُ العِلْمِ الَّذِي بِهِ يُعْرَفُ الوَرَعُ.

Sufyan ibn Uyaynah also said: "Piety Fearing of Allah (Wara) is to seek the knowledge with which Pious Fearing of Allah (i.e. Wara) is discovered."

قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بنُ يُوْسُفَ الفِرْيَابِيُّ: كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، فَقَالَ لِي: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، مَا يُزَهِّدُنِي فِيْكَ إِلاَّ طَلَبُ الحَدِيْثِ.
قُلْتُ: فَأَنْتَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ، أَيَّ شَيْءٍ كُنْتَ تَعْمَلُ إِلاَّ طَلَبَ الحَدِيْثِ؟
فَقَالَ: كُنْتُ إِذْ ذَاكَ صَبِيًّا لاَ أَعقِلُ.

Muhammed ibn Yusuf al-Firyabiy said: I was walking with Sufyan ibn Uyaynah and he said to me, "O Muhammed! Nothing makes me meet you less except the pursuit of Hadith." So, I said: "O Abu Muhammed, were you doing anything other than seeking (of knowledge) of Hadith?" Sufyan answered, "That time I was a little toddler without understanding!"

قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيْمُ بنُ الأَشْعَثِ: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُوْلُ: مَنْ عَمِلَ بِمَا يَعْلَمُ، كُفِيَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ.

Ibrahim ibn Ash'ath said: I heard Ibn Uyaynah say, "Whoever implements the knowledge that he has, he will be sufficed of what he did not know."

وَعَنْ سُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ: مَنْ رَأَى أَنَّهُ خُيْرٌ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ، فَقَدِ اسْتَكْبَرَ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ إِبْلِيْسَ.

Sufyan ibn Uyaynah said: "Whoever believes he is better than anyone else, he has been arrogant!" and then he mentioned (the example) of Iblees (Shaytan).

وَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ بنُ أَبِي الحَوَارِيِّ: قُلْتُ لِسُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ: مَا الزُّهْدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا؟
قَالَ: إِذَا أُنْعِمَ عَلَيْهِ، فَشَكَرَ، وَإِذَا ابْتُلِيَ بِبَلِيَّةٍ، فَصَبَرَ، فَذَلِكَ الزُّهْدُ.

Ahmed ibn Abu Hawariyy said: I said to Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, "What is it to have Zuhd (i.e. pious abstenance) in the world?" Sufyan answered, "When a person is shown a favour, to be thankful; and when he is tried and tested, to have patience - that is Zuhd."

قَالَ عَلِيُّ بنُ المَدِيْنِيِّ: كَانَ سُفْيَانُ إِذَا سُئِلَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ، يَقُوْلُ: لاَ أُحْسِنُ.
فَنَقُوْل: مَنْ نَسْأَلُ؟
فَيَقُوْلُ: سَلِ العُلَمَاءَ، وَسَلِ اللهَ التَّوفِيْقَ.

Ali ibn Madini, the great Scholar, said: Sufyan when asked about a thing would say, "I am not good at that," so we would say to him, "Who should we ask?" And he would say, "Ask the Scholars, and ask Allah for success (in attaining its answer i.e. tawfiq)."

Aqidah of Ibn Uyaynah the Sunnah

وَكَانَ سُفْيَانُ صَاحِبَ سُنَّةٍ وَاتِّبَاعٍ.

Dhahabi wrote: Sufyan ibn Uyaynah was a person of Sunnah and following (ittibaa).

قَالَ الحَافِظُ بنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بنُ الفَضْلِ بنِ مُوْسَى، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بنُ مَنْصُوْرٍ الجَوَّازُ، قَالَ:
رَأَيْتُ سُفْيَانَ بنَ عُيَيْنَةَ سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ: مَا تَقُوْلُ فِي القُرْآنِ؟
قَالَ: كَلاَمُ اللهِ، مِنْهُ خَرَجَ، وَإِلَيْهِ يَعُوْدُ.

Hafidh Ibn Abu Hatim said: Muhammed ibn Fadl ibn Musa narrated to us: Muhammed ibn Mansoor al-Jawwaaz narrated to us: he said: I have seen a man ask Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, "What do you say about the Qur'an?" Sufyan replied, "It is the speech of Allah, from Him it emanated, and to Him it returns."

وَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ بنُ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ: حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بنُ نَصْرٍ، قَالَ:
سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ، وَجَعَلتُ أُلِحُّ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: دَعْنِي أَتَنَفَّسُ.
فَقُلْتُ: كَيْفَ حَدِيْثُ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ: (إِنَّ اللهَ يَحْمِلُ السَّمَاوَاتِ عَلَى إِصْبَعٍ) (١)؟
وَحَدِيْثُ: (إِنَّ قُلُوْبَ العِبَادِ بَيْنَ أُصْبُعَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابعِ الرَّحْمَنِ (١» .
وَحَدِيْثُ: (إِنَّ اللهَ يَعْجَبُ - أَوْ يَضْحَكُ - مِمَّنْ يَذْكُرُهُ فِي الأَسْوَاقِ (٢» .
فَقَالَ سُفْيَانُ: هِيَ كَمَا جَاءتْ، نُقِرُّ بِهَا، وَنُحَدِّثُ بِهَا بِلاَ كَيْفٍ (٣) .

Ahmed ibn Ibrahim ad-Dawraqiyy said: Ahmed ibn Nasr narrated to me and said: I asked Ibn Uyaynah, appealing to him, so he said, "Leave me to breathe!" So I said, "How about the Hadith of Abdullah from the Prophet (s.a.w), 'Indeed Allah will lift the heavens (i.e. skies) in a finger'? And the Hadith, 'Verily, the hearts of the slaves are between two of the fingers of the Most Compassionate'? And the Hadith 'Verily, Allah is amazed - or laughs - (pleased) for those who remember/mention Him in the market places'?" So, Sufyan replied, "The way it came, we affirm it and narrate it without (wondering about) the HOW."

قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيْمُ بنُ سَعِيْدٍ الجَوْهَرِيُّ: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُوْلُ: الإِيْمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، يَزِيْدُ وَيَنْقُصُ.
الطَّبَرَانِيُّ: حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بنُ مُوْسَى، حَدَّثَنَا الحُمَيْدِيُّ، قِيْلَ لِسُفْيَانَ بنِ عُيَيْنَةَ:
إِنَّ بِشْرًا المَرِيْسِيَّ يَقُوْلُ: إِنَّ اللهَ لاَ يُرَى يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ.
فَقَالَ: قَاتَلَ اللهُ الدُّوَيْبَّةَ، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿كَلاَّ إِنَّهُم عَنْ رَبِّهِم يَوْمَئِذٍ لَمَحْجُوبُوْنَ﴾ [المُطَفِّفِيْنَ: ١٥]، فَإِذَا احْتَجَبَ عَنِ الأَوْلِيَاءِ وَالأَعْدَاءِ، فَأَيُّ فَضْلٍ لِلأَوْلِيَاءِ عَلَى الأَعْدَاءِ.

Ibrahim ibn Sa'ad al-Jawhariy said: I heard Ibn Uyaynah say, "Iman is the verbal saying and actions, it increases and decreases."

Tabarani related: Bishr ibn Musa related: al-Humaidiyy related: It was said to Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, "Bishr al-Murisiyy says that Allah is not going to be seen on the Day of Resurrection." So, Sufyan ibn Uyaynah said refuting that, "May Allah fight the little creature - do you not hear the saying of Allah (in the verse of the Qur'an), 'Nay, indeed they will be on that day blocked from their Lord' {Surah Mutaffifun v15} - so if Allah conceals from the Awliya (pious) and the enemies, then what is better that remains for the Awilya (pious) than the enemies?!"

وَقَالَ أَبُو العَبَّاسِ السَّرَّاجُ فِي (تَارِيْخِهِ): حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّاسُ بنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بنُ عَفَّانَ، سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ فِي السَّنَةِ الَّتِي أَخَذُوا فِيْهَا بِشْرًا المَرِيْسِيَّ بِمِنَىً، فَقَامَ سُفْيَانُ فِي المَجْلِسِ مُغْضَبًا، فَقَالَ: لَقَدْ تَكَلَّمُوا فِي القَدَرِ وَالاعْتِزَالِ، وَأُمِرْنَا بِاجْتِنَابِ القَوْمِ، رَأَيْنَا عُلَمَاءنَا، هَذَا عَمْرُو بنُ دِيْنَارٍ، وَهَذَا مُحَمَّدُ بنُ المُنْكَدِرِ - حَتَّى ذَكَرَ أَيُّوْبَ بنَ مُوْسَى وَالأَعْمَشَ وَمِسْعَرًا - مَا يَعْرِفُوْنَهُ إِلاَّ كَلاَمَ اللهِ، وَلاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَ كَلاَمَ اللهِ، فَمَنْ قَالَ غَيْرَ ذَا، فَعَلَيْهِ لَعْنَةُ اللهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ، فَمَا أَشْبَهَ هَذَا بِكَلاَمِ النَّصَارَى، فَلاَ تُجَالِسُوهُم.

Abul-Abbas Sarraaj wrote in his book of Tarikh (History & Bios): Abbas ibn Abu Talib related: Abu Bakr Abdurahman ibn Affan related: I heard Ibn Uyaynah during the year that Bishr al-Murisiyy was taken from Mina. Sufyan stood up from the gathering angrily and said, "They have spoken against Qadr and about (heretical belief of) I'itizal, and we have been commanded to abandon those people. We saw our Scholars - this Amr ibn Dinar, this Muhammed ibn al-Munkadir - (he listed great scholar teachers) until he mentioned Ayyub ibn Musa and al-A'amash and Mis'ar - they all know nothing other than that it is the Speech of Allah. And we do not know (the Qur'an to be) anything other than the Speech of Allah. So, whoever says other than that, may the curse of Allah be on him - he said it twice. How similar is this talk of those than that of the Christians! So, do not sit with them."

وَرَوَى: عَلِيُّ بنُ حَرْبٍ: سَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ بنَ عُيَيْنَةَ فِي قَوْلِهِ: ﴿وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِيْنَ﴾ [النِّسَاءُ: ٦٩]، قَالَ:
الصَّالِحُوْنَ: هُم أَصْحَابُ الحَدِيْثِ.

Ali ibn Harb related: I heard Sufyan ibn Uyaynah say about the verse, "And the Martyrs and the righteous", Sufyan said, "The righteous (saalihun) they are the people of Hadith."

وَرَوَى: أَحْمَدُ بنُ زَيْدِ بنِ هَارُوْنَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيْمُ بنُ المُنْذِرِ، سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُوْلُ:
أَنَا أَحقُّ بِالبُكَاءِ مِنَ الحُطَيْئَةِ، هُوَ يَبْكِي عَلَى الشِّعْرِ، وَأَنَا أَبْكِي عَلَى الحَدِيْثِ.

Ahmed ibn Zayd ibn Harun related: Ibraheem ibn al-Mundhir narrated: I heard Ibn Uyaynah say, "I am more rightful to cry than al-Hutabiyyah (because) he cries for poetry whereas I cry for Hadith (i.e. cry to preserve the hadith from abuse and attacks)."