Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī

Ḥammād's companions included Abū Bakr al-Nahshalī, Abū Burda al-ʿUtbī and Muḥammad ibn Jābir al-Ḥanafī—or, in another version, al-Juʿfī. When Ḥammād died, his son did not take his teaching seat because he was not a jurist. Abū Bakr al-Nahshalī did not take it because he was easily wearied, and Abū Burda did not take it. Abū Ḥanīfa therefore took the seat to teach jurisprudence, and Ḥammād's companions gathered around him.

Ibn Abī Laylā, Ibn Shubruma, Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allāh, Sufyān al-Thawrī and al-Aʿmash opposed him. He continued until his position became established, without becoming weary. His companions gathered around him: Abū Yūsuf, Zufar, Asad ibn ʿAmr, al-Qāsim ibn Maʿn, al-Walīd, al-Ḥasan ibn Ziyād, Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī, Yūsuf ibn Khālid al-Samtī, Zakariyyā ibn Abī Zāʾida, Nūḥ ibn Abī Maryam, ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak, al-Mughīra ibn Ḥamza and Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan. Forty men among Abū Ḥanīfa's companions composed books on jurisprudence, including the men just mentioned.

It is related that Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī divided an inheritance, correctly allocating a sister one dinar out of six hundred. She came to Abū Ḥanīfa and said: “My [brother] died leaving six hundred dinars. Dāwūd al-Ṭāʾī divided it and gave me one dinar.” She did not say “out of six hundred” [the text's wording repeats the total earlier]. Abū Ḥanīfa said, “That is correct.” She had not stated how many heirs there were. He considered the question and said: “Perhaps your brother left two daughters, a mother, a wife, twelve brothers shared by you and him, and you as a sister?” She answered, “Yes, that was the family.” He said: “Your share is one dinar. Two thirds go to the two daughters—four hundred; a sixth to the mother—one hundred; and an eighth to the wife—seventy-five. Twenty-five remain for the brothers and sister: the twelve brothers receive twenty-four, leaving one dinar for the sister.” Such was Abū Ḥanīfa's discernment.