Misʿar ibn Kidām

It is related that the caliph summoned Abū Ḥanīfa, Sufyān al-Thawrī, Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Nakhaʿī and Misʿar ibn Kidām, intending to appoint them judges. They came, but Sufyān escaped on the way. Misʿar feigned madness. When he entered, he asked the caliph: “How are your animals? How are your servants?” The caliph's attendants called him mad and let him go. Abū Ḥanīfa said: “My father was a baker, and the people of Kufa will not accept a baker's son as judge.” The caliph let him go. Sharīk said: “I am mostly forgetful.” The caliph replied: “We shall give you frankincense: chewing it removes forgetfulness.” Sharīk said: “I have another fault: frivolity.” The caliph said: “I shall provide you daily with sugar pudding in almond oil to remove it.” Sharīk said: “I do not care whom I rule against, and do not distinguish close from distant people.” The caliph answered: “Rule against me and my children,” and appointed him. One day a female client of the caliph came with an opponent. She moved ahead of her opponent in court. The judge said: “Step back [the following word is unclear], for one party may not move ahead of another in court.” She said: “You are a foolish old man.” He replied: “I said so myself, but your patron would not accept it.” They dismissed him.

Misʿar ibn Kidām said: We sought learning alongside Abū Ḥanīfa, and he surpassed us. We sought asceticism alongside him, and he surpassed us. We sought theological disputation alongside him, and he surpassed us.

Misʿar ibn Kidām said: I was walking with Abū Ḥanīfa when he stepped on a boy’s foot without seeing or noticing him. The boy said: “Do you not fear retribution on the Day of Resurrection, old man?” Abū Ḥanīfa fainted. After a long while he recovered and said: “I fear that he was prompted [to say this].” This agrees with the account of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq: leaving for prayer, he stepped with his sandal on an ant and killed it. He lifted it, weeping over what he had done, and prayed until God revived it. He apologized to the ant seventy times, fearing retribution on the Day of Resurrection.