al-Ḥakam ibn Hishām al-Thaqafī

Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Kufi related to us; he said: Ahmad ibn Zuhayr ibn Harb related to us; he said: Ibn Abi Shaykh related to us; he said: ʿAbd Allah ibn Salih ibn Muslim al-ʿIjli related to us; he said: A man in Syria said to al-Hakam ibn Hisham al-Thaqafi: Tell me about Abu Hanifa. He said: He was among the most trustworthy of people. Our ruler wanted him to take charge of the keys to his treasuries or have his back beaten, and he preferred their punishment to God's punishment. He said: I have not seen anyone describe Abu Hanifa as you have described him. He said: By God, he is as I told you.

al-Qasim ibn ʿAbbad related to us; he said: al-Jarud ibn Muʿadh [related to us]; he said: Ismaʿil ibn Hammad related to me; he said: I heard al-Hakam ibn Hisham say: I said to Abu Hanifa: Abu Hanifa! Is what you give us as a legal opinion the very truth itself? He said: I do not know; perhaps it is error itself.