Quick Answer:
Detailed Answer:
By looking at the words of the contemporaries of Imam Sajjād (‘a), we find that he was praised and commended by them. Let us review some of the following examples:
1- ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās: In spite of his great rank and old age, he would honor and praise Imam Sajjād (‘a). Whenever the Imam (‘a) would visit him, he would stand up out of respect and would loudly say: Welcome to the beloved of the beloved.[1]
2- Zuhrī: Muḥammad ibn Muslim Qarshī Zuhrī was one of the well known scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah. He has said the following things about the Imam (‘a): ‘I have not seen anyone like ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn amongst the Banī Hāshim’.[2] ‘I have not seen anyone better than him in Medina’.[3] And: ‘I have not seen any man superior to ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn from amongst the Ahl al-Bayt’.[4] ‘‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn is the best man from the people of his time.’[5] ‘I have not found anyone more knowledgeable than he.’[6]
3- Sa‘īd ibn Musayyib: He was from the well known jurisprudents of Medina and he has praised Imam Sajjād (‘a) in various ways. For example, he has said: ‘I have not seen any better than ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn.’[7] and ‘I have not seen anyone more pious than he.’[8]
4- Zayd ibn Aslam: Zayd ibn Aslam was from the well known jurisprudents and commentators of Medina. He has described Imam Sajjād (‘a) in the following words: ‘I have not sat down with anyone like him from amongst the Muslims’.[9] ‘I have not seen anyone like ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn in matters of memorization or understanding.’[10]
5- Ḥammād ibn Zayd: He was one of the most well known jurisprudents of Basrah and he said the following about Imam Sajjād (‘a): ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn was the best Hāshimī that I ever saw.[11]
6- Yaḥyā ibn Sa‘īd: He was one of the most well known Tābi‘īn, jurisprudents, and scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah. He said the following about Imam Sajjād (‘a): I received traditions from ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn (‘a) and he was the best of the Hāshimīs that I met.[12]
7- Mālik ibn Anas: He has narrated: ‘From amongst the Ahl al-Bayt, there was no one else like ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn (‘a)’.[13]
8- Abū Bakr ibn Barqī: ‘‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn was the best man of his time’[14]
9- Abū Zurārah: ‘I saw no one more knowledgeable in jurisprudence than ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn (‘a)’.[15]
10- Ṭāwūs Yamānī: He has said: ‘I went to the Ḥijr Ismā‘īl one night when I suddenly saw ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn arrive as well. He began to pray and he would sometimes perform lengthy prostrations. I heard him supplicating and he said: Your worthless servant is at your threshold, your poverty stricken is at your threshold, the one who asks you is at your threshold, the indigent one is at your threshold. ’ Ṭāwūs then says: ‘I swear by God that whenever I recited this supplication during a time of difficulty, God would remove the difficulty for me.’[16]
11- Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr: He said to Imam Sajjād (‘a): ‘You are the master of the people and the best of them’.[17]
12- Abū Ḥāzim: He has said: ‘I did not see any Hāshimī better than ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn’.[18]
13- Muḥammad ibn Idrīs Shāfi‘ī: He has said: ‘He was the best jurisprudent amongst the people of Medina.’[19] [20]
1- ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās: In spite of his great rank and old age, he would honor and praise Imam Sajjād (‘a). Whenever the Imam (‘a) would visit him, he would stand up out of respect and would loudly say: Welcome to the beloved of the beloved.[1]
2- Zuhrī: Muḥammad ibn Muslim Qarshī Zuhrī was one of the well known scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah. He has said the following things about the Imam (‘a): ‘I have not seen anyone like ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn amongst the Banī Hāshim’.[2] ‘I have not seen anyone better than him in Medina’.[3] And: ‘I have not seen any man superior to ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn from amongst the Ahl al-Bayt’.[4] ‘‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn is the best man from the people of his time.’[5] ‘I have not found anyone more knowledgeable than he.’[6]
3- Sa‘īd ibn Musayyib: He was from the well known jurisprudents of Medina and he has praised Imam Sajjād (‘a) in various ways. For example, he has said: ‘I have not seen any better than ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn.’[7] and ‘I have not seen anyone more pious than he.’[8]
4- Zayd ibn Aslam: Zayd ibn Aslam was from the well known jurisprudents and commentators of Medina. He has described Imam Sajjād (‘a) in the following words: ‘I have not sat down with anyone like him from amongst the Muslims’.[9] ‘I have not seen anyone like ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn in matters of memorization or understanding.’[10]
5- Ḥammād ibn Zayd: He was one of the most well known jurisprudents of Basrah and he said the following about Imam Sajjād (‘a): ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn was the best Hāshimī that I ever saw.[11]
6- Yaḥyā ibn Sa‘īd: He was one of the most well known Tābi‘īn, jurisprudents, and scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah. He said the following about Imam Sajjād (‘a): I received traditions from ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn (‘a) and he was the best of the Hāshimīs that I met.[12]
7- Mālik ibn Anas: He has narrated: ‘From amongst the Ahl al-Bayt, there was no one else like ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn (‘a)’.[13]
8- Abū Bakr ibn Barqī: ‘‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn was the best man of his time’[14]
9- Abū Zurārah: ‘I saw no one more knowledgeable in jurisprudence than ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn (‘a)’.[15]
10- Ṭāwūs Yamānī: He has said: ‘I went to the Ḥijr Ismā‘īl one night when I suddenly saw ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn arrive as well. He began to pray and he would sometimes perform lengthy prostrations. I heard him supplicating and he said: Your worthless servant is at your threshold, your poverty stricken is at your threshold, the one who asks you is at your threshold, the indigent one is at your threshold. ’ Ṭāwūs then says: ‘I swear by God that whenever I recited this supplication during a time of difficulty, God would remove the difficulty for me.’[16]
11- Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr: He said to Imam Sajjād (‘a): ‘You are the master of the people and the best of them’.[17]
12- Abū Ḥāzim: He has said: ‘I did not see any Hāshimī better than ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn’.[18]
13- Muḥammad ibn Idrīs Shāfi‘ī: He has said: ‘He was the best jurisprudent amongst the people of Medina.’[19] [20]
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