Imam Muhammad
The Student of Imam Abu Hanifa

Imam Shafi’i said, “I have not seen anyone more eloquent than him (i.e. Muhammad bin Al-Hasan Shaybani). I used to think when I saw him reciting the Qur’an that it was as if the Qur’an had been revealed in his language.” He also said, “I have not seen anyone more itelligent than Muhammad ibn al-Hasan.”

It is narrated of him that a man asked him a question which he answered. The man said to him, "The fuqaha disagree with you." Ash-Shafi'i said to him, "Have you ever seen a faqih? By Allah! not unless you have seen Muhammad ibn al-Hasan!" A man stood up before al-Mazani and asked him about the people of Iraq saying, "What do you say about Abu Hanifah?" He answered, "Their chief." He asked, "Abu Yusuf?" He answered, "The one who most follows the hadith." He asked, "Muhammad ibn al-Hasan?" He answered, "The one who derives the most rulings." He asked, "Zufar?" He answered, "The one who is sharpest in analogical reasoning." It is narrated that ash-Shafi'i said, "I never reasoned in argument with anyone but that the colour of his face changed, except for Muhammad ibn al-Hasan.''

It is narrated that Ahmed ibn Hanbal said, "If in any matter there is agreement between three people, then one pays no attention to the verdict of anyone who disagrees with them." Someone asked him, "Who are they?" He answered, "Abu Hanifah, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan. Abu Hanifah is the one with the most insight with respect to analogical reasoning. Abu Yusuf is the one with the most insight with respect to the traditions. Muhammad is the one with the most insight with respect to Arabic."

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said in Lisan al-Mizan,
"He is Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Farqad ash-Shaybani, by wala'. He was born in Wasit and grew up in Kufa. He learnt fiqh from Abu Hanifah and hadith from ath-Thawri, Mis'ar, 'Umar ibn Dharr, Malik ibn Maghul, al-Awza'i, Malik ibn Anas, Rabi'ah ibn Salih and a whole group of people. Those who narrated from him were ash-Shafi'i, Abu Sulayman al-Juzajani, Hisham ar-Razi, 'Ali ibn Muslim at-Tusi and others. He was appointed qadi in the days of ar-Rashid. Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam said, 'I heard ash-Shafi'i saying, 'Muhammad said, "I stood at Malik's door for three years and I heard from him more than seven hundred hadith."' Ar-Rabi' said, 'I heard ash-Shafi'i saying, "I carried away from Muhammad a camel-load of books."' 'Abdullah ibn 'Ali al-Madini said that his father said about Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, 'An utterly truthful man.'"

Dhahabi said, “He (i.e. Muhammad bin Al-Hasan Shaybabi) narrated from Malik ibn Anas and others, and he was one of the great oceans of knowledge and fiqh, and he was strong [when he narrated] from Malik.”