So Abd al-Rahman wept and said:
O Abu Ya‘qub, by Allah, had this speech reached my ears before I authored it, I would not have authored it! He trembled, the book fell from his hand, and he did not read from it during that gathering (1).
[His Academic Journeys:]
Ibn Abi Hatim said:
My father took me on a journey in the year 255 AH while I had not yet reached puberty. When we reached Dhu al-Hulayfah, I reached puberty, so my father was pleased that I had attained the pilgrimage of Islam (Hajj). I heard [Hadith] in that year from Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Muqri.
This was the first journey of the Imam Abd al-Rahman. In the year 260 AH, he went to Makkah al-Mukarramah, where he heard from Muhammad ibn Hammad al-Tahrani.
In the year 262 AH, he traveled to the coastal lands, the Levant (al-Sham), and Egypt.
In the year 264 AH, he traveled to Isfahan, and in this journey, he met Yunus ibn Habib (2).
His Students (3):
1- Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Hibban al-Busti, who died in the year 354 AH.
2- Abd Allah ibn ‘Adi al-Jurjani, who died in the year 365 AH.
3- Abu Muhammad Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Hibban (Abu al-Shaykh), who died in the year 369 AH.
4- The judge Yusuf ibn al-Qasim al-Mayanji, who died in the year 375 AH.
5- Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Naysaburi (al-Hakim al-Kabir), who died in the year 378 AH.
6- Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Mandah, who died in the year 395 AH.
[His Endurance of Hardships in Seeking Knowledge:]
Ibn Abi Hatim said:
(1) Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ 13/268. (2) Tadhkirat al-Huffaz 3/381; Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ 13/266. (3) Tadhkirat al-Huffaz 3/976; Akhbar Isbahan 2/90.
