Imaams Ahmad and Yahya ibn Ma’een – Catch a Fabricator [of Ahadith].

Ibn ul Jawzee narrated with his own chain of narrators until Ja’far ibn Muhammad at Tayalsee who said:

Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Ma’een prayed in Masjid ar Rasaafah, after the prayer, a story teller stood saying:

Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Ma’een narrated to me saying; Abdur Razzaaq ibn Ma’mar narrated to us on the authority of Qataadah that Anas said:

The Messenger of Allaah – صلى الله عليه وسلم – said: ‘Whoever says La Ilaha illAllah, Allah would create a bird with beak of gold and feathers of pearls from every word…’

He continued telling his story which consisted of about twenty pages.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal looked at Yahya ibn Ma’een and Yahya ibn Ma’een looked at Ahmad ibn Hanbal, he said; ‘Have you narrated this to him?!’

Ahmad ibn Hanbal responded: ‘By Allah, I have never heard of these narrations until now.’

When he finished his story and received his donations, he sat down waiting for the rest. Yahya ibn Ma’een signalled for him to approach.

He came thinking that he would receive some money, Yahya said to him: ‘Who narrated this Hadeeth to you?’

He [the storyteller] responded: ‘Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Ma’een.’

Yahya ibn Ma’een said: ‘I am Yahya ibn Ma’een and this is Ahmad ibn Hanbal and we have never heard of this at all in the Ahadeeth of the the Messenger of Allaah – صلى الله عليه وسلم .

The man said: ‘I have been hearing that Yahya ibn Ma’een is a fool, and I have not verified this until now. As if there are no other Ahmad ibn Hanbals and Yahya ibn Ma’eens except for the both of you. Indeed I have written Ahadeeth on the authority of seventeen Ahmad ibn Hanbals and Yahya ibn Ma’eens.’

Ahmad ibn Hanbal put his sleve over his face and said; ‘Let him go.’

So he got up and left like one belittling them.