them all the history (akhbar) and Traditions they knew.10 He also met 'A'ishah, the favourite wife of the Prophet and asked her about the private life of the Prophet,11 and discussed with her the political problems of the Muslim community in which she played a major part.12 Apart from Abdullah b. 'Umar, 'Aisha, Abdullah b. Mas'ud, and Anas b. Malik, his principal teacher was 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas,13 the most learned man among the younger Companions and known as Habr al-'Ummah (the learned man of the Muslim community and as al-Bahr (the sea) because of his vast knowledge both of the Qur'an, its interpretation, and of the Sunnah. Jabir was a close friend of Ibn 'Abbas and his favourite pupil.14

Jabir learned the Traditions of the Prophet from all the Companions he met in Basrah, Medina, and Mecca. He took advantage of the Hajj to meet the Companions who came to Mecca at that time for the Hajj from other parts of the Muslim countries. It is reported that Jabir traveled between Basrah and Mecca no less than forty times on the Hajj.15 His avidity for acquiring the Traditions of the Prophet made him go to any lengths to collect them. He traveled especially to Medina and went to the Banu 'Amr b. Hazm al-'Ansari and asked them to show him the letter which the Prophet sent with their father 'Amr b. Hazm to the people of Yemen concerning zakat, which they did.16 Jabir acquired a wide knowledge of the Qur'an, Traditions, and Futya. His teacher Ibn 'Abbas was completely satisfied with him. It is reported that Ibn 'Abbas said, "If the people of Basrah turned to the knowledge ('ilm) of Abu al-Sha'tha', he would enrich them with the knowledge of the Book of God."17 He also described Jabir as one of the learned men, and believed that Jabir had attained such a high standard of knowledge that no-one, even Ibn 'Abbas himself, need be resorted to in order to formulate legal decisions if Jabir had already expressed his opinion. When al-Rabi, a man from Basrah, asked Ibn 'Abbas for his legal decision concerning certain problems, Ibn 'Abbas said, "How can you ask us when you have Jabir b. Zaid among you?"18 Other Companions, viz., 'Abdullah b 'Umar, Jabir b. 'Abdullah al-'Ansari, hold the same opinion of Jabir as Ibn 'Abbas; al-Bukhari reported from Jabir b. Zaid that he said, Ibn 'Umar came across me while I was performing the tawaf (circumambulation of Ka'bah) and said to me, 'Jabir, you are one of the learned men of Basrah, people will come to you asking for fatwas, so do not give any legal decision unless it is clearly stated in the Qur'an or a genuine Sunnah, otherwise you will go astray and lead the people astray."19 It is also reported that Zaid b. Jubair consulted the Companion Jabir b. 'Abdullah al-'Ansari about a certain case. After he had given his opinion, he said, "Why do you ask me when Abu Al-Sha'tha is among you?"20 So then Jabir was one of the outstanding learned men of Basrah - according to Muhammad b. Mahbub, Jabir had more knowledge ('ilm) than al-Hasan al-Basri.21 Jabir became the