Ibrahim bin Maisarah said: I have not seen anyone among the people, except Imam Tawus (may Allah have mercy on him), for whom the noble and the lowly were equal. (Ibrahim) bin Maisarah used to swear an oath to this.

Imam Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: We used to dislike writing down knowledge, but the ruler compelled us to do so, and now we dislike preventing anyone from writing down knowledge.

Abdullah bin Awn (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated that people asked Imam Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) about a man, requesting that he (specifically) teach him hadith. He replied: "Even if that man is an Abyssinian, he and (my son) Abdullah bin Muhammad are equal in this regard (i.e., in status and rank)."

Salat bin Rashid said: Salm bin Qutaybah asked Imam Tawus (may Allah have mercy on him) about an issue, to which he did not give an answer. It was said: This is Salm bin Qutaybah. He replied: This makes it even easier for me. That is, in matters of knowledge, all—great or small—are equal.