Abu Ja'far al-Tahawi: Imam, حافظ (memorizer of Hadith), authority
Abu Ja'far al-'Uqayli: Trustworthy narrator. Once, quoting Majah ibn al-Zubayr, he said: "The fasting are the upright."
Abu Hatim al-Razi: Trustworthy
Abu Hatim ibn Hibban al-Busti: One of the most righteous people of his time in terms of memorization, piety, devoutness, and virtue. He was the first in Iraq to investigate the affairs of Hadith narrators and avoid the weak and abandoned narrators, until he became a leading authority to be followed, then the people of Iraq followed his example after him.
Abu Dawud al-Sijistani: There is no one in the world with better Hadith than him.
Abu 'Abd Allah al-Hakim al-Naysaburi: Imam of Imams in the knowledge of Hadith
Ahmad ibn Hanbal: There was no one like him in his time in Hadith. And once: He was a nation by himself in this matter.
Ahmad ibn Salih al-Jili: Trustworthy, firm in Hadith, but he would make occasional mistakes in the names of men.
Ayyub ibn Abi Tamimah al-Sakhtiyani: The knight of Hadith, take from him.
Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani: Trustworthy, حافظ (memorizer of Hadith), pious, devout. He was the first in Iraq to investigate the narrators and defend the Sunnah.
Ibn Manjuwayh al-Asbahani: One of the most righteous people of his time in terms of memorization, piety, devoutness, and virtue
Al-Dhahabi: Amir al-Mu'minin (leader of the believers) in Hadith, a firm authority. He makes a few mistakes in names.
Hammad ibn Salamah al-Basri: If you want Hadith, then stick to Shu'bah. And once: If Shu'bah disagreed with me on something, I would leave it.
Sufyan al-Thawri: Amir al-Mu'minin (leader of the believers) in Hadith. He was the first in Iraq to investigate the narrators and defend the Sunnah.
Abd Allah ibn Idris al-Kufi: I have not placed anyone between you and the narrators like Shu'bah and Sufyan.
Ali ibn al-Madini: Shu'bah is more knowledgeable about what he hears and what he does not hear.
Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i: If it weren't for him, Hadith would not be known in Iraq.
Muhammad ibn Sa'd, the scribe of al-Waqidi: Trustworthy, reliable, firm, authority, possessor of Hadith.
Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Qattan: I have never seen anyone with better Hadith than him. And once: I do not mind if I write the Hadith from Sa'id or Hisham or Shu'bah, I do not repeat the Hadith of one of them to the other.
Yahya ibn Ma'in: Imam of the pious. And in a narration by Ibn Mahriz once: He considered him among the most trustworthy people in Qatadah. And once: Trustworthy, firm, but he makes mistakes in the names of men and mispronounces. And once it was said to him: Shu'bah narrated from Husayn ibn Abi Sufyan? He said: Yes. And he narrated from Sufyan ibn Husayn?
Yazid ibn Zurai' al-'Aysi: One of the most truthful people in Hadith