When the woman returned to me and informed me of his answer, I said, “I do not need to dedicate myself to the knowledge of ‘Aqaa’id any longer and I should now dedicate myself to acquiring the knowledge of Fiqh.” I thus awoke, picked up my sandals and joined the gathering of Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah). I would listen to all the masaa’il that he would mention and I would commit them to memory. The following day, he would repeat the masaa’il and I would ensure that what I had understood and memorized was correct. Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) would correct the other students in their understanding and would approve of my understanding in Fiqh thereby saying to them, “None of you should sit at my side in the center of the gathering besides Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah).”

I remained in the gathering of Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) for ten years, until I felt myself fit to issue fatwa and lead the people. I thus desired to leave Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) and form my own gathering. Accordingly, when I departed from my home one night, I decided that I was not going to join the gathering of Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah), but would rather start my own gathering. However, when I entered the musjid and saw Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah), the desire to leave him subsided. Hence, I came to him and joined his gathering as normal.

That very night, Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) was informed that a certain relative of his had passed away in Basrah. This relative had left some wealth as inheritance, and Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) was his only heir. Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) thus instructed me to sit in his place in his absence and take charge of the gathering while he travelled to Basrah. However, after his departure, I was asked various masaa’il for which I had not heard the answers from Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah). I would thus answer the questions and record the answers that I had given.

Two months later, when Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) returned, I showed him all these questions which numbered approximately sixty. Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) approved my answer in forty questions and disapproved of my answer in twenty questions. I then realized that I was not yet capable enough in Fiqh, and I thus promised myself that I would remain with Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) and would not leave his side until he passed away. Accordingly, I remained with him until his demise.

In one narration, it is mentioned that Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) remained with Imaam Hammaad (rahimahullah) for eighteen years.

(Tabyeedh-us-Saheefah pg. 112-113)