Hazrat Abu Bakr bin ‘Ayyaash (rahimahullah) reports the following:

When the brother of Hazrat Sufyaan Thowri (rahimahullah), Hazrat ‘Umar bin Sa‘eed (rahimahullah), passed away, we came to Hazrat Sufyaan (rahimahullah) to offer our condolences to him. When we arrived at his majlis, we found that there were many people present, including Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Idrees (rahimahullah).

While I was there, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) suddenly arrived with a group of people. As soon as Hazrat Sufyaan Thowri (rahimahullah) saw him, he moved from his place and stood. He then hugged Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) and made him sit in his own place, thereafter sitting in front of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) with the utmost humility.