بشر بن الوليد الكندي

Abu al-Walid Bishr ibn al-Walid al-Kindi, one of the leading figures of opinion. Ibn al-Nadim describes him as an elderly man of sound lineage and chastity, and says he was appointed judge by al-Ma'mun. He related the dictations of Abu Yusuf, which contain thirty-six books. ²

He was among those whom Ishaq ibn Ibrahim tested in the Mihna over the Qur'an. He refused to say anything about the Qur'an except that it is the speech of God. Al-Suyuti relates the answer of al-Ma'mun about his case: that he should be summoned, and if he repented his case would be publicised, but if he persisted in what al-Ma'mun called polytheism, unbelief and heresy by his denial of the createdness of the Qur'an, his neck should be struck. This is the judgement of al-Ma'mun as the source relates it, not the judgement of the museum. ³