Imam Malik bin Anas, may Allah have mercy on him (179 AH), said about Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him:
[ما ظنكم برجل، لو قال هٰذه السارية من ذهب، لقام دونها، حتٰى يجعلها من ذهب، وهي من خشب أو حجارة؟]
What do you think about a person who, if he says that this pillar is made of gold, insists on it until he proves it to be gold, even though it is made of wood or stone?
Reference: Manaqib al-Shafi'i wa Adabuhu by Ibn Abi Hatim: p. 162, and its chain of narration is authentic
Imam Abdul Rahman bin Abi Hatim, may Allah have mercy on him (327 AH), explains the meaning of this statement:
[يعني أنه كان يثبت علی الخطأ ويحتج دونه، ولا يرجع إلی الصواب، إذا بان له].
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, meant that Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, would stand firm on his mistake and present arguments in its favor, and even after the truth became clear, he would not turn back from it.
Reference: (Manaqib al-Shafi'i wa Adabuhu: p. 162)
