Imâm `Abdur-Razzâq ibn Hammâm ...held a high rank in the science of Hadîth and was strong (thiqa) in its transmission. His rank can be gauged by realising that he was among the top students of Imâm Mâlik (ra) and was the teacher of the teacher of Imâm Bukhârî and Imâm Muslim. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was among his students… “Ahmad ibn Sâlih Misrî states, ‘I asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal, have you seen anyone better in Hadîth than `Abdur-Razzâq?’ He answered, ‘No.’” (`Asqalânî, Tahdhîbut-tahdhîb, 2/311) He then stated: “I love the Hadîths of `Abdur-Razzâq on the authority of Ma`mar more than all of the Hadîths of the people of Basra.” Hâfiz Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî concludes: “thiqa, hafiz, musannif, shahîr – strong, memoriser, writer/author and well-known.” (`Asqalânî, Tahdhîbut-tahdhîb, 1/505)
Cf. Shaykh Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, Tuhfat as-surûr fî Tafsîr Âyat an-Nûr (Lahore: Minhaj-ul-Qur’an Publishers, 1995, 3rd Edition), 47-49)