"Al-Thawri was the Imaam of mankind"

Ad-Dhahabi writes in Siyar A'lam Al-Nubala:

وقال بشر الحافي : كان الثوري عندنا إمام الناس . وعنه قال : سفيان في زمانه كأبي بكر وعمر في زمانهما

ENGLISH:

Bishr Al-Haafi said: "In our opinion, Al-Thawri, was the Imaam of mankind." And he said: "Sufyaan in his era, was like Abi Bakr and Umar were in their times."

NEDERLANDS:

Bishr Al-Haafi zei: "Volgens ons was Al-Thawri de Imaam van de mensheid." En hij zei: "Sufyaan was in zijn tijd zoals Abi Bakr en Umar waren in hun tijd."

["Siyar A'lam Al-Nubala", 7/241].