Is the narration reported from Abu Hanifa, which states: "If a man were to worship this sandal, seeking nearness to Allah thereby, I would see no harm in that," sound? And did Sa'id say about that: "This is clear disbelief"?

The saying: "If a man were to worship this sandal, seeking nearness to Allah through it, I would see no harm in that," is falsely attributed to Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him. No sane person would utter such a statement, let alone one of the great Imams. The two narrations in which this saying appeared have been proven to be false due to their weakness, inconsistency, and contradiction with the foundational principles of his school of thought, which are based on the Quran and Sunnah (definition). The reason for the widespread dissemination of such fabrications is to disparage him for his rejection of many isolated narrations (khabar al-ahad) and his disagreement with some hadith (definition) scholars regarding the definition of faith, as well as the envy of some people towards him. However, a large number of Imams have praised him and borne witness to his virtues, such as Ibn Abd al-Barr, Ibn Taymiyyah, and others.

And Allah knows best.