the Holy House (Bayt al-Maqdis). There he saw a cripple and set him on his feet; I loaded the cripple’s belongings onto his seat so that he could hurry back to his family. My companion then slipped away from me; I followed his trail but could not catch him. Some people of the tribe of Kalb seized me and sold me. A woman from among the Anṣār bought me and put me to work in her orchard. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived, Abū Bakr purchased me and set me free.

This narration is akin to the report of Muslimah al-Māzinī, for both chains go back to Simāk. Yet here it is narrated “from Zayd ibn Ṣūḥān,” which renders the chain broken, since Simāk never met Zayd ibn Ṣūḥān. Moreover, ʿAlī ibn ʿĀṣim is weak and often errs. Allah knows best.

ʿAmr al-ʿAnqazī related: Isrāʾīl narrated to us, from Abū Isḥāq, from Abū Qirrah al-Kindī, from Salmān, who said:

“My father was one of the ʾAsāwirah, and he placed me in the care of the school. I used to go back and forth accompanied by two servant-boys. Whenever they returned, they would enter upon a monk or a priest, so I entered with them. He said to them, ‘Did I not forbid you to admit anyone to me?’ I kept visiting until I became dearer to him than the two of them.

“He then said to me, ‘O Salmān, I wish to leave this land.’ I replied, ‘And I will go with you.’ He came to a village and settled there, and a woman would visit him. When his final hour drew near he said, ‘Dig beside my head.’ I dug and brought out a jar filled with silver dirhams. He said, ‘Place it on my chest,’ and he began striking his hand on his chest, saying, ‘Woe to the qannāʾīn (hoarders)!’ Then he died.

“The priests and monks gathered together, and I considered taking the money, but Allah protected me. I informed the monks, and some young men of the village sprang up, saying, ‘This is our father’s wealth; his slave-girl used to visit him.’ I said to the monks, ‘Direct me to a scholar with whom I may stay.’

“They said, ‘We know of no one more knowledgeable than a monk in Ḥimṣ.’ So I went to him and he asked, ‘Nothing has brought you here but the pursuit of knowledge?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Indeed, I know of no one on earth more learned than a man who will come to Bayt—”