Safwan ibn Salih said: ʿAbd Allah ibn Kathir al-Dimashqi, the Qur’an reciter, related to us; ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Yazid ibn Jabir narrated to us; he said:

We were in the company of Rajaʾ ibn Haywah discussing gratitude for blessings, and he remarked, “No one is able to give Allah the thanks due for a single blessing.”

Behind us was a man with a cloak pulled over his head who asked, “Not even the Commander of the Believers?”

We said, “And what has the Commander of the Believers to do with this? He is only a man like others.”

A moment later we lost sight of him. Rajaʾ turned around, did not see him, and said, “That man in the cloak has laid a trap for you. If you are summoned and put under oath, then swear.”

No sooner had he spoken than an officer of the guard approached and said, “Hey, Rajaʾ! The Commander of the Believers is mentioned and you offer him no defense?!”

I said, “What is the matter, O Commander of the Believers?”

He replied, “You spoke about gratitude for blessings and said, ‘No one can render the thanks due for a blessing.’ You were asked, ‘Not even the Commander of the Believers?’ and you answered, ‘The Commander of the Believers is just a man among men.’”

I said, “That never happened.”

He asked, “By Allah?”

I answered, “By Allah.”

He thereupon ordered that informant to be seized, and he was flogged seventy lashes. I left while he was still spattered with his own blood, and he said, “This happens—and you are Rajaʾ ibn Haywah!”

I replied, “Seventy lashes on your back are better than the shedding of a believer’s blood.”

Ibn Jabir said: After that, whenever Rajaʾ ibn Haywah sat in a gathering he would look around and say, “Beware of the man with the cloak.” (1)

Maslamah ibn ʿAbd al-Malik, the commander of the expeditions, said, “Through Rajaʾ ibn Haywah and men like him we achieve victory.” (2)

Yahya ibn Maʿin said, “Rajaʾ ibn Haywah met Muʿawiyah and died at the beginning of Hisham’s reign.” (3)

Abu ʿUbayd and Khalifah ibn Khayyat said: “He died in the year 112 AH.” (4)