people: one faction whose doctrine is qadar (divine decree); they seek to circulate it among the populace under al-Hasan’s name, and another faction that harbors rancor and hatred for al-Hasan. I challenged him more than once about qadar, even threatening him with the authorities, whereupon he said, “I shall not return to it after today.” I know of no one who can fault al-Hasan for anything except this, and—by Allah—I personally met al-Hasan and know what he used to say. (1)

The two Hammads reported from Yunus, who said: “Nothing caused people to belittle al-Hasan as much as the issue of qadar did.” (2)

Hammad ibn Zayd related that Ayyub and Humayd frightened al-Hasan with the authorities. He asked them, “Do you not see that?” They replied, “No.” He said, “Then I will not return to it.” (3)

Hammad also said: “I do not know anyone who can criticize al-Hasan for anything other than this.”

Abu Maʿshar narrated from Ibrahim that al-Hasan had spoken about qadar, and Mughira ibn Miqsam transmitted the same from him.

Sulayman al-Taymi said: “Al-Hasan withdrew his statement on qadar.”

Hammad ibn Salama, on the authority of Humayd, said: “I heard al-Hasan say, ‘Allah created Satan, and He created good, and He created evil.’”

A man exclaimed, “May Allah fight them! They are lying about this shaykh.”

Abu al-Ashhab said: “I heard al-Hasan, regarding Allah’s words, ‘And a barrier will be placed between them and what they desire’ (Saba 54), say: ‘A barrier will be placed between them and faith.’” (4)

And Hammad, on the authority of Humayd, said: “I recited the entire Qur’an to al-Hasan, and he interpreted it….”