in their proximity to him and in the varying degrees to which they could take from him—while he himself was free of the Qadari doctrine and of every innovation.

I say: We have already cited several independent chains showing that al-Hasan affirmed the divine decrees, apart from the single report narrated by Ayyub; it was most probably a slip, and he later retracted it—praise be to Allah.

As Ahmad al-Abbar records in his History: Muʾammil ibn Ihab narrated to us, Abd al-Razzaq, from Maʿmar, from Qatadah, from al-Hasan, who said:

“Good is by decree, but evil is not by decree.”

I say: Qatadah himself has been accused of espousing the Qadari view.

Ghundar reported, on the authority of Shuʿbah: “I saw al-Hasan wearing a black turban.”

Sallam ibn Miskin said: “I saw al-Hasan in a taylasan cloak that looked as though water were flowing over it, and a khamisa mantle that seemed to be finest brocade.”

Ibn ʿAwn said: “Al-Hasan used to relate ḥadiths according to the meaning (1).”

Ayub related: It was said to Ibn al-Ashʿath, “If you want people to be slain around you as they were around the Camel of ʿAʾishah, then bring out al-Hasan.” So he sent for him and coerced him.

Sulaym ibn Akhdar said: Ibn ʿAwn narrated to us that they said to Ibn al-Ashʿath, “Bring out al-Hasan.” Ibn ʿAwn added: “I then saw him between the two bridges with a black turban on his head. The people became distracted, so he threw himself into the river and thus escaped from them, though he nearly perished that day.”

Al-Qasim al-Huddani said: “I saw al-Hasan sitting at the foot of Ibn al-Ashʿath’s pulpit (2).”

Hisham reported from al-Hasan that he said:
“A man would seek knowledge, and before long it would be evident in his humility, his asceticism, his speech, and his gaze (3).”