—a blind turtle-dove (1) had fallen from its nest. The earth split open and two little saucers came forth, one of gold and one of silver; the first was filled with sesame seeds and the second with water. The bird ate and drank, and I said, “That suffices me.” So I repented (2) and remained at His door until He accepted me.

Al-Sulamī (3) records in Miḥan al-Ṣūfiyyah: “Dhū al-Nūn was the first in his homeland to speak about the ordering of spiritual states and the stations of the saints. ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakam objected to him, the scholars of Egypt shunned him, and it spread among the people that he had introduced a science unknown to the early generations. They avoided him to the point that they accused him of heresy.”

His brother said to him, “They are saying you are a heretic.” He replied with these lines:
I have no resource but to bow my head and keep silent—
To place my palm beneath my cheek and remember.

Muḥammad ibn al-Farkhī said: “I was with Dhū al-Nūn in a boat when another boat passed by. Someone said to Dhū al-Nūn, ‘These men are on their way to the governor to testify that you are an unbeliever.’ He supplicated, ‘O Allah, if they are lying, then drown them.’ The boat capsized and they drowned. I asked him, ‘What of the boatman?’ He answered, ‘Why did he carry them when he knew their intent? To stand before Allah drowned is better for them than to stand as false witnesses.’

“Then he trembled, turned pale, and said, ‘By Your might, I shall never again pray against anyone.’

“Later the governor of Egypt summoned him and questioned him about his creed. Dhū al-Nūn spoke, and the governor was satisfied. Al-Mutawakkil then requested his presence; when the caliph heard his words, he was enchanted and loved him. Whenever the righteous were mentioned in his presence, he would say, ‘Greetings a thousand times to Dhū al-Nūn.’”