months; never did Allah look into my heart and find that I sought deliverance.

I said, “Allah is the One who has confined me, and He will set me free; I have no need of any created being.”

I was then released and brought before him, a large, long turban wrapped around my head. He asked, “What is your ruling on prostrating upon the coil of the turban?”

I replied, “Khalad ibn Yahya narrated to us, from ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Muharrar, from Yazid ibn al-Asamm, from Abu Hurayra: that the Prophet ﷺ prostrated on the coil of his turban.”

Ibn Tahir said, “This chain of transmission is weak.” (1)

I answered, “I shall act on this report until a stronger one reaches me, and in fact I do have something stronger: Yazid narrated to us—Sharik narrated—from Husayn ibn ʿAbd Allah, from ʿIkrima, from Ibn ʿAbbas, who said, ‘The Prophet ﷺ would pray wearing a single garment, using its extra length to shield himself from the heat or cold of the ground.’ (2) This is proof that one may prostrate on the coil of the turban.”

He then said, “A letter has come from the Commander of the Faithful forbidding debate and disputation; instruct your companions not to engage in it again.”

I said, “Very well.”

I then left his presence—this had been decreed for me. (3)

Ahmad ibn Salamah said: I told him, “More than one person has informed me that the majority of the hadith scholars went to Yahya ibn Yahya and asked him to write to ʿAbd Allah ibn Tahir about securing your release.”

Yahya replied, “I do not correspond with the ruler, but if something is written in my name without any coercion on my part, so be it—until he is set free.”

Accordingly, a letter was written in his presence in his name, and when