117 — Al-Firyābī also narrated to us, saying: Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mundhir al-Hizāmī narrated to me, saying: Man ibn Isā narrated to us, saying: Mālik ibn Anas once left the mosque while leaning on my hand. A man called Abū al-Juwayriyah, who was suspected of holding Murjiʾite views, caught up with him and said, “Abū Abdillāh, listen to something I wish to discuss with you. I will debate you ⦗438⦘ and explain my view to you.”

He asked, “And what if you prevail over me?”

He replied, “If I prevail over you, you will follow me.”

He asked, “Then what if another man comes, speaks to us, and prevails over us?”

He replied, “We will follow him.”

Mālik—may Allah have mercy on him—said, “O servant of Allah, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, sent Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him—with one religion, yet I see you moving from one religion to another.”

Umar ibn Abd al-Azīz said: “Whoever makes his religion a target for disputation will frequently shift from one position to another.”