645 — Abū Muhammad Yahyā ibn Muhammad ibn Sāʿid narrated to us, saying: Yūsuf ibn Mūsā al-Qattān narrated to us, saying: Jarīr narrated to us, from Mansūr ibn al-Mutamir, from Abū Ishāq, from Ali ibn Rabīa al-Asadī, who said: I saw Ali—may Allah honor his countenance—when a mount was brought to him. He placed his foot in the stirrup and said, “In the name of Allah.” Once seated upon it, he said, “All praise is due to Allah.” He then said:

“Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us, for we could never have subdued it, and surely to our Lord we shall return” [al-Zukhruf: 14].

He then praised Allah three times and proclaimed His greatness three times. Thereafter he said, “There is no deity except You. Glory be to You! I have indeed ⦗1063⦘ wronged myself, so forgive me my sins, for none forgives except You.” He then laughed.

I asked, “What made you laugh?” He replied: “One day, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said exactly what I have said, and then laughed. I asked, ‘What made you laugh, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied: ‘Our Lord—Glorious and Exalted is He—marvels at His servant’s saying: “Glory be to You! I have indeed wronged myself, so forgive me my sins, for none forgives sins except You.” He says: “My servant knows that he has a Lord who forgives sins.”’”