196 – Hārūn ibn ʿAbd Allāh narrated to me; Muḥammad ibn Yazīd ibn Khunays narrated, on the authority of Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Madanī. Someone asked, “Is he Ibn Maymūn?” He said, “Yes”—indeed, that is what was said. Ibrāhīm reported:

It was said to al-Ḥasan: “Here is a man we have never seen sitting with anyone, nor have we ever seen anyone sitting with him; he is always alone behind a pillar.” Al-Ḥasan replied, “When you see him, let me know.”

One day they passed by the man while al-Ḥasan was with them. They pointed at him and said, “That is the man we told you about.” Al-Ḥasan said, “Go on ahead; I will go to him.”

When he reached him he said, “Servant of Allah, I see that solitude has become dear to you. What keeps you from mixing with people?” The man answered, “Something occupies me from the people.”

Al-Ḥasan said, “Then come to that man al-Ḥasan and sit with him.” He replied, “Something occupies me from al-Ḥasan as well as from people.”

Al-Ḥasan asked, “What is it that occupies you—may Allah have mercy on you—so that you keep away?” He said, “I begin every morning and end every evening between a sin and a blessing, so I have chosen to occupy myself away from people with seeking forgiveness for the sin and thanking Allah for the blessing.”

Al-Ḥasan said, “In my estimation, servant of Allah, you have more understanding than al-Ḥasan himself. Remain upon what you are doing.”