from Sufyān al-Thawrī, from Tāriq ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, from al-Shaʿbī, who said:

“I witnessed something remarkable. We were in the courtyard of the Kaaba: I, ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr, Musʿab ibn al-Zubayr, and ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān. When they had finished their conversation, they said: ‘Let each of you rise, take hold of the Yemeni Corner, and ask Allah for what he needs, for he will be granted abundantly.’

“Then they said: ‘Rise, ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr, for you were the first child born in Islam after the Hijrah.’ He rose, took hold of the Yemeni Corner, and said: ‘O Allah, You are indeed great, and it is in You that hope is placed in every great matter. I ask You by the sanctity of Your Face, the sanctity of Your Throne, and the sanctity of Your Prophet not to let me die before You grant me rule over the Hijaz and I am saluted as caliph.’ Then he returned and sat down.

“Then Musʿab rose, took hold of the Yemeni Corner, and said: ‘O Allah, You are the Lord of all things, and to You all things return. I ask You by Your power over all things not to let me die before You grant me rule over Iraq and grant me marriage to Sukayna bint al-Husayn.’

“Then ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān rose, took hold of the Yemeni Corner, and said: ‘O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the earth that bears vegetation after being barren, I ask You by that with which Your servants who obey Your command have petitioned You. I ask You by Your right over Your creation and by the right of those who circle Your Throne’”—and so on.

I say: Ismāʿīl ibn Abān, who narrated this from Sufyān al-Thawrī, is a liar. Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: “I recorded hadith from him, but then he narrated fabricated hadith, so we abandoned him.”

Yahyā ibn Maʿīn said: “He fabricated a hadith about the seventh descendant of al-ʿAbbās wearing green”—meaning al-Maʾmūn.