who called himself the successor of his master Ahmad and rode with two banners. They called him ‘Abd Allāh the Liar, though I had not known this.

Some time earlier, one of their shaykhs had come to me with a pleasant appearance and engaged in their customary begging. I gave him what he requested and did not realize he was lying until he had left me. It troubled me that his deception had escaped my notice until he was gone. Hardly anyone’s deception escapes me; rather, I recognize it from the outset. This continued to trouble me, and I did not see him again until I debated him. He then told me that he was the man who had met me previously. I marvelled at Allah’s gracious providence: He exposed him before the greatest possible gathering, after he had concealed his deception in our private encounter.

When they had assembled, one of their shaykhs, called Hātim, spoke, essentially asking for reconciliation and pardon for the past, declaring repentance, and saying, “We will comply with what has been requested: abandoning these shackles and other innovations, and following the Sharia.”

I said, “As for repentance, it is accepted. Allah Most High says:

‘The Forgiver of sin, the Accepter of repentance, severe in punishment.’

“The one stands alongside the other. And He Most High says:

‘Inform My servants that I am indeed the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful,’

‘and that My punishment is indeed the painful punishment.’”

Their shaykh who had lodged the complaint then began defending their wearing of collars. He mentioned that Wahb ibn Munabbih had related that there was a worshipper among the Children of Israel who placed a collar around his neck—one of the unsubstantiated tales about the Children of Israel.