: Abū Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Nasr ibn Abī al-Fath al-Saydalānī informed us by authorization to transmit: Abū Alī al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Haddād informed us: The hadith master Abū Nu‘aym Ahmad ibn Abd Allāh ibn Ahmad ibn Ishāq informed us: Abū Muhammad Abd Allāh ibn Ja‘far ibn Ahmad ibn Fāris informed us, saying: I heard Sufyān ibn Uyayna say:

Āsim narrated to us, from Zirr, who said:

“I came to Safwān ibn Assāl al-Murādī, and he asked me, ‘What brings you here?’

“I replied, ‘I have come to seek knowledge.’

“He said, ‘The angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge, pleased with what he seeks.’

“I said, ‘I have felt some misgiving in my heart—or my breast—about wiping over leather socks after defecating or urinating. Have you heard anything about this from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him?’

“He replied, ‘Yes. When we were on a journey—or travelling—he would instruct us not to remove our leather socks for three days and nights, except in a state of janābah (major ritual impurity), but not because of defecation, urination or sleep.’

“I asked, ‘Did you hear him speak of guidance?’

“He replied, ‘Yes. While we were travelling with him, a Bedouin called out to him in a loud voice, saying, “O Muhammad!” He answered him in a similar tone, “Here I am!” The man asked, “What do you say about a man who loves some people but has not joined them?”

“‘He replied, “A person will be with those he loves.”

“‘He then went on to tell us that in the west there is a gate which Allah, Mighty and Majestic, opens for repentance. Its breadth is a journey of forty years, and it will not be closed until the sun rises from that direction. This is what Allah says:

“On the Day some of your Lord’s signs come, no soul will benefit from its faith.”’” … the rest of the verse.

He was born in 599 AH and died in Safar, 671 AH.