1375 — Ali ibn al-Rabiʿ al-Muqriʾ—may Allah have mercy on him—related: Ibn Mujahid narrated to us. He said: Ahmad ibn Musa narrated to us. Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Rumi said to me: Ahmad ibn Musa informed us:

Amr ibn Ubayd passed by Abu Amr ibn al-Alaʾ and asked him, “How do you recite wa-in yastaʿtibū—‘and if they seek to make amends’—[Fussilat 41:24]?”

Abu Amr replied, “Wa-in yastaʿtibū, with the yāʾ bearing a fatḥah (a-vowel), and fa-mā hum mina al-muʿtabīn—‘yet they will not be among those restored to favor’—with the tāʾ bearing a fatḥah.”

Amr said to him, “But I recite it as wa-in yustaʿtabū—‘and if they are asked to make amends’—with the yāʾ bearing a dammah (u-vowel), and fa-mā hum mina al-muʿtibīn—‘yet they will not be among those who make amends’—with the tāʾ bearing a kasrah (i-vowel).”

Abu Amr said, “It is for this reason that I detest the Muʿtazilah: they speak according to their own opinion.”

1376 — It is related that a Bedouin came to Amr ibn Ubayd and said to him, “My she-camel has been stolen, so supplicate to Allah to return her to me.”

He said, “O Allah, the she-camel of this poor man has been stolen, although You did not will for her to be stolen. O Allah, return her to him.” ⦗817⦘

The Bedouin said, “Shaykh, now my she-camel is gone, and I have lost all hope of her.”

He asked, “How so?”

The Bedouin replied, “Because if He willed that she should not be stolen, yet she was stolen, then I cannot be confident that He may will her return, yet she does not return.” Then he rose and left him.