into prayer, whereupon he would remain wholly turned toward Allah, oblivious to everything else and unaware of the pain being inflicted upon him.

“He combined prayer and zakat, and gave charity(1) while bowing. Allah Most High then revealed concerning him(2) a passage of the Quran that is recited. He gave away his own food and his family’s food for three days, until Allah revealed concerning them(3): “Has there not come upon man…” (Surah al-Insān: 1). He gave charity by night and by day, secretly and openly(4). He spoke privately with the Messenger, having first given charity(5) before his private audience, so Allah revealed a passage of the Quran concerning him. He freed one thousand slaves from his own earnings. He would hire himself out and support the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the mountain pass. If he was the most devoted of all people to worship, then he was the most excellent, and therefore he must be the imam.”

The answer is that this should be said:

This discourse contains an assortment of lies apparent to all but those most ignorant of the circumstances of these men. Moreover, besides being false, it contains nothing(6) praiseworthy—as is generally true of lies.

His assertion, “He would fast by day and stand in prayer by night,” is a lie about him. The previously cited statement of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was:

“But I fast and break my fast; I pray and sleep; and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.”