64 – Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn narrated to me; he said: Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd narrated to me; Sharik narrated to us, from ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿUmayr, who said:

Al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd al-Malik wrote to ʿUthmān ibn Ḥibbān al-Murri: “Seek out al-Ḥasan ibn al-Ḥasan, flog him one hundred lashes, parade him before the people for a full day, and I see no outcome but that I shall execute him.” So ʿUthmān summoned him, and he was brought in with his accusers standing before him.

ʿAli ibn Ḥusayn then came forward and said, “My brother, speak the words of relief and Allah will grant you relief: ‘There is no god but Allah, the Forbearing, the Generous. Glory be to Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Mighty Throne⦗67⦘. Praise be to Allah, Lord of all creation.’”

He uttered them, whereupon a gap opened among the claimants and ʿUthmān caught sight of him. He said, “I behold the face of a man upon whom a false accusation has been fastened. Release him. I shall write to the Commander of the Believers explaining his innocence, for the on-looker perceives what the absentee cannot.”