I looked, and suddenly there were marshes, hills, and thickets of halaf ¹, reeds, and jungle, with predators and scents more foul than I had ever smelled. I was filled with terror and fear, and I could not move my tongue in my mouth. Then he shut the door and said: "O servant, feed us from what you have." The table was set, and I ate with him while trembling in terror. When the table was removed, I sought his permission to depart; he permitted me, and I left. This was my last time leaving that sorcerer, and I shall not return to him. I used to hear of sorcery and not believe in it until I saw it.

(470) Abu Nasr Muhammad narrated to me, saying: The reliable sheikh Abu al-Husayn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jali narrated to me from his father and his sheikh Abu Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn Hamdan al-Khasibi—may God sanctify their souls—who said: Abu al-Husayn Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Farsi, Ali ibn Hassan, and Abu al-Hasan (the nephew of Hajiz) all said: When envy, disagreement, and claims appeared against Abu Shu’ayb Muhammad ibn Nusayr—peace be upon him—our hearts were troubled and our souls looked toward the knowledge of what he possessed regarding that. We gathered from the Mujahideen in Samarra—thirty-two men—and entered upon Abu Shu’ayb—peace be upon him—to ask him about the envy of the doubters and the claimants against him. When we were settled in the assembly before him, he said to us: "Rise, for tomorrow the water shall decrease by four parties (ahzab)." We said after leaving him: "We came to ask him about the doubters and claimants, and he informs us that the water will decrease by four parties?" Had he not ordered us to rise, and since it was not permissible to disobey him, we would have asked him about that.