Some said to others: "He only said this as the answer to our question." We went to the bank of the Tigris to watch for the decrease of the water that day, the second, and the third, but it did not decrease. We all came back to him and said: "O our lord, you informed us that the water would decrease by four parties on the second day after we were with you; we watched it for three days and it neither decreased nor increased."

He said to us: "Woe to you! I only told you the water would decrease by four parties—meaning four men among those through whom is the life of the believers." Our hearts were struck with fear and we said: "To God we belong and to Him we return." We stood on our feet and said: "O our lord, for God's sake, relieve us and make us know who these folk are?" He said: "They are covered," or he said: "They are alluded to, just as the Messenger of God covered those whom God addressed through him." The Mighty and Sublime said: {Then is he to whom the evil of his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good [like one rightly guided]? For indeed, God sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not let your soul go out in grief over them. Indeed, God is Knowing of what they do}¹.

And His word: {Then perhaps you would kill yourself through grief over them, [O Muhammad], if they do not believe in this message, out of sorrow}². We asked him: "May God make us your ransom, who are the folk?"

He replied: "Those gathered in their room before your arrival to me and my informing you that the water would decrease by four parties; they are: Abu Abbad Muhammad ibn Abbad al-Basri, Ishaq ibn Muhammad al-Nakha’i, al-Hasan ibn al-Mundhir al-Qaysi, and Habib al-Attar." We said: "To God we belong and to Him we return; we have expected this for them since our Master al-Hasan—exalted be his glory—said to them: 'I have taken back my word from you.'"