(629) Lord Abu Abd Allah al-Khasibi — may God ennoble his station — said: Yahya ibn Ma’in al-Samiri narrated to me that he asked our Master — exalted be his glory — regarding this verse? He replied: "They are the First and the Second."

An assembly of debate that occurred between Lord Abu Shu’ayb and Ishaq al-Ahmar

(630) Lord Abu Abd Allah al-Khasibi — may God ennoble his station — related it from Muhammad ibn Ismail, who said: Abu Abbad al-Basri, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Shuray’i, al-Hasan ibn al-Mundhir, Habib al-Attar, and a group below them gathered one day at the house of Ishaq al-Ahmar. They discussed the affair of our Lord Abu Shu’ayb and what was manifest of our Master's preference for him, his precedence over all his Shia, and His indication toward him to the exclusion of others. They spoke much regarding that, describing his science, what they heard from him, and what the Master had guided him with and kept secret with him. Ishaq, filled with rage and envy, said to them: "When tomorrow comes, I shall cut Abu Shu’ayb off with questions I will ask him, for which he will find no answer nor exit."

They departed rejoicing at that. The news of their meeting and what transpired reached me, so I went to Fadaweih al-Kurdi and informed him. He said to me: "When it is morning, return early to the house of my Master, and let you be the one to initiate the questioning of Ishaq. He will surely be incapacitated and cut off from the answer in that [setting] among his companions." Muhammad ibn Ismail said: I went early to Fadaweih and we both traveled to the house of Lord al-Hasan — exalted are His favors. We were the first to arrive at the door. While we were sitting, Ishaq al-Ahmar and the four individuals with him approached; they offered us peace, we returned it, and they sat. I said to Ishaq: "O Abu Ya’qub, a question has occurred." He said: "Say what you please."