know that i did not seek in these hadiths about him anything but his approval and seeking his pleasure and love. i feared that i might be seen by many people as a plotter on his part and an ambusher among his ambushes. that is because the most beloved of his companions is the one who speaks the most eloquently in making people despair of what came before him and the most generous in eliminating the causes of greed for his money. however i have done well with my effort so my thanks will be suspended if this letter of mine goes beyond the borders of iraq i will thank him otherwise i will withhold it. because his reputation as ugly in his own eyes in this region has made him independent of mentioning and warning about his doctrine. how could it be when he sees that sahl ibn harun and ismail ibn ghazwan were among the extravagant? and that althawri and alkindi deserve to be confined? it has reached me that he said if you did not know of the honor of the angels with allah except that he did not test them with spending nor with the children saying give give you would know their condition and their status.
اعلموا أني لم ألتمس بهذه الأحاديث عنه إلا موافقته، وطلب رضاه ومحبته. ولقد خفت أن أكون عند كثير من الناس دسيسا من قبله، وكمينا من كمائنه. وذلك أن أحب الأصحاب اليه، أبلغهم قولا في إيأس الناس مما قبله، وأجودهم حسما لأسباب الطمع في ماله. على أني أحسنت بجهدي، فسيجعل شكري موقوفا؛ فإن جاوز كتابي هذا حدود العراق شكر، وإلا أمسك. لأن شهرته بالقبيح عند نفسه في هذا الإقليم، وقد أغناه عن التنويه والتنبيه على مذهبه. وكيف، وهو يرى أن سهل بن هارون وإسماعيل بن غزوان، كانا من المسرفين؟ وأن الثوري والكندي يستوجبان الحجر؟ وبلغني أنه قال لو لم تعرفوا من كرامة الملائكة على الله إلا أنه لم يبتلهم ١ بالنفقة، ولا بقول العيال هات هات لعرفتم حالهم ومنزلتهم.