he made a hole in the wing the size of his eye. when the days passed he began to look through the crack of a door that was nailed together. then he kept opening it one after the other until he put his head out and showed his face. when he did not see anything suspicious he sat in the vestibule. when he became more comfortable he sat at the door of the house then prayed with them in their prayer place and entered. then he prayed after that and sat down. the people were arabs so they were talking at length mentioning the evidence and proverbs in poetry and the news of the days and the events. while he was silent about that one day a young man from among them approached him went against their etiquette and ignored some of what they had pleased him with of their conduct and said to him o sheikh we are a people who engage in various kinds and we may speak with disparagement and recite satire. if you would tell us who you are we would avoid everything that would displease you. even if we avoided all satirical poetry and all stories of faults we would not be sure that our praise and flattery of some arabs would not be something that would upset you. if you told us your lineage we would spare you from hearing what would upset you of satire of your people and praise of your enemy. one of their elders slapped him and said may you have no mother! a trial like the trial of the khawarij and a sniping like the sniping of faultfinders. why do you not leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt and keep silent except about that which you are certain will please him?
جعل في الجناح خرقا بقدر عينه. فلما طالت الأيام صار ينظر من شق باب كان مسمورا. ثم ما زال يفتحه الأول فالأول، إلى أن صار يخرج رأسه، ويبدي وجهه. فلما لم ير شيئا يريبه، قعد في الدهليز، فلما ازداد في الأنس، جلس على باب الدار، ثم صلى معهم في مصلاهم ودخل، ثم صى بعد ذلك وجلس. والقوم عرب، فكانوا يفيضون في الحديث، ويذكرون من الشعر الشاهد والمثل، ومن الخبر الأيام والمقامات. وهو في ذلك ساكت، إذ أقبل عليه ذات يوم فتى منهم، خرج عن أدبهم، وأغفل بعض ما راضوه به من سيرتهم، فقال له يا شيخ إنا قوم نخوض في ضروب، فربما تكلمنا بالمثلبة، وأنشدنا الهجاء، فلو أعلمتنا ممن أنت تجنبنا كل ما يسوءك. ولو اجتنبنا أشعار الهجاء كها، وأخبار المثالب ١ بأسرها، لم نأمن أن يكون ثناؤنا ومديحنا لبعض العرب مما يسوءك. فلو عرفتنا نسبك كفيناك سماع ما يسوءك من هجاء قومك، ومن مدح عدوك . فلطمه شيخ منهم وقال لا أم لك! محنة كمحنة الخوارج، وتنقير كتنقير العيابين ٢ . ولم لا تدع ما يريبك الى ما لا يريبك، فسكت إلا عما توقن بأنه يسره ؟