these are two great and famous men who lost their minds and became confused and were in chains and shackles. as for marwan he was struck by a mistaken blow on the day the berbers entered cordoba and plundered it so he died may god have mercy on him. as for yahya bin muhammad he is alive in the state mentioned at the time of writing this letter. i saw him many times and sat with him in the palace before he was tested by this ordeal. my teacher and his teacher was the jurist abu alkhayar allughawi. yahya was by my life the sweetest and most noble of young men.
فهذان رجلان جليلان مشهوران فقدا عقولهما واختلطا وصارا في القيود والأغلال، فأما مروان فأصابته ضربة مخطئة يوم دخول البربر قرطبة وانتهابهم لها ، فتوفي رحمه الله. وأما يحيى بن محمد فهو حي على حالته المذكورة في حين كتابتي لرسالتي هذه، وقد رأيته أنا مرارا وجالسته في القصر قبل أن يمتحن بهذه المحنة، وكان أستاذي وأستاذه الفقيه أبو الخيار اللغوي ، وكان يحيى لعمري حلوا من الفتيان نبيلا.