7. He said: Abul Hasan ‘Ali ibn Malik al-Nahwi reported to me from Muhammad ibn al-Fadhl, who reported from Abu Abdillah Muhammad ibn Ahmed ibn Ibrahim al-Katib who reported from Yamoot ibn al-Muzarra’, who reported from Isa ibn Ismail who reported from Al-Asma’ee who reported from Isa ibn Amru that Dhur Rummah, the poet, believed that there was no divine intervention in the acts. And Ibn al-Ajjaj believed otherwise. One day, they were together at the governor of Basrah, Bilal ibn Abi Bardah, who knew of the difference in their beliefs, so he instigated a debate between them. Ro’bah (i.e. Ibn al-Ajjaj) said: "By Allah, a bird does not find out its nesting place and a predator does not find its victim’s hiding place, except by that which has been destined by Allah." So, Dhur Rummah replied him:"By Allah, it is not Allah Who guides a wolf to run away with a poor, afflicted man’s milker." Ro’bah said: "Then, did the wolf snatch it away by the will of Allah or by its own will?" Dhur Rummah said: "Of course, (the wolf snatched it away) by its own will and desire." Ro’bah said: "That, By Allah, is a lie imputed against the wolf." Dhur Rummah retorted: "By Allah, imputing a lie against the wolf is lesser (evil) than imputing a lie against the Creator of the wolf." He (i.e. Sheikh al-Mufid) said: Then Abul Hasan ‘Ali ibn Malik al-Nahwi recited for me the verses by Mahmood al-Warraq, following the above narration: "I am censured (because) I did not commit sins by ignorance, Nor were they the doing of the other, nor mine, And I did not do so because of my insolence towards Allah, Nor because my sensitivity did not get the better of my ignorance, I committed them with favourable expectation of the forgiveness, From the One Who is peerless in His graces and favours, So, if my good expectations are confirmed by Him, Then in that grace is included everyone like me, And if He subjects me to the chastisement, Then that has come to me by way of justice."