Isḥāq, father of ʿAlī ibn Isḥāq al-Khurāsānī

Muḥammad ibn Mūsā related to us. He said: Muḥammad ibn al-Muhājir related to me. He said: ʿAlī ibn Isḥāq al-Khurāsānī related to me, from his father. He said: I heard Bukayr ibn Maʿrūf say: Abū Ḥanīfa related to me concerning himself. He said: “I used to pursue speculative theology, disputing with the Muʿtazila, the Kharijites, the various ranks of the Rāfiḍa and the different groups of the people of sectarian desires, and I defeated them. Then I considered the matter and found that speculative theology was practised only by those without scrupulousness or piety: they interpret the Book according to their own opinions and openly abandon the Sunna. I left it, turned to earning a living and kept to the market. One night I saw, as a sleeper sees, that I was at the grave of the Prophet, peace be upon him, in Medina, digging it up and taking out his bones. I clasped them to my chest, then returned them to their place. This distressed me greatly, and the earth felt confined to me. I said: ‘What has been transmitted about digging up graves has been transmitted—and then, of all graves, the Prophet’s grave, peace be upon him?!’ I summoned a man whom I trusted and told him to travel to Basra to Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn and ask him. He travelled to him and asked him. Ibn Sīrīn said: ‘This is a dream of significance. Such a dream could only belong to a man who will have renown. This man will revive the Sunna of the Prophet, peace be upon him, gather knowledge and compile it systematically.’ After that I turned to knowledge, sought it with all my effort, and spread it among people to the extent of my ability.” O God, forgive him and have mercy on him, and raise him to a lofty station through Your mercy, Most Merciful of the merciful.