[艾哈迈德·伊本·阿拔斯·沙米：] 我离开巴格达去朝觐。途中我遇见一位带有虔敬印记的人。他问我来自哪里。17。1

[Aḥmad ibn al-ʿAbbās al-Shāmī:] I left Baghdad to make the pilgrimage. On the way I met a man who bore the stamp of piety. He asked me where I was from. 17.1

“我从巴格达来，”我回答道，“那里已经腐败到极点，真主很可能会把它连同城里所有的人从地面上抹去。我很害怕，所以逃了出来。”“回去吧，”他说，“不要害怕。城里有四位真主的近友的坟墓，他们会保护巴格达免受伤害。”“他们是谁？”“典范艾哈迈德·伊本·罕百勒、马鲁夫·凯尔赫、比舍尔·伊本·哈里斯和曼苏尔·伊本·阿玛尔。”于是我回去了，并去拜谒了他们的坟墓。

“From Baghdad,” I replied, “which has gotten so corrupt that God is likely to wipe it off the face of the earth along with everyone who lives there. I was afraid, so I ran.” “Go back,” he said, “and don’t be afraid. In the city are the graves of four allies of God who will protect Baghdad from harm.” “Who are they?” “The exemplar Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Maʿrūf al-Karkhī, Bishr ibn al-Ḥārith, and Manṣūr ibn ʿAmmār.” So I went back and visited the graves.

[作者：] 两段传述在此处一致。Abū Yaʿqūb 补充道：

[The author:] Both reports agree up to this point. Abū Yaʿqūb adds:

我问他:“你要去哪里?”他回答说:“去拜访坟墓。”

I asked him, “Where are you headed?” “To visit the graves,” he replied.

“你从哪里来？”“看看你身后。”我回头看，却什么也没有。等我转过身来，他已经不见了。

“Where are you from?” “Look behind you.” I looked but there was nothing to see. When I turned around, he was gone.