19. Hamzah ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ja`far ibn Muhammad ibn Zayd ibn `ali ibn alHusayn ibn `Ali ibn Abu Talib ; Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Qittan and Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al-Mu`adhi all three said: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa`id al-Hamdani freed slave of the Hashimites said: Yahya ibn Isma`il al-Jariri said reading (from his notes) that al-Husayn ibn Isma`il said: `Amr ibn Jumay` said that Ja`far ibn Muhammad said: My father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather that al-Husayn ibn Ali entered into the presence of Mu`awiyah, so he asked the Imam : “What possessed your father to kill the people of Basra, and then wander the streets at night wearing two undergarments?”

He replied, “He acted according to his knowledge, He knew that he could not avoid what was destined for him. And he knew that what was not destined for him could not harm him.” He responded, “You have spoken the truth.” When he intended to battle the Kharijites, the Commander of the Faithful was told: “Take your precautions, O Commander of the Faithful!” He composed: Which of my two days shall I escape from death? The day which is not decreed or the day which is decreed, The day which is not decreed, I do not fear the return, And the day which is decreed, there is no need in taking caution.