1. Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Mutawakkil said; `Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim said on the‬‬ ‫‪authority of Muhammad ibn Abu Ishaq al-Khaffaf that some of our scholars related that‬‬

`Abd Allah al-Daysani come to Hisham ibn al-Hakam and asked him: “Do you have a Lord?” Hence, he replied: “Of course.” “Is He Omnipotent [qadir]?” He enquired. He answered: “Yes, He is Omnipotent, and He is the Subduer.” He asked: “Does He have the power to place the whole world in an egg, without making the egg bigger or the world smaller?” So Hisham responded: “Can you give me some time?” Therefore, he said: “I shall give you some time.” Then he left from his presence. Hisham went riding to Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq and asked for his permission to enter; hence, he permitted him. He then explained, “O son of the Messenger of Allah ! `Abd Allah al-Daysani came to me with a question that no one can resolve except Allah and you.” Thus, Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq said to him, “What is it that he asked you?” So he replied, “He said to me so and so.” Thus, Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq explained, “O Hisham! How many sense do you have?” “Five.” Hisham answered. So the Imam asked, “Which is the smallest of the senses?” He said: “The pupil (of the eye).” “What is the size of the pupil?” The Imam enquired. Hisham responded, “It is the size of a grain of lentil or even smaller than that.” Thus, the Imam said: “O Hisham! Look ahead and above you, and inform me of what you see.” He replied, “I see the sky, the Earth, houses, palaces, dust, mountains and rivers.” Then, Abu `Abd Allah said: “Verily, the One who has the power to place what you see in a grain of lentil or seen smaller than that has the power to place the whole world in an egg, without making the world smaller or making the egg bigger.” Hisham threw himself down to the Imam’s feet and kissed his hands, head and feet, and then said: “This is sufficient for me, O son of the Messenger of Allah.” Then he returned to his house. The following day al-Daysani came to him and said; “O Hisham, I have come to you, greeted you, and have not come demanding an answer.” Hisham replied, “Whether or not you came for an answer, I have it.” Hence, al-Daysani left is present. He was informed that Hisham went to the presence of Abu `Abd Allah and he has taught him the answer. `Abd Allah al-Daysani left, and reached the door of Abu `Abd Allah . He asked for his permission to enter and the Imam permitted him. When he sat down, he said to the Imam , “O Ja`far son of Muhammad! Guide me to my Lord.” Thus, Abu `Abd Allah asked, “What is your name?” So he walked out on the Imam and did not inform him of is name. Hence, he friends asked him, “Why did you not tell him your name?” He replied, “If I had told that my name is `Abd Allah, he would have said: `Who is that you are the servant of?” They said to him “Return to him and tell him to guide you to your Lord without asking you your name.” Therefore, he returned to him and said: “O Ja`far! Guide me to my Lord, and do not ask me about my name.” Thus, Abu `Abd Allah said to him, “Sit down.” He had a young boy, who had an egg in his hand and was playing with it. So Abu `Abd Allah said: “Young lad, bring me the egg.” So he brought it to him. Abu `Abd Allah further said: O Daysani, this is a concealed stronghold. It has a solid cover, and inside the solid cover there is soft layer. Inside the soft layer there is the egg-yolk and the albumin. Neither does the egg-yolk mix with the albumin not does the albumin mix the egg-yolk. Each remains in its state. No informer comes out of it to inform of its usefulness nor has a defect informed of its decay. No one knows whether it will make a male or a female. Colors lie that of the peacocks burst out of it. Do you not think that it is the product of Planner [mudabbir]? He put his head down for a long time, then said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, Alone. He has no associates, and Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, and you are an Imam and a Proof from Allah for His Creation. I repent for the misguidance in which I was in.”