H 347 - Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad says: Both Abu Abdullah Ibn Ghalib and Abul Hasan Ibn Abi Tayyib said: I did not see anyone wiser than Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh. I saw him one day in the house of Ibn Yasar. He had a great position before the Sayyid and the caliph. The Ahle Sunnat people also revered him. Abul Qasim attended that place due to dissimulation (Taqayyah) and fear. I remember him. Two men were arguing; one was claiming that Abu Bakr was the best of the people after the Messenger of Allah and then Umar and then Ali; while the other contended that Ali was better than Umar. Their debate took long. So Abul Qasim said:

“What the companions are unanimous upon is that the Siddiq comes first, then after him the Faruq, and then after him Uthman, owner of the two lights, and then Ali, the Successor. Narrators of traditions uphold this. This is the correct belief before us. Everyone there was perplexed by these words. Members of Ahle Sunnat group were raising him over their heads from gaiety and were praying for him and cursing those who were “accusing him to be a Rafidi.” Laughter was all the while overwhelming me. I tried to withhold it and control myself from laughing by putting my sleeve into my mouth, but then I feared that they will discern who I am, so I left. The Shaykh looked at me and noticed that. When I arrived at my house, there was a knock on the door. I came out and saw Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh on his mule. He had come to me on his way home. He said: “Abdullah, may Allah do you favors, why were you laughing and almost cheering me; as if what I said was not true before you.” I said: “It is true before me.” He said: “Fear God, Shaykh. I will not forgive you if you consider this word of mine great.” I said: “My master, someone who is a companion of the Imam and his representative, if he says a word as such, is it not awkward and laughable?” He said: “By your life, if you say this again, I will desert you.” He bid me farewell and left.