Sufyan Suri

Imam Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) reached Basra, hiding from the kings. At that time, the Sultan's soldiers were looking for him. He went to a person and said: Keep me as a gardener in your date palm orchard, I will protect it. One day, a government official came to collect tithes and asked: O Sheikh! Who are you? He said: I am just from the people of Kufa. The officer asked: Well, tell me, are the dates of Basra sweeter or those of Kufa? He said: I have never eaten the dates of Basra. The officer became angry and said: You are a big liar, at this time the righteous, the sinners, even the stray dogs are eating dates on the ground, and you are standing in the date palm orchard and saying that you have never eaten dates. On his return, the officer mentioned this to the governor, who was startled and said: Woe to you, go back quickly and arrest him, he is surely Sufyan al-Thawri. The policemen reached the place, but by then Imam Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) had disappeared from there.