So you must be patient over this in obedience to al-Rahman and for the sake of this Deen.'

Glimpses from the Great Trial (Mihna)

The son of Imam Ahmad said:

'I used to hear my father frequently say, 'May Allah have mercy on Abu Haytham. May Allah forgive Abu Haytham. May Allah pardon Abu Haytham.'

So I said, 'O father, who is Abu Haytham?'

He said, 'When I was taken out to be whipped and my hands had extended forth to the punishers, a young man began tugging on my garment behind me.

He said, 'Do you know me?'

I said, 'No.'

He said, 'I am Abu Haytham the scoundrel, the thief and rascal. It is written in the records of the Amir al-Mu'minin that I was whipped 18,000 times in set-portions, and I was patient over that in obedience to the Shaytan and for the sake of the Dunya. So you must be patient over this in obedience to al-Rahman and for the sake of this Deen.' 

Sifat al-Safwah, by Ibn al-Jawzi