فغضب المأمون وهمّ به، فقال له سهل بن هارون يا أمير المؤمنين، إنه لم يقل بذات نفسه، وإنما غلب عليه الحصر  ألا تراه كيف يرشح جبينه ويكسر أصابعه! فسكن غضب المأمون واستجهله واستحمقه
Al-Mamun was angry and was about to scold him, but Sahl ibn Harun said to him, O Commander of the Faithful, he did not say what he had in his mind, but was rather overcome by his inability to express himself. Don’t you see how his forehead is sweating and how he cracks his fingers? Al-Mumun’s anger subsided, and he considered him ignorant and stupid