Narration about those who dislike Ahlul-Bid’ah to be mentioned

عن عقبة بن علقمة قال: ” كنت عند أرطاة بن المنذر فقال بعض أهل المجلس: ما تقولون في الرجل يجالس أهل السنّة ويخالطهم، فإذا ذكر أهل البدع قال: دعونا من ذكرهم لا تذكروهم، قال أرطأة: هو منهم لا يلبّس عليكم أمره، قال: فأنكرت ذلك من قول أرطاة قال: فقدمت على الأوزاعي، وكان كشّافاً لهذه الأشياء إذا بلغته، فقال: صدق أرطأة والقول ما قال؛ هذا يَنهى عن ذكرهم، ومتى يحذروا إذا لم يُشد بذكرهم ” [تاريخ دمشق (8/ 15)]

Narrated by ‘Uqbah bin ‘Alqamah, he said: “I was with Arṭa’ah bin al-Mundhir and some of those who were sitting said: “What do you say about the man who sits with Ahlus-Sunnah and he mixes with them, but when the people of innovations (Ahlul-Bida’) are mentioned he says: ‘Let’s [refrain] from their mentioning, do not mention them’?”, Arṭa’ah said: “He is with them, do not let his matter deceive you.”

He (ie. ‘Uqbah bin ‘Alqamah) said: “But I disliked that speech of Arṭa’ah”. He (ie. ‘Uqbah bin ‘Alqamah) said: “So I went to al-Awzā’ī, and he was an investigator for these things when they were conveyed to him, so he (ie. al-Awzā’ī) said: ‘Arṭa’ah said the truth, and the speech [of truth] is what he said; this one (ie. the man in the question) forbids their mentioning, so when are they warned against if it’s not supported by their mentioning?’“. (Tārīkh Dimashq [15/8])