Asma'i said that Abdul Malik once delivered a very profound sermon, during which he began to weep while begging Allah : "O Lord, my sins are great but a small amount of Your forgiveness is greater than them. O Allah, forgive the greatness of my sins with a little of Your mercy. "

Asma'i said that when these words reached Hasan Basri, he too began to cry, stating that if ever words were uttered that should be inscribed in gold, these would be those words.