ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak was asked about a matter whilst Abū Isḥāq al-Fazārī sat besides him. ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak gestured towards the questioner – who was a Khurasānī,  to ask Abū Isḥāq al-Fazārī. The questioner asked and Abū Isḥāq al-Fazārī answered. Then the Khurasānī turned towards ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak and said in Persian: «توجه مي كوهي» “What are you doing?” Ibn al-Mubārak replied in Persian: «مَا بِمَجْلِسِ مهنران سخن تكويم» “We do not speak in the gatherings of our elders.”