Hisham ibn 'Urwa reported that his father said, "I was sitting with Mu'awiya and he muttered to himself and then came to his senses. [This is when he was ill.] He said, 'No one has forbearance without it being put to the test.' He repeated that three times."

حَدَّثَنَا فَرْوَةُ بْنُ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ‏:‏ كُنْتُ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَحَدَّثَ نَفْسَهُ، ثُمَّ انْتَبَهَ فَقَالَ‏:‏ لاَ حِلْمَ إِلاَّ تَجْرِبَةٌ، يُعِيدُهَا ثَلاثًا‏.‏