Ibn `Aun (rah) said: “When Muhammad Ibn Sireen was in debt, he was overwhelmed with grief because of it, and said: ‘I know that this grief is because of a sin which I did 40 years ago.'”

Hilyatul Awliyaa (2/271), al-Jaami` li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan (16/31)

Muhammad Ibn Sireen (rah) said: “I know the sin because of which I fell in debt.”

It was asked: “What was it?”

He said: “40 years ago I called a man: Yaa muflis! (O bankrupted one)”

One of the sub-narrators, `Ubaidullaah bin al-Surree, said: “I informed this narration to Abu Sulaimaan al-Daaraanee (d. 205H). He said: ‘Because of their few sins they knew the reason for getting (the punishment); but because of our many sins, we do not know for which of our sins we are being punished.'”

Hilyatul Awliyaa (2/271), Taareekh Damishq (53/226)