Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Book 37, Hadith 11 (In-Book) ⓘ
Mutarrif ibn 'Imran ibn ash-Shakhir said, "I accompanied 'Imran ibn Husayn to Basra. Every day he used to recite poetry to us and he said, 'Indirect allusions give ample scope to avoid lying.'"
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ مُطَرِّفِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الشِّخِّيرِ قَالَ: صَحِبْتُ عِمْرَانَ بْنَ حُصَيْنٍ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، فَمَا أَتَى عَلَيْنَا يَوْمٌ إِلاَّ أَنْشَدْنَا فِيهِ الشِّعْرَ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّ فِي مَعَارِيضِ الْكَلاَمِ لَمَنْدُوحَةٌ عَنِ الْكَذِبِ.
also referenced under: Hadith 885 (Reference) & Book 37, Hadith 885 (English)