What is the authenticity of the story attributed to Al-A'mash, and does it indicate that Allah protects His believing servant?

The words contained in the story are an act of disbelief (kufr), and they could only emanate from the most disbelieving and heretical of people. It is impossible for a Muslim to utter such words, let alone an Imam of the stature of Malik ibn Anas. The Malik mentioned in the story is a king among kings, and (Malik) might be a distortion of (king - malik). Imam Al-A'mash lived in an earlier era than Imam Malik ibn Anas. The purpose of the story is to illustrate Allah's preservation of His allies and their high standing with Him.