English Translation

It was narrated to us by Yahya ibn Sa'id, from al-A'mash, who said: It was narrated to me by Shaqiq, who said: I heard Hudhayfah — and Waki' narrated from al-A'mash, from Shaqiq, from Hudhayfah — and it was narrated to us by Muhammad ibn 'Ubayd, who said: I heard Hudhayfah say: We were sitting with 'Umar when he said: 'Which of you remembers the saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, concerning tribulation (fitnah)?' I said: 'I do, just as he said it.' He said: 'Indeed you are bold concerning it.' I said: 'The tribulation of a man in his family, his wealth, his children, and his neighbour is expiated by prayer, charity, enjoining good and forbidding evil.' He said: 'That is not what I want, but rather the tribulation that surges like the waves of the sea.' I said: 'You have nothing to fear from it, O Commander of the Believers; between you and it there is a closed door.' He said: 'Will it be broken or opened?' I said: 'Rather, it will be broken.' He said: 'Then it will never be closed again.' We said: 'Did 'Umar know who the door was?' He said: 'Yes, just as he knew that there is a night before tomorrow.' Waki' said in his hadith: Masruq said to Hudhayfah: 'O Abu 'Abdullah, did 'Umar know what he told him?' We said: 'Did 'Umar know who the door was?' He said: 'Yes, just as he knew that there is a night before tomorrow. Indeed I told him a true report, not full of falsehoods.' So we were in awe of Hudhayfah and did not ask him who the door was, so we asked Masruq to ask him, and he asked him, and he said: 'The door is 'Umar.'