English Translation

Abd al-Samad told us: Muhammad b. Abi al-Malih al-Hudhali told us: Ziyad b. Abi al-Malih told me, from his father, from Abu Burdah, from Awf b. Malik al-Ashja'i, that he was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey, and he traveled with them the whole day without loosening a single knot of the mounts' burdens, and the whole night without loosening a knot except for prayer, until they camped in the middle of the night. He said: A man kept watch on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when he set down his saddle. He said: I went to him and looked, and I saw no one but was asleep, and no camel but had laid its neck down asleep. He said: I stretched to look where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had put his saddle, but I did not see him in his place. So I went out, stepping over the saddles, until I came out among the people, then I went on in the darkness of the night, and I heard a bell-like sound, so I went to it, and there I found Mu'adh b. Jabal and al-Ash'ari. I went to them and said, "Where is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?" There was a humming sound like the humming of a mill. I said, "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was near this sound." They said, "Sit down, be quiet." He went on a little, then he came forward until he reached us, so we stood up to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, we were alarmed when we did not see you, so we followed your trail." He said, "Someone came to me from my Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and gave me the choice between half of my Ummah entering Paradise or intercession, so I chose intercession." We said, "We remind you of Allah and companionship — make us among the people of your intercession." He said, "You are among them." Then we went on, and a man or two men would come, and he would tell them what he had told us, so they would remind him of Allah and companionship, and he would make them among the people of his intercession, saying, "You are indeed among them," until the people had all gathered around him and pressed upon him, saying, "Make us among them." He said, "I call you to witness that it is for whoever dies from my Ummah not associating anything with Allah."