Fath al-Rabbani

Dawud bin Abi Hind narrated from a man named Ammar, who was from the land of Syria. He said: One year we went towards Rome and returned from there. In our caravan, there was also a man from the tribe of Khath'am. He mentioned Hajjaj and began to speak very ill of him. I said to him: Why do you curse him? He is fighting the people of Iraq in obedience to the command of the Commander of the Faithful. He said: He has led them into disbelief. Then he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say that five great tribulations will occur in this Ummah. Four of them have already occurred, and one remains, and it will be a very great tribulation. O people of Syria, remember, that tribulation will arise among you. If you encounter that tribulation, then if you can, become like a stone—that is, do not side with either of the two parties. Rather, if you can, dig a tunnel in the ground and hide in it. I said: Did you yourself hear this hadith from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him? He said: Yes. I said: May Allah have mercy on you, why did you not tell me earlier that you had the honor of meeting the Prophet, so that I could have asked you more?