(Prophecy of the decrease of the Ansar)

Ibn `Abbas told that the Prophet went out during the illness of which he died, sat on the pulpit, praised and extolled God, then said, "To proceed: The people will become many and the Ansar few till they will be in the same position among mankind as salt in food; so if any of you has some position of authority in which he can injure some people and benefit others he should accept the excuse of those of them who do well and overlook those of them who do ill." Bukhari transmitted it.