Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 14350 — Sayyiduna Utbah bin Ghazwan al-Sulami

Sayyiduna Utbah bin Ghazwan al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) - whom Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had sent as governor of Basrah, and who was a Companion who fought at Badr - stood up and delivered a sermon, saying: "Indeed, this world has announced its end, and nothing remains of it except the like of the dregs of a vessel which its owner pours out. And indeed, ahead of you is another abode, so move to it with the best of what you have with you. By Allah! I saw myself as the seventh of seven with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and our mouths had become sore from eating the leaves of trees; today there is not one of us who is not the governor of some city. And I remember that Sa'd bin Malik and I raced to get a cloak; I took half of it and Sa'd took half. And it has reached me that between two of the door-leaves of the gates of Paradise is a distance of forty years, and a day will surely come when that gate will be crowded with people. And indeed there has never been a prophethood that was not superseded until it became a kingship. And I seek refuge with Allah from being great in my own eyes and small in the eyes of the people. And soon you will experience the rulers after me."