Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 39739 — What I have preserved

Khalid bin Sumayr narrates: Abdullah bin Rabah al-Ansari came to us, and the Ansar Companions regarded him as a man of understanding. He said: Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him), the horseman of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), narrated to us that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent out the Army of the Commanders (the army of the Battle of Mu'tah) and said: "Zayd bin Harithah is your commander. If he is killed, then Ja'far bin Abi Talib, and if he too is killed, then Abdullah bin Rawahah." Sayyiduna Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) sprang up and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! I did not fear that you (peace and blessings be upon him) would appoint Zayd over me." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go on! You do not know what is good in this." 2. Then these people set out, and they stayed there for as long as Allah willed. Then (one day) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sat on the pulpit and gave an order, and it was announced: "Al-salatu jami'ah (the prayer is gathering)." So the people gathered around the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Good news has come, good news has come." He said this three times. "I will tell you about this fighting army of yours. These people went (from here), met the enemy (and fought), and Zayd was killed as a martyr. Seek forgiveness for him. Then Ja'far bin Abi Talib took up the banner and charged hard at the enemy until he too was killed as a martyr. Bear witness to his martyrdom and seek forgiveness for him. Then Abdullah bin Rawahah took up the banner and planted his feet firmly, (but) in the end he was martyred. Seek forgiveness for him. Then (after them) Khalid bin al-Walid has taken up the banner, although he was not one of the (previously appointed) commanders; (rather) he has made himself commander." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed: "O Allah! This Khalid is one of Your swords, so You alone help him." From that day the name of Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) became Sayf Allah al-Maslul (the Drawn Sword of Allah). And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go forth and help your brothers. Let none of you stay behind." So the Companions set out on foot and mounted, and this was a time of intense heat. 3. One night the Companions had moved away from the road when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was overcome by drowsiness, until he (peace and blessings be upon him) leaned to one side of the saddle. So I came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and supported him (peace and blessings be upon him) with my hand. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) felt the touch of the hand of the man steadying him, he (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Who is this?" I said: "It is Abu Qatadah." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) rode on. Then (again) he (peace and blessings be upon him) was overcome by drowsiness until he (peace and blessings be upon him) leaned to one side of his saddle. I came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) (again) and supported him (peace and blessings be upon him) with my hand. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) felt the touch of the hand of a man steadying him, he (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Who is this?" I said: "It is Abu Qatadah." The narrator says: At the second or third time he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I think that I have put you to hardship tonight." The narrator says: I said: "Not at all! May my father and mother be sacrificed for you. Rather I see that sleep or drowsiness has put you (peace and blessings be upon him) to hardship. So if you (peace and blessings be upon him) would turn aside and make camp, so that your (peace and blessings be upon him) sleepiness may pass." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I fear that the people will be left without support." The narrator says: I said: "Not at all! May my father and mother be sacrificed for you." 4. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then look for a sheltered place for us." The narrator says: I went off the road and suddenly saw a clump of trees. So I came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! Here is a clump of trees that I have found." The narrator says: Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) turned off the road, and those near him on the road turned off with him. They made camp and were screened from the road by the clump of trees. We woke only when the sun had risen upon us, and we got up in alarm. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Easy, easy," until the sun had risen high. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever used to pray these two rak'ahs before the morning prayer, let him pray them." So those who used to pray them and those who did not used to pray them all prayed them. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave an order, and the call to prayer was made. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went forward and led us in prayer. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) had given the salam, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "We praise Allah that we were not occupied by any worldly matter that kept us from our prayer. Rather, our souls were in the hand of Allah; He released them when He willed. Beware! Whichever righteous servant this prayer reaches, let him make up another like it along with it." The people said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! The thirst!" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no thirst, O Abu Qatadah. Show me the water vessel." He says: I brought it to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) put it under his arm and then took its mouth into his mouth, and Allah knows best whether he (peace and blessings be upon him) blew into it or not. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Abu Qatadah, show me the small cup on the riding camel." So I brought him (peace and blessings be upon him) a cup of middling size, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) poured into it and said: "Give the people water to drink." And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called out, raising his voice: "Beware! Whoever's vessel comes to him, let him drink it." I came to a man and gave him to drink. Then I returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with what was left in the cup, and I went and gave drink to the one next to him, until I had given drink to the people of that circle. Then I returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with what was left in the cup, and I went and gave drink to another circle, until I had given drink to seven groups. And I began to stretch up and look to see whether anything remained in it. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) poured into the cup and said to me: "Drink." I said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! I do not feel much thirst." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Keep away from me, for I have been the one giving the people drink since today." The narrator says: Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) poured into the cup and I drank; then he (peace and blessings be upon him) poured into the cup and I drank; then he (peace and blessings be upon him) poured into the cup and I drank. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) mounted and we mounted. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What do you think the people did when they lost their Prophet and their prayer pressed upon them?" We said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Are not Abu Bakr and Umar among them? If they obey the two of them, they are rightly guided and their mother is rightly guided, and if they disobey the two of them, they have gone astray and their mother has gone astray." He said this three times. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) travelled on and we travelled on, until in the heat of midday we suddenly saw people following the shade of the trees. We came to them, and they turned out to be people of the Muhajirun, among whom was Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). He says: We said to them: "What did you do when you lost your Prophet and your prayer pressed upon you?" They said: "By Allah, we will tell you. Umar sprang up and said to Abu Bakr: 'Allah has said in His Book: Indeed, you will die, and indeed they will die [Al-Zumar: 30]. And by Allah, I do not know; perhaps Allah has taken His Prophet in death. So get up, pray and go on. I will watch after you and wait, and if I see something (I will stay); otherwise I will catch up with you.'" He says: Then the prayer was called, and the narration broke off.