Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Salman bin Rabee’ah narrates from Hazrat Umar that he said: Soon there will be rulers and officials; loving them will be a trial (fitnah), and separating from them will be disbelief (kufr). The narrator says: I said, “Allahu Akbar, please repeat it, O Commander of the Faithful, this has relieved my grief.” Hazrat Umar repeated it. Hazrat Salman bin Rabee’ah said: Allah the Exalted has said, “Fitnah is more severe than killing, and fitnah is more beloved to me than killing.”