Musnad Ahmad

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) that once I was with the men of the Ash'ari tribe, one of whom was on my right and the other on my left. At that time, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was using a miswak. Both of them asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for a position. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me, "Abu Musa! What do you say?" I replied, "By Him Who sent you with the truth, they did not inform me of their intention, nor did I think that they would request any position." That scene is still before my eyes when the miswak of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went under his lip. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "We do not give any position to one who asks us for it. However, O Abu Musa! You go." And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent them to Yemen. Then he sent Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) after them. When Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived there, Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Please come," and arranged a cushion for him. There, a man was seen tied with ropes. Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, "What is the matter with him?" They replied, "He was a Jew who accepted Islam, then turned back to his disliked religion and became a Jew again." Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I will not sit down until he is killed. This is the decision of Allah and His Messenger." (He said this three times.) So Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) gave the order and he was killed. Then we began to talk about standing in prayer at night (Qiyam al-Layl). Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I sleep and I stand (in prayer), I stand (in prayer) and I sleep, and I hope for reward for my sleep just as I hope for reward for standing (in prayer)."