Bayhaqi 20871 — What renders the testimony of the people of innovation

Abdullah bin Buraydah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Yahya bin Ya'mar (may Allah have mercy on him): The first person to deny divine decree (qadar) in Basrah was Ma'bad al-Juhani. Humayd bin Abd al-Rahman (may Allah have mercy on him) and I set out for Hajj. When we arrived, we said: We will ask the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) about those who deny divine decree. We found Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) in the mosque, and we flanked him on the right and the left. Yahya (may Allah have mercy on him) said: My companion chose me to speak. I said: O Abu Abd al-Rahman! Some people have appeared in our region who recite the Qur'an and seek knowledge, and they deny divine decree and (claim that) the matter is new (not preordained). Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "When you meet them, tell them: I am free of them and they are free of me." And Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) swore an oath and said: "Even if such people were to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud, Allah would not accept it from them until they believe in divine decree, its good and its bad." He said: Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated to me: One day we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when suddenly (a man appeared) with very white clothes and very black hair; no trace of travel was seen on him, and none of us knew him. He sat with his knees against the knees of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and placed his palms on the thighs of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then said: O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Tell me about Islam: what is Islam? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Islam is that you bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer, give the zakah, fast Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House if you are able." The man said: "You have spoken the truth." Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We were amazed that he asks the question and then confirms the answer himself. Then he said: O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Tell me about faith: what is faith? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "To believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, the Last Day, and in divine decree, its good and its bad." He said: "You have spoken the truth." Then he said: Tell me about excellence (ihsan). He said: "To worship Allah as though you are seeing Him; and if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you." He said: Tell me about the Hour. He said: "The one being asked does not know more about it than the one asking." He said: Then tell me about its signs. He said: "That the slave woman gives birth to her master, and that you see the barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds of sheep vying with one another in (raising) buildings." Then he left. Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I stayed for three days. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "O Umar! Do you know who the questioner was?" I said: Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) know best. He said: "That was Jibril, who came to teach you your religion."