English Translation

Abu al-Nadr narrated to us: al-Hakam b. Fudayl narrated to us: Ya'la b. Ata' narrated to us, from Ubayd b. Jubayr, from Abu Muwayhibah, freedman of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was commanded to pray for the people of al-Baqi', and he prayed for them one night three times. On the second night, he said, "O Abu Muwayhibah, saddle my mount for me." He said: So he rode, and I walked, until he arrived at them, and he dismounted from his mount, and the mount stood still, and he stopped over them — or he said, stood over them — and said, "May what you are in be a blessing to you, compared to what the people are in: the trials have come like segments of night, one following another, the latter worse than the former; so may what you are in be a blessing to you." Then he returned and said, "O Abu Muwayhibah, I have been given" — or he said, "given the choice of" — "the keys to what will be opened for my nation after me, and Paradise, or meeting my Lord." I said, "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah, then tell me." He said, "Rather than having it turned back upon its former state, as much as Allah wills, I have chosen to meet my Lord." He remained after that no more than seven or eight days before he passed away, peace and blessings be upon him. Abu al-Nadr said once: "turned back on its heels."