English Translation

Muhammad b. Ja'far told us: Shu'ba told us, from Ziyad b. Ilaqa, from Usama b. Sharik, who said: I came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his companions were with him, and it was as if birds were perched on their heads. He said: I greeted him and sat down. He said: Then the bedouins came and asked him, saying, "O Messenger of Allah, should we seek treatment?" He said, "Yes, seek treatment, for Allah has not created a disease without creating for it a cure - except for one disease: old age." He said: And Usama, when he grew old, used to say, "Do you see any cure for me now?" He said: And they asked him about various things: "Is there any blame on us in such-and-such?" He said, "O servants of Allah, Allah has lifted blame, except for a man who wrongfully takes from a Muslim man's honor - that is blameworthy and destructive." They said, "What is the best thing people have been given, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Good character."