وَعَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ غَنْمٍ عَنْ حَدِيثِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ: أَنَّهُ قَدِمَ مَعَ مُعَاذٍ مِنَ الْيَمَنِ فَمَكَثَ مَعَهُ فِي دَارِهِ وَفِي مَنْزِلِهِ فَأَصَابَهُمُ الطَّاعُونُ فَطُعِنَ مُعَاذٌ وَأَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ وَشُرَحْبِيلُ بْنُ حَسَنَةَ وَأَبُو مَالِكٍ فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ، وَكَانَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ حِينَ حَسَّ بِالطَّاعُونِ فَرَّ وَفَرَقَ فَرَقًا شَدِيدًا وَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تَفَرَّقُوا فِي هَذِهِ الشِّعَابِ فَقَدْ نَزَلَ بِكُمْ أَمْرٌ [مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ] لَا أَرَاهُ إِلَّا رِجْزٌ وَطَاعُونٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ شُرَحْبِيلُ بْنُ حَسَنَةَ: كَذَبْتَ قَدْ صَحِبْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَأَنْتَ أَضَلُّ مِنْ حِمَارِ أَهْلِكَ فَقَالَ عَمْرٌو: صَدَقْتَ فَقَالَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ لِعَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ: كَذَبْتَ، لَيْسَ بِالطَّاعُونِ وَلَا الرِّجْزِ وَلَكِنَّهَا رَحْمَةُ رَبِّكُمْ وَدَعْوَةُ نَبِيِّكُمْ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَقَبْضُ الصَّالِحِينَ، اللَّهُمَّ فَآتِ آلَ مُعَاذٍ النَّصِيبَ الْأَوْفَرَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الرَّحْمَةِ قَالَ: فَمَا أَمْسَى حَتَّى طُعِنَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ ابْنُهُ وَأَحَبُّ الْخَلْقِ إِلَيْهِ الَّذِي كَانَ يُكَنَّى بِهِ فَرَجَعَ مُعَاذٌ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ فَوَجَدَهُ مَكْرُوبًا، فَقَالَ: يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ كَيْفَ أَنْتَ؟ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَتِ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ فَقَالَ مُعَاذٌ: وَإِنَّا (إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ)، فَمَاتَ مِنْ لَيْلَتِهِ وَدَفَنَهُ مِنَ الْغَدِ فَجَعَلَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٌ يُرْسِلُ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ عَمِيرَةَ إِلَى أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ يَسْأَلُهُ كَيْفَ هُوَ؟ فَأَرَاهُ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ طَعْنَةً فِي كَفِّهِ فَبَكَى الْحَارِثُ بْنُ عَمِيرَةَ إِلَى أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ وَفَرَقَ مِنْهَا حِينَ رَآهَا فَأَقْسَمَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بِاللَّهِ مَا يُحِبُّ أَنَّ لَهُ مَكَانَهَا حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ. فَقَالَ: فَرَجَعَ الْحَارِثُ إِلَى مُعَاذٍ فَوَجَدَهُ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَيْهِ فَبَكَى الْحَارِثُ وَاسْتَبْكَى، ثُمَّ إِنَّ مُعَاذًا أَفَاقَ فَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ الْحِمْيَرِيَّةِ لِمَ تَبْكِي عَلَيَّ؟ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْكَ فَقَالَ الْحَارِثُ: وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلَيْكَ أَبْكِي!! فَقَالَ مُعَاذٌ: فَعَلَى مَا تَبْكِي؟ قَالَ: أَبْكِي عَلَى مَا فَاتَنِي مِنْكَ الْعَصْرُ مِنَ الْغُدُوِّ وَالرَّوَاحِ، فَقَالَ مُعَاذٌ: أَجْلِسْنِي، فَأَجْلَسَهُ فِي حِجْرِهِ فَقَالَ: اسْمَعْ مِنِّي فَإِنِّي أُوصِيكَ بِوَصِيَّةٍ: إِنَّ الَّذِي تَبْكِي عَلَيَّ مِنْ غُدُوِّكَ وَرَوَاحِكَ فَإِنَّ الْعِلْمَ مَكَانُهُ بَيْنَ لَوْحَيِ الْمُصْحَفِ، فَإِنْ أَعْيَا عَلَيْكَ تَفْسِيرُهُ فَاطْلُبْهُ بَعْدِي عِنْدَ ثَلَاثَةٍ: عُوَيْمِرُ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءُ أَوْ عِنْدَ سَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِيِّ أَوْ عِنْدَ ابْنِ أُمُّ عَبْدٍ، وَأُحَذِّرُكَ زَلَّةَ الْعَالَمِ وَجِدَالَ الْمُنَافِقِ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ مُعَاذًا اشْتَدَّ بِهِ [النَّزْعُ] نَزْعُ الْمَوْتِ فَنَزَعَ نَزْعًا لَمْ يَنْزِعْهُ أَحَدٌ فَكَانَ كُلَّمَا أَفَاقَ مِنْ غَمْرَةٍ فَتَحَ طَرْفَهُ فَقَالَ: اخْنُقْنِي خَنْقَتَكَ فَوَعِزَّتِكَ [إِنَّكَ] لَتَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أُحِبُّكَ، فَلَمَّا قَضَى نَحْبَهُ انْطَلَقَ الْحَارِثُ حَتَّى أَتَى أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ بِحِمْصَ فَمَكَثَ عِنْدَهُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَمْكُثَ ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَارِثُ: أَخِي مُعَاذٌ أَوْصَانِي بِكَ وَسَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِيِّ وَابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ وَلَا أَرَانِي إِلَّا مُنْطَلِقًا إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ فَقَدِمَ الْكُوفَةَ فَجَعَلَ يَحْضُرُ مَجْلِسَ ابْنِ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيَّةً فَبَيْنَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فِي الْمَجْلِسِ قَالَ ابْنُ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: امْرُؤٌ مِنَ الشَّامِ، قَالَ ابْنُ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ: نِعْمَ الْحَيُّ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ لَوْلَا وَاحِدَةٌ! قَالَ الْحَارِثُ: وَمَا تِلْكَ الْوَاحِدَةُ؟ قَالَ: لَوْلَا أَنَّهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، قَالَ: فَاسْتَرْجَعَ الْحَارِثُ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثًا قَالَ: صَدَقَ مُعَاذٌ فِيمَا قَالَ لِي فَقَالَ ابْنُ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ: مَا قَالُ لَكَ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي؟ قَالَ: حَذَّرَنِي زَلَّةَ الْعَالِمِ، وَاللَّهِ مَا أَنْتَ - يَا ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ - إِلَّا أَحَدُ رَجُلَيْنِ: إِمَّا رَجُلٌ أَصْبَحَ عَلَى يَقِينٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ فَأَنْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، أَوْ رَجُلٌ مُرْتَابٌ لَا تَدْرِي أَيْنَ مَنْزِلُكَ؟، قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ: صَدَقَ أَخِي إِنَّهَا زَلَّةٌ فَلَا تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِهَا، فَأَخَذَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ بِيَدِ الْحَارِثِ فَانْطَلَقَ بِهِ إِلَى رَحْلِهِ فَمَكَثَ عِنْدَهُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَارِثُ: لَا بُدَّ لِي أَنْ أُطَالِعَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ سَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِيَّ بِالْمَدَائِنِ فَانْطَلَقَ الْحَارِثُ حَتَّى قَدِمَ عَلَى سَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِيِّ بِالْمَدَائِنِ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ: مَكَانَكَ حَتَّى أَخْرُجَ إِلَيْكَ، قَالَ الْحَارِثُ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أَرَاكَ تَعْرِفُنِي يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى عَرَفَتْ رُوحِي رُوحَكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَعْرِفَكَ إِنَّ الْأَرْوَاحَ جُنُودٌ مُجَنَّدَةٌ فَمَا تَعَارَفَ مِنْهَا ائْتَلَفَ وَمَا تَنَاكَرَ مِنْهَا فِي غَيْرِ اللَّهِ اخْتَلَفَ، فَمَكَثَ عِنْدَهُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَمْكُثَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى الشَّامِ، فَأُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَتَعَارَفُونَ فِي اللَّهِ وَيَتَزَاوَرُونَ فِي اللَّهِ. رَوَاهُ الْبَزَّارُ، وَرَوَى أَحْمَدُ بَعْضَهُ وَفِي إِسْنَادِ الْبَزَّارِ شَهْرُ بْنُ حَوْشَبٍ وَفِيهِ كَلَامٌ، وَقَدْ وَثَّقَهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ، وَرَوَى الطَّبَرَانِيُّ فِي الْكَبِيرِ طَرَفًا مِنْهُ.
EnglishUnverified translation
Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanm reported from the account of al-Harith ibn Umayrah that he arrived with Muadh رضي الله عنه from Yemen and abode with him in his house and dwelling, whereupon plague struck them, afflicting Muadh, Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, Shurahbil ibn Hasanah, and Abu Malik رضي الله عنهم on a single day. When Amr ibn al-As perceived the plague he fled in great fright and commanded the people to disperse into the ravines, deeming what had descended a punishment and plague from the affair of Allah. Shurahbil ibn Hasanah told him he had lied, reminding him of their companionship with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and judging him more astray than his household's donkey, and Amr conceded that he had spoken truth. Muadh ibn Jabal then told Amr ibn al-As that he had lied, for it was neither plague in his sense nor punishment, but the mercy of their Lord, the invocation of their Prophet ﷺ, and the seizure of the righteous, supplicating Allah to grant the household of Muadh the fullest share of this mercy. Before evening his son Abd al-Rahman, the most beloved of creation to him and the one from whom he took his kunya, was afflicted. Muadh returned from the mosque to find him distressed, asked him how he was, and the son, whose supplication in his favour had been answered, replied with the verse that the truth is from his Lord and he must not be of the doubters, whereupon Muadh answered with the words that they would be, if Allah willed, among the patient. The son died that night and was buried the next morning. Muadh ibn Jabal then kept sending al-Harith ibn Umayrah to Abu Ubaydah to ask after him, Abu Ubaydah showed him a piercing in his palm, al-Harith wept before Abu Ubaydah and withdrew in fear when he saw it, and Abu Ubaydah swore by Allah that he would not love red camels in its place. Al-Harith returned to Muadh to find him unconscious, wept and made others weep, then Muadh revived and asked him, O son of al-Himyariyyah, why he wept over him, seeking Allah's refuge from him. Al-Harith swore he did not weep over him but over missing his morning and evening company. Muadh bade him seat him, al-Harith seated him in his lap, and Muadh bade him listen to a bequest: that what he wept over of coming and going was as nothing, for knowledge lies between the two boards of the mushaf, and if its interpretation proves difficult he should seek it after him with three men, Uwaymir Abu al-Darda, Salman al-Farisi, or Ibn Umm Abd, warning him against the slip of the scholar and the disputation of the hypocrite. Then the throes of death intensified upon Muadh with a severity none had suffered, and whenever he revived from a stupor he opened his eyes and addressed his Lord to tighten His grip, swearing by His might that He knew he loved Him. When he fulfilled his term, al-Harith set out to Abu al-Darda in Hims, abode with him as long as Allah willed, then told him that his brother Muadh had enjoined him concerning him, Salman al-Farisi, and Ibn Umm Abd, and that he saw no course but to proceed to Iraq. He arrived at Kufa and attended the gathering of Ibn Umm Abd morning and evening, until one day Ibn Umm Abd asked who he was, he answered a man from Sham, Ibn Umm Abd praised the people of Sham but for one fault, and when asked what it was, answered that they testify of themselves that they are of Paradise. Al-Harith twice or thrice uttered the words of return to Allah and declared that Muadh had spoken truth in what he had told him. Ibn Masud رضي الله عنه asked what he had told him, nephew, he answered that Muadh had warned him against the slip of the scholar, then swore that Ibn Masud was one of two men, either a man risen upon certainty testifying that none is worthy of worship but Allah and thus of Paradise, or a doubting man unknowing of his abode. Ibn Masud conceded that his brother had spoken truth, that it had been a slip, and asked him not to hold him to it, then took al-Harith by the hand to his lodging, where al-Harith abode as long as Allah willed. Al-Harith then declared he must visit Abu Abdillah Salman al-Farisi in al-Madain, set out until he reached him, greeted him, and Salman bade him stay in his place until he came out to him. Al-Harith swore he had not thought Salman would know him, Salman answered that his spirit had known his spirit before ever knowing him, for spirits are marshaled troops, those that recognised one another unite and those that disavowed one another differ except in Allah. Al-Harith abode with him as long as Allah willed, then returned to Sham. Such, the narrator concluded, are those who know one another in Allah and visit one another in Allah.