of the Goat’s Horn.

He then turned to the people and said, “By Allah, Saʿd ibn Mālik and ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar have reached a station with Allah. By Allah, if what they have done were a sin, it would be a small one already forgiven; and if it is a good deed, it is a mighty one for which thanks are due.” (1)

Abū Nuʿaym said: Abū Aḥmad al-Ḥākim narrated to us; Ibn Khuzaymah narrated to us; ʿImrān ibn Mūsā narrated to us; ʿAbd al-Wārith narrated to us; Muḥammad ibn Juḥādah narrated to us, from Nuʿaym ibn Abī Hind, from Abū Ḥāzim, from Ḥusayn ibn Khārijah al-Ashjaʿī, who said:

When ʿUthmān was killed, the turmoil confused me, so I prayed, “O Allah, show me something of the truth to which I may cling.” I then saw in a dream that this world and the Hereafter were separated by a wall. I climbed down the wall and came upon a group who said, “We are the angels.”

I asked, “Where are the martyrs?” They replied, “Ascend the steps.”

So I went up one step, then another, and there were Muhammad and Abraham—peace be upon them both—while Muhammad was saying to Abraham, “Ask forgiveness for my community.”

Abraham said, “You do not know what they introduced after you. They have shed one another’s blood and killed their leader. Why did they not do as my friend Saʿd did?”

I said, “I have seen a vision,” and I went to Saʿd and related it to him. He rejoiced immensely and said,

“Lost indeed is he who does not have Abraham—peace be upon him—as his friend.”

I asked, “With which of the two parties are you?”

He replied, “I am with neither of them.”

I said, “Then what do you order me to do?”

He asked, “Do you own any sheep?”

I said, “No.”

He said, “Then buy some sheep and stay among them until the matter clears.” (2)

Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān informed us; Abū Muḥammad ibn Qudāmah informed us; Hibatullāh informed us.