“when mankind will stand before the Lord of all realms” (al-Muṭaffifīn 83:6); at this he burst into tears, collapsed, and could not go on reciting.

Maʿmar narrated from Ayyūb, from Nāfiʿ—or someone else—that a man once said to Ibn ʿUmar, “O best of people—or son of the best of people!” He replied, “I am neither the best of people nor the son of the best of people. I am only a servant among Allah’s servants: I hope in Allah and I fear Him. By Allah, you will go on extolling a man until you destroy him.” (1)

ʿUbaydullāh ibn ʿUmar reported from Nāfiʿ that Ibn ʿUmar used to crowd his way to the Corner of the Kaʿbah until his nose bled. (2)

Aḥmad ibn Salāmah informed us—through Abū al-Makārim al-Taymī, Abū ʿAlī, Abū Nuʿaym, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥasan, Bishr ibn Mūsā, Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Muqriʾ, Ḥarmalah, and Abū al-Aswad—that ʿUrwah said:

“I sought Ibn ʿUmar’s daughter in marriage while we were making ṭawāf. He said nothing at all in reply, so I thought, ‘If he were pleased he would have answered; by Allah, I will never raise the matter with him again.’

“It was decreed that he reached Madinah before me. When I later arrived, I entered the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, greeted him, and fulfilled his due. He welcomed me and asked, ‘When did you arrive?’ I said, ‘Just now.’

“He said, ‘You mentioned Sawdah to me while we were in ṭawāf, with Allah looming before our very eyes. You could have met me somewhere other than that.’ I replied, ‘It was something that had been ordained.’

“He then asked, ‘What is your view today?’ I said, ‘I am more eager for it than ever.’ So he called for his two sons, Sālim…"}