It is also reported that Abū Muslim once approached Muʿāwiyah, admonished him, and said, “Beware of favoring one tribe, lest your bias obliterate your justice.” (1)

Abū Bakr ibn Abī Maryam narrated—from ʿAṭiyyah ibn Qays—that Abū Muslim entered upon Muʿāwiyah, took his place between the two rows of courtiers, and declared, “Peace be upon you, hired servant!”

The people protested, “Hush!”

Muʿāwiyah replied, “Leave him; he knows what he is saying. And peace be upon you, Abū Muslim.”

Abū Muslim then counseled him and urged him to uphold justice. (2)

Shuraḥbīl ibn Muslim said, “The governors sought blessing through Abū Muslim and would appoint him commander of the vanguard.” (3)

Saʿīd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related: “Abū Muslim died in Byzantine territory. He had wintered there alongside Busr ibn Abī Artāt, and when his appointed time came, Busr visited him. Abū Muslim said, ‘Busr, record for me the names of all who have fallen in this campaign, for I hope to bring them on the Day of Resurrection beneath their banner.’” (4)

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal said: We were informed by Muḥammad ibn Shuʿayb, from one of the elders, who recounted: “As we were returning from the lands of Byzantium, we passed by al-ʿUmayr—four miles from Ḥimṣ—near the end of the night. A monk looked out from his cell and called, ‘Do you know Abū Muslim al-Khawlānī?’

“We answered, ‘Yes.’

“He said, ‘When you meet him, give him my greetings, for we find in the scriptures that he will be a companion of Jesus son of Mary. But you will not find him alive.’

“When we reached the outskirts of the Ghūṭah, news of his death reached us.”