Uways and said, “Are you Uways ibn ʿĀmir?”
He replied, “Yes.”
ʿUmar asked, “From the tribe of Murād and then the clan of Qaran?”
He said, “Yes.”
ʿUmar continued, “Was there a white patch on your skin from which you recovered except for a spot the size of a dirham?”
He answered, “Yes.”
ʿUmar asked, “Do you have a mother?”
He said, “Yes.”
ʿUmar then said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘Uways ibn ʿĀmir will come to you with the reinforcement troops from Yemen. He is of Murād and then of Qaran. He once had a white patch and was cured of it except for an area the size of a dirham. He has a mother to whom he is devoted. Were he to swear by Allah, Allah would certainly fulfill it. If you can have him ask forgiveness for you, then do so.’ So ask Allah to forgive me.”
Uways prayed for his forgiveness.
ʿUmar then asked, “Where are you headed?”
He replied, “To Kūfah.”
ʿUmar said, “Shall I write a letter for you to its governor?”
He answered, “I would rather stay among the dust-covered masses of ordinary people.” (1)
The following year a notable man from Kūfah performed the pilgrimage and happened to meet ʿUmar. ʿUmar asked him about Uways. He replied, “I left him in shabby dress (2) with very little property.”
ʿUmar said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘Uways ibn ʿĀmir will come to you with the reinforcements of the people of Yemen; he is of Murād and then of Qaran. He once had a white patch and was cured of it except for an area the size of a dirham. He has a mother to whom he is devoted. Were he to swear by Allah, Allah would certainly fulfill it. If you can get him to ask forgiveness for you, then do so.’ ”
The man went to Uways and said, “Pray that Allah forgive me.”
He replied, “You have just returned from a blessed journey, so you pray for me instead.”
The man insisted, “Ask Allah to forgive me.”
Uways asked, “Have you met ʿUmar?”
He answered, “Yes.”
So Uways prayed for him.
When the people realized who he was, he slipped away and went on his way.
Usayr said, “I gave him a cloak, and everyone who saw him asked (3), ‘Where did Uways get that cloak?’ (4)
(M): Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā narrated to us; ʿAffān narrated to us; Ḥammād narrated to us, from