885 — Abū Ja‘far Ahmad ibn Yahyā al-Hulwānī also narrated to us. He said: Khalaf ⦗1315⦘ ibn Hishām al-Bazzār narrated to us. He said: Abū Shihāb al-Hannāt narrated to us, from Ismā‘īl ibn Abī Khālid, from Mujālid, from al-Sha‘bī, from Fātima bint Qays, who said:

The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—ascended the pulpit, though before that day he had ascended it only on Fridays—or words to that effect, as she said. The people were taken aback, some standing and others sitting. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—motioned to them with his hand, saying:

“Sit down. I have not taken my stand here because of any matter that might trouble you, nor out of fear or hope. Rather, Tamīm al-Dārī came to me and told me such joyful, heartening news that it kept me from my midday rest. Indeed, ⦗1316⦘ some paternal cousins of Tamīm al-Dārī set sail. A gale overtook them at sea and forced them onto an island that they did not know. They sat down—or, as Khalaf related on another occasion, they boarded the ship’s boats—then disembarked and made their way up onto the island. There they encountered something black, long-fringed, and exceedingly hairy.

“They asked her, ‘What are you?’

“She replied, ‘I am al-Jassāsa.’

“They said, ‘Tell us about the people.’

“She replied, ‘I shall neither tell you anything nor question you about it. Instead, go to this monastery, for within it is a man intensely eager to exchange news with you.’

“They went to him, asked permission to enter, and went inside. There they found an old man tightly bound, complaining bitterly and visibly sorrowful.

“He asked, ‘Where have you come from?’

“They replied, ‘From al-Shām.’

“He asked, ‘What has become of the Arabs?’

“They said, ‘We are Arabs ourselves. What are you asking about?’

“He asked, ‘What has become of the man who appeared?’

“They replied, ‘His affairs have turned out well. His people opposed him, but Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—gave him victory over them. Their cause is united, their religion is one, their prophet is one, and their God is one.’ ⦗1317⦘

“He said, ‘That is better for them.’ He then asked, ‘What has become of the spring of Zughar?’

“They replied, ‘They drink from it to quench their thirst and irrigate their crops from it.’

“He asked, ‘What has become of the date palms between Umān and Baysān?’

“They replied, ‘They bear fruit at all times.’

“He asked, ‘What has become of Lake Tiberias?’

“They replied, ‘Its two shores overflow because of the abundance of its water.’

“At that, he let out three deep sighs and then said, ‘If I break free from these bonds, I shall leave no land untrodden by these two feet of mine, except Taybah, over which I have no authority.’”

The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—then said:

“This is where my joy reached its height. This is Taybah—that is, Medina. By Him in whose hand is Muhammad’s soul, there is not a single road within it—narrow or broad, whether over plain or mountain—but that an angel stands over it with sword drawn until the Day of Resurrection.”