Ahmad also records in his Musnad, through his own chain, from Abū al-ʿAlā, who said:

“I was with Qatādah ibn Milḥān during the illness in which he died. A man walked past the back of the house, and I could see him reflected on Qatādah’s face. He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—had wiped over Qatādah’s face.’

He added, ‘Previously, whenever I saw him, it was as though his face were covered with ointment.’ ”

In the Musnad of Imām Ahmad it is likewise related from ʿUrwah ibn Abī al-Jaʿd, who said:

“A caravan of goods (jilb) was displayed before the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and he handed me a dinar, saying,

‘O ʿUrwah, go to the caravan and buy a sheep.’

So I went to the merchants, bargained with the owner, and bought two sheep for one dinar. As I was driving them away, a man met me and haggled with me, so I sold him one sheep for a dinar. I then returned with the dinar and with the remaining sheep and said…"