provision so long as the two of you still have heads that move, for a human being is delivered by his mother red-skinned and naked, and thereafter Allah provides for him.

Among those who served him was Dhū Mikhmar—some pronounce it Dhū Mikhbar—the nephew of the Negus, king of Abyssinia; some say he was the Negus’s sister’s son, but the first view is the sounder. The Negus had sent him to serve the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on his behalf.

Imam Aḥmad related: Abu al-Naḍr narrated to us, Ḥarīz narrated from Yazīd ibn Ṣulayḥ, from Dhū Mikhmar—an Abyssinian who used to serve the Prophet ﷺ—who said:

“We were with him on a journey. He kept the pace fast until we halted, and he would do that because provisions were scarce. Someone said, ‘Messenger of Allah, the people have fallen behind.’ He therefore stopped and held the people back with him until they had all caught up.

“Then he said, ‘Shall we lie down for a little while?’—or, according to another report, someone suggested it to him—so he dismounted and they dismounted. He asked, ‘Who will keep watch over us tonight?’ I said, ‘I will, may Allah ransom me for you.’ He handed me the halter of his she-camel and said, ‘Take it—and do not be a lūkaʿ (a heedless fool).’

“I took the halter of the Messenger of Allah’s she-camel and of my own camel, made them kneel not far off, and let them graze. While I was watching them, sleep overcame me. I was unaware of anything until I felt the heat of the sun on my face. I awoke, looked right and left, and saw the two mounts still near me. I took their halters, went to the nearest part of the camp, and woke a man.

“I asked, ‘Have you prayed?’ He said, ‘No.’ The people then woke one another until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke. He said, ‘Bilāl, is there water in the miḍaʾah?’—meaning the water-skin. Bilāl replied, ‘Yes, may my parents be sacrificed for you,’ and brought him water for ablution unmarred by dust. The Prophet ordered Bilāl to give the adhān; he then stood and prayed the two units that precede dawn unhurriedly. He next told him to call the iqāmah, and he led the obligatory prayer, again without haste.

“Someone said, ‘Messenger of Allah, have we been negligent?’ He replied, ‘No. Allah seized our souls and then returned them to us, and we have now performed the prayer.’ ”

Among those who served him, too, was Rabiʿah ibn Kaʿb al-Aslamī, Abū Firās.

Al-Awzāʿī said: Yahyā ibn Abī Kathīr narrated to me, from Abū Salamah, from Rabiʿah ibn Kaʿb, who said:

“I used to spend the night with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, bringing him his water for ablution and attending to his needs. He would stand in the night and say, ‘Glory be to my Lord and praise be to Him, glory be…’