As for ʿAmr ibn Saʿīd, nicknamed “al-Ashdaq,” he was counted among the prominent dignitaries of the Muslims in worldly station, though not in religious merit (1). He had seen the Prophet (2) ﷺ and related reports from a number of Companions; one of his ḥadīths—on the excellence of purification—is found in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim on the authority of ʿUthmān. He served as governor of Madinah for Muʿāwiyah and, after him, for his son Yazīd. His influence then swelled until he was on the verge of confronting ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān, but ʿAbd al-Malik deceived him, captured him, and executed him in 69 AH—some say 70 AH; Allah knows best.

Many noble traits are reported of him, the finest being that when his father lay dying he said to his three sons—this ʿAmr, Umayyah, and Mūsā: “Who will assume my liabilities?” ʿAmr immediately replied, “I will, father. And what do you owe?” He said, “Thirty-thousand dinars.” ʿAmr answered, “Yes, I will discharge them.” The father then said, “Do not marry your sisters except to suitable men, even if they have to eat barley bread.” ʿAmr said, “Yes.” He added, “And my companions—should they miss my face, let them not miss my beneficence.” ʿAmr said, “Yes.” The father concluded, “Since you say that, I have perceived it in the corners of your eyes ever since you were in your cradle.” (3)

Al-Bayhaqī transmits—through ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ, the scribe of al-Layth, from Ḥarmalah ibn ʿImrān, from his father, from Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb—that he heard Muḥammad ibn Yazīd ibn Abī Ziyād al-Thaqafī relate:

Qays ibn Kharashah and Kaʿb once travelled together. When they reached Ṣiffīn, Kaʿb al-Aḥbār halted there and spoke of the bloodshed that would befall the Muslims in that place, saying he found it foretold in the Torah. He also recounted that Qays ibn Kharashah had pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to speak the truth. The Prophet said to him, “O Qays ibn Kharashah! Perhaps you will live long enough for rulers to come after me in whose presence you will be unable to speak the truth.” Qays replied, “By Allah, I will never pledge anything to you but that I shall fulfill it.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, “If so, no evil person will harm you.”

Qays lived on until the time of ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Ziyād ibn Abī Sufyān. ʿUbayd Allāh became angry with him over something and had him brought before him. He asked, “Are you the one who claims that no evil will harm you?” Qays answered, “Yes.” He retorted, “Today you will learn that you have lied. Bring me the executioner.” Qays thereupon leaned over and died (4).

[Another miracle]

Al-Bayhaqī also narrated—through al-Dārāwardī, from Thawr ibn Zayd, from Mūsā ibn Maysarah—that some of the Banū…