Imām Aḥmad said:
“Rawḥ narrated to us; Abū Umayyah ʿAmr ibn Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd narrated to us; he said: I heard my grandfather relate that Muʿāwiyah picked up the idāwah (1) after Abū Hurayrah—who had fallen ill—followed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, with it, and began pouring water for his ablution. While Muʿāwiyah was assisting him, the Prophet raised his head once or twice and said,
‘O Muʿāwiyah! If you are ever put in charge of something, fear Allah and act justly.’
Muʿāwiyah added, ‘I constantly thought I would be tested with some office because of the Prophet’s words—until I was indeed tested.’ This wording is unique to Aḥmad (2).
Abū Bakr ibn Abī al-Dunyā also recorded it from Abū Isḥāq al-Hamadānī Saʿīd ibn Zunbūr ibn Thābit, from ʿAmr ibn Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd; and Ibn Mandah transmitted it through Bishr ibn al-Ḥakam, from ʿAmr ibn Yaḥyā with the same chain.
Abū Yaʿlā (3) said: “Suwayd ibn Saʿīd narrated to us; ʿAmr ibn Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd narrated to us, from his grandfather, from Muʿāwiyah who said:
‘I followed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, carrying his ablution water. When he had finished, he looked at me and said, “O Muʿāwiyah! If you should attain authority, fear Allah and be just.” I kept thinking I would certainly be tried with some position until I was actually appointed to one.’
Ghālib al-Qaṭṭān narrated from al-Ḥasan who said: I heard Muʿāwiyah delivering a sermon in which he stated, ‘One day I poured the ablution water for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He raised his head toward me and said,
“You will indeed govern the affairs of my community after me; when that happens, accept the good from those who do good among them and overlook the faults of those who err.”
I kept hoping for that until I stood in this very position.’
Al-Bayhaqī narrated—through al-Ḥākim, with his chain—to Ismāʿīl ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Muhājir, from ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿUmayr, who said: Muʿāwiyah declared, ‘By Allah, nothing impelled me toward the caliphate except the statement of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: “If you come to hold authority, then excel in doing good.”’ Al-Bayhaqī commented, ‘Ismāʿīl ibn Ibrāhīm is weak, yet the ḥadith has supporting chains (4).’
Ibn ʿAsākir, citing his chain from Nuʿaym ibn Ḥammād, narrated: Muḥammad ibn Ḥarb told us; Abū Bakr ibn Abī Maryam told us; Muḥammad ibn Ziyād told us, from ʿAwf ibn Mālik al-Ashjaʿī who said:
‘While I was sleeping in the Church of John—which at that time served as a mosque—I awoke to see a lion walking in front of me. I leapt for my weapon, but the lion said, “Stop! I have been sent with a message for you to deliver.” I asked, “Who sent you?” He replied, “Allah sent me to convey greetings of peace to Muʿāwiyah and to inform him that he is among the people of Paradise.” I asked, “Which Muʿāwiyah?” He answered, “Muʿāwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān.”’
Al-Ṭabarānī recorded the same story through Abū Yazīd al-Qurāṭisī, al-Muʿallā ibn al-Walīd al-Qaʿqaʿī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥabīb al-Khawlānī, and Abū Bakr ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Maryam al-Ghassānī; the chain is weak. The report is exceedingly strange, and it may well have been an episode seen in a dream, the phrase ‘I awoke from my sleep’ having been added without precision by Ibn Abī Maryam. Allah knows best.