Muʿāwiyah ibn Sallām related it from Abū Sallām, from al-Ḥārith al-Ashʿarī, recounting the same content; thus Zayd ibn Sallām drops out of the chain so that it reads: Abū Sallām → al-Ḥārith al-Ashʿarī, with a wording similar to the foregoing (1).

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir also transmitted, through ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Jaʿfar al-Rāzī from his father, from al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, who said: “It has reached us—from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, based on what they heard from the scholars of the Children of Israel—that John son of Zechariah sent forth five statements,” and he narrated something akin to what has already been mentioned.

They further relate that John (peace be upon him) was much given to solitude; he felt at home only in the open countryside, lived on the leaves of trees, drank from running streams, and at times sustained himself on locusts. He would say to himself, “O John, who could be more favored than you!”

Ibn ʿAsākir records (2) that John’s parents once went out searching for him and found him by the Jordan Lake. When they met him, he moved them to tears—so intense was his worship and fear of Allah ﷿.

Ibn Wahb narrated—from Mālik—from Ḥumayd ibn Qays—from Mujāhid—that the food of John son of Zechariah was wild herbage, and that he would weep from awe of Allah until, had tar been on his eyes, his tears would have dissolved it.

Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā al-Dhuhlī said: “Abū Ṣāliḥ narrated to us, al-Layth narrated to us, ʿUqayl narrated to me from Ibn Shihāb, who said: One day I was seated with Abū Idrīs al-Khoulānī while he was exhorting the people. He said, ‘Shall I tell you who enjoyed the purest food of all humanity?’ When he saw the people looking toward him he said, ‘John son of Zechariah had the purest food; he would eat among the wild beasts, disliking to mix with people in their worldly affairs.’”

Ibn al-Mubārak narrated—from Wahīb ibn al-Ward—that Zechariah lost sight of his son John for three days. He went out into the wilderness looking for him and found that John had dug himself a grave and was standing in it, weeping over himself. Zechariah said, “My son, I have been searching for you for three days, and here you are in a grave you have dug, standing in it and weeping?” John replied, “Father, did you not tell me that between Paradise and Hell lies a desolate stretch (3) that can be crossed only by the tears of those who weep?” Zechariah said, “Weep, my son,” and the two of them wept together.

Wahb ibn Munabbih and Mujāhid reported the story in similar terms.

Ibn ʿAsākir further narrates from him that he said, “The people of Paradise do not sleep because of the delight they experience in the bliss they enjoy; likewise, it behooves…"