Ibrāhīm al-Ḥanẓalī narrated to us; ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, from al-Muʿtamir, from Layth, from Mujāhid, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said that the Prophet ﷺ said:

Jesus ﵇ passed by a ruined city whose architecture pleased him. He said, “My Lord, command this city to answer me.” God then revealed to the city, “O ruined city, answer Jesus.”

The city called out, “My beloved, what do you want of me?”

He asked, “What became of your trees, your rivers, your palaces, and where are your inhabitants?”

She replied, “My beloved, the true promise of your Lord came to pass: my trees withered, my rivers dried up, my palaces crumbled, and my people died.”

He said, “Where is their wealth?”

She answered, “They amassed it—lawfully and unlawfully—and now it lies stored in my belly; to God belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth.”

Jesus ﵇ then proclaimed: “I marvel (1) at three kinds of people: one who pursues the world while death pursues him; one who builds palaces yet the grave is his dwelling; and one who laughs with his mouth full while the Fire lies before him. O child of Adam, you are not sated with abundance, nor content with little. You gather your wealth for someone who will never thank you, and you advance toward a Lord who will not excuse you. You are nothing but a slave to your belly and your desires, and your belly will be filled only when you enter your grave. And you, O child of Adam, will behold the hoard of your wealth placed in another’s scale (2).”

This ḥadīth is exceedingly rare; it contains a fine admonition, so we have recorded it for that reason.

Sufyān al-Thawrī, on the authority of his father from Ibrāhīm al-Taymī, said that Jesus ﵇ said: “O company of disciples, store up your treasures in heaven, for a man’s heart is where his treasure is (3).”

Thawr ibn Yazīd, on the authority of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Ẓabyān, reported that Jesus son of Mary said: “Whoever learns, understands, and acts will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (4).”

Abū Kuraib reported that Jesus ﵇ said: “There is no good in knowledge that does not carry you across the valley and escort you into the gathering (5).”

Ibn ʿAsākir likewise related with an unusual chain, raised to Ibn ʿAbbās, that Jesus stood among the Children of Israel and said: “O company of disciples, do not speak wisdom (6) to those unworthy of it, for you wrong it; nor withhold it from those who deserve it, for you wrong them. Matters are of three kinds: one whose right guidance is clear—follow it; one whose misguidance is clear—avoid it; and one about which you differ—refer its knowledge back to God, Exalted is He (7).”