Ḥammād, through al-Layth, from Hishām, from his father, from Asmāʾ, relates something similar. (1)

ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī al-Zinād also transmitted—through Hishām ibn ʿUrwah, from his father, from Asmāʾ—that she said: “I heard Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl, his back resting against the Kaʿbah, proclaim, ‘People of Quraysh! Steer clear of fornication, for it leads to poverty.’ ” (2)

Here Ibn ʿAsākir cites a number of very unusual reports, some of which are highly questionable. He then brings, through several chains, the statement of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him:

“He will be raised on the Day of Resurrection as a nation unto himself.” (3)

Among those chains is the report of Muḥammad ibn ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah, who said: Yūsuf ibn Yaʿqūb al-Ṣaffār narrated to us; Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd al-Umawī narrated to us; from Mujālid; from al-Shaʿbī; from Jābir, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl, who in the time of ignorance used to face the qiblah saying, “My Lord is the Lord of Abraham and my religion is the religion of Abraham,” and would then prostrate. The Prophet replied:

“He will be gathered all by himself as a nation, between me and Jesus son of Mary.”

Its chain is sound and fair. (4)

Al-Wāqidī said: Mūsā ibn Shaybah narrated to me, from Khārijah ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Kaʿb ibn Mālik: I heard Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib mention Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl and say, “He died while Quraysh were rebuilding the Kaʿbah, five years before revelation came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Revelation descended while he was still saying, ‘I am upon the religion of Abraham.’ His son, Saʿīd ibn Zayd, embraced Islam and followed the Messenger of Allah. Then ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and Saʿīd ibn Zayd went to the Prophet and asked him about Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl, and he said:

‘May Allah forgive him and have mercy on him, for he died upon the religion of Abraham.’ ” (5)

From that day on, whenever the Muslims mentioned him, they would invoke mercy and seek forgiveness for him.

Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib would add: “May Allah have mercy on him and forgive him.”

Muḥammad ibn Saʿd, citing al-Wāqidī, reported: “Zakariyyā ibn Yaḥyā al-Saʿdī related to me, from his father, that Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl died in Mecca and was buried at the foot of Ḥirāʾ.” (6) It was previously mentioned, however, that he died in the Balqāʾ region of Syria, when men from Banū Lakhm attacked and killed him at a place called Mayfaʿah. (7) Allah knows best.

Al-Bāghandī reported—from Abū Saʿīd al-Ashajj, from Abū Muʿāwiya, from Hishām, from his father, from ʿĀʾishah—who said: