1529 – ʿAbd Allah transmitted to us; Abu ʿAbd Allah al-Azdi transmitted to us; Saʿid ibn ʿAmir transmitted to us, from his grandfather Asmāʾ ibn ʿAbd, from al-Hasan, who said:

“There was a Muslim man who, whenever news reached him that one of his brothers had died, would say, ‘Innā lillāhi wa-innā ilayhi rājiʿūn (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we shall return); by Allah, I very nearly became that dark form just seized away!’ Because of that, Allah would grant him still greater seriousness and exertion, and he would remain in that state for as long as Allah willed. Then, when the death of another brother reached him, he would again say, ‘Innā lillāhi wa-innā ilayhi rājiʿūn; by Allah, I very nearly became that dark form just seized away!’ and Allah would increase him yet further in earnestness and striving.

Al-Hasan repeated this account more than once and, by Allah, he remained thus until he died a prudent, clear-sighted death.”