2060 – ʿAbd Allah related to us; Ahmad ibn Ibrahim related to me; Muthanna ibn Muʿadh related to us; Bishr ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us; Salamah ibn ʿAlqamah, on the authority of Muhammad, who said:

Men were always eager to model themselves after ʿAmr ibn ʿUtbah. I once kept his company. One night he was inside a tent performing the prayer while his companion was praying outside it. Suddenly a lion appeared and crossed in front of ʿAmr’s companion, yet the man did not break off his prayer. The lion then approached the tent and lay down on ʿAmr’s leg. When ʿAmr moved to prostrate, it curled up in the very place where his forehead was to settle, so he prostrated upon it—or, the narrator said, he pushed it aside and then prostrated; Bishr was unsure which.

At daybreak ʿAmr’s companion entered and told him how the lion had passed in front of him and that he had not turned away, imagining he had done something noteworthy. ʿAmr thereupon showed him the mark the lion had left on his legs and informed him of all that had taken place.