162—Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman informed us. He said: ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Baghawi informed us. He said: Muhammad ibn Ziyad narrated to us. He said: Abu Usamah narrated to us, from al-A‘mash, from al-Musayyib ibn Rafi‘, who said:

I heard Abu Mas‘ud, when he set out and stopped on the road to al-Qadisiyyah. We said, “Give us your counsel, for the people have fallen into tribulation, and we do not know whether we shall meet you again after today or not.”

He said, “Fear Allah and remain patient until a righteous man finds rest, or people are relieved of a wicked man. Hold fast to the congregation, for Allah will not unite His ummah upon misguidance.”