163—Ahmad ibn ‘Ubayd informed us. He said: ‘Ali ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Mubashshir informed us. He said: Ahmad ibn Sinan narrated to us. He said: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi narrated to us, from Mahdi ibn Maymun, from Wasil al-Ahdab, from Abu Wa’il, from Abu Mas‘ud al-Badri, who said:
His companions went out with him to see him off until they reached al-Qadisiyyah. When they were about to part from him, they said, “May Allah have mercy on you. You ⦗123⦘ have seen good and witnessed good; narrate to us a hadith by which Allah may benefit us.”
He said, “Yes, I saw good and witnessed good. Yet I fear that I have been kept alive until this time for an evil intended for me. So fear Allah and hold fast to the congregation, for Allah will never unite the ummah of Muhammad upon misguidance. Remain patient until a righteous man finds rest, or people are relieved of a wicked man.”