for it comes when his deeds cease?” He then cited the report, attributing it to the Prophet. The wording is that of Abū Ghurzah.

He then narrated it by way of Layth: “ʿUthmān narrated to me from Zādhān,” with the same wording, except that ʿAlīm is omitted from its chain of transmission. Al-Bukhārī also recorded it in al-Tārīkh al-Kabīr (4/1/80), in suspended form, through both routes.

I say: Both are weak. Abū al-Yaqẓān—whose name was ʿUthmān ibn ʿUmayr—was described by Ibn Ḥajar as: “Weak; he became confused in later life and practised tadlīs.” The first route also contains Sharīk, namely Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Qāḍī, and the other contains Layth, namely Layth ibn Abī Sulaym; both are weak.

However, the hadith is authentic. Al-Ṭabarānī and Ibn Shāhīn narrated it through Mūsā al-Juhanī, from Zādhān, who said: “I was with a man from among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ named ʿĀbis …” and he related it in similar terms. Abū Bakr ibn ʿAlī likewise narrated it through this route with similar wording, as cited in al-Iṣābah.

It is further supported by the hadith of al-Naḥḥās ibn Quhm Abū al-Khaṭṭāb, from Shaddād Abū ʿAmmār al-Shāmī, who said: ʿAwf ibn Mālik said, “O plague, take me to you!” They said, “Have you not heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘Whatever lifespan a Muslim is granted is better for him’?” He replied, “Yes, but I fear six things …” Then he mentioned them. Aḥmad recorded it (6/22, 23). This al-Naḥḥās is weak.

There is also the hadith of Jamīl ibn ʿUbayd al-Ṭāʾī: Abū al-Muʿallā narrated to us—from al-Ḥasan—that al-Ḥakam ibn ʿAmr al-Ghifārī said, “O plague, take me to you!” The hadith is similar in meaning. Al-Ṭabarānī recorded it in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr (1/324/1–2), as did al-Ḥākim (3/443), whose version contains the additional wording. Neither he nor al-Dhahabī commented on it.