1157 — “Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.”

Al-Bukhari recorded it (11/195) through the route of al-A‘mash: “Mujahid told me, from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, took hold of my shoulders and said...” Then he cited it.

Al-‘Uqayli criticized this chain of transmission and rejected the wording, “Mujahid told me,” saying: “Al-A‘mash narrated it only with the wording, ‘from Mujahid’; this is how al-A‘mash’s companions narrated it from him.”

I say: This is supported by the fact that Imam Ahmad narrated it (2/24) from Sufyan—that is, al-Thawri—and (2/41) from Abu Mu‘awiyah, both from Layth, from Mujahid, with this wording. Ibn ‘Adi also recorded it in al-Kamil (73/2 and 152/2) through the route of Hammad ibn Shu‘ayb, from Abu Yahya al-Qattat, from Mujahid. Al-Hafiz said: “Layth and Abu Yahya are weak; reliance is upon the route of al-A‘mash.” Thus, he paid no heed to al-‘Uqayli’s criticism.

In any case, the hadith is authentic, for it has another route meeting the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim, with the wording: “Worship Allah as though you see Him.” It will appear under no. 1473.

Al-Bukhari records its complete wording: Ibn ‘Umar would say, “When evening comes, do not expect to reach the morning; and when morning comes, do not expect to reach the evening. Take from your health for your illness, and from your life for your death.”

Abu Nu‘aym also narrated it in full in al-Hilyah (3/301), through another route from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Tufawi, the teacher of al-Bukhari’s teacher, from al-A‘mash, from Mujahid, with this wording. He then said: “This is an authentic hadith, reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim, from the narration of al-A‘mash. Layth ibn Abi Sulaym also narrated it from Mujahid.”

I say: In Layth’s narration, Ibn ‘Umar’s statement, “When evening comes...,” is attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. See: “O Ibn ‘Umar, when you rise in the morning...” It also contains an addition to the hadith cited here: “Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer, and consider yourself among the inhabitants of the graves.”

Ahmad recorded it, as mentioned above, as did al-Tirmidhi in the chapter on asceticism and Abu Nu‘aym (1/312 and 313). The latter two sources contain a continuation; see: “O Ibn ‘Umar.” I then found a supporting report for the addition concerning the graves, in the hadith of ‘Ali ibn Zayd: Someone who heard Abu Hurayrah told me that he said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: