Regarding this hadith, al-Haythami said (9/187): “It was narrated by Ahmad, Abu Yaʿla, al-Bazzar, and al-Tabarani. Its transmitters are trustworthy, and Nujayy was not alone in narrating it.”

I say: That is, it has corroborating reports that strengthen it, and this is indeed so.

1 — ʿUmarah ibn Zadhan narrated: Thabit related to us, from Anas, who said: “The angel of rain sought his Lord’s permission to visit the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he granted him permission. It was Umm Salamah’s day ... While she was at the door, al-Husayn ibn ʿAli entered ... and began climbing onto the Prophet’s back, peace and blessings be upon him, while the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, covered him with kisses. The angel said to him, ‘Do you love him?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Indeed, your community will kill him. If you wish, I can show you the place where he will be killed.’ He said, ‘Yes.’ So he took a handful from the place where he would be killed and showed it to him. It was soft earth, or red soil. Umm Salamah took it and placed it in her garment.” Thabit said: “We used to say that it was Karbala.”

Ahmad recorded it (3/242 and 265), as did Ibn Hibban (2241) and Abu Nuʿaym in al-Dalaʾil (202).

I say: Its transmitters are trustworthy apart from this ʿUmarah. Al-Hafiz said: “Truthful, but makes many mistakes.” Al-Haythami said: “It was narrated by Ahmad, Abu Yaʿla, al-Bazzar, and al-Tabarani through several chains, which include ʿUmarah ibn Zadhan. A group declared him trustworthy, but he has weakness. The remaining transmitters in Abu Yaʿla’s chain are narrators of the Sahih.”

2 — Muhammad ibn Musʿab narrated: al-Awzaʿi related to us, from Abu ʿAmmar Shaddad ibn ʿAbd Allah, from Umm al-Fadl bint al-Harith, that she entered upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, one day and placed him—that is, al-Husayn—in his lap. Then I happened to glance at him, and his eyes were pouring forth tears. She said: I asked, “O Prophet of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, what is the matter?” He said: “Gabriel came to me and informed me that my community will kill this son of mine.” I asked, “This one?” He replied, “Yes. He also brought me red soil from the land where he will be killed.”

Al-Hakim recorded it (3/176 and 177) and said: “Authentic according to the criteria of the two Shaykhs!” Al-Dhahabi refuted him, saying: “Rather, it is interrupted and weak, for Shaddad did not live to meet Umm al-Fadl, and Muhammad ibn Musʿab is weak.”

3 — ʿAbd Allah ibn Saʿid narrated from his father, from ʿAʾishah or Umm Salamah—ʿAbd Allah ibn Saʿid was uncertain—that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to one of them: “An angel entered my house who had never entered it before. He said to me: ‘This son of yours, Husayn, will be killed. If you wish, I can show you some of the soil of the land in which he will be killed.’” He then brought out red soil.