1582 — “What I fear most for my ummah is leaders who lead people astray.”
It has been reported from ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, Abū al-Dardāʾ, Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī, Thawbān—the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him—Shaddād ibn Aws, and ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib.
- As for the hadith of ʿUmar, it is narrated by Ṣafwān ibn ʿAmr, from Abū al-Mukhāriq Zuhayr ibn Sālim, from Kaʿb, from ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said the above. Kaʿb said: “By Allah, I fear nothing for this ummah but them.” Abū Nuʿaym recorded it in al-Ḥilyah (6/46) and said: “It is singular among Kaʿb’s narrations; Ṣafwān alone transmitted it.”
I say: He is trustworthy, and Muslim relied on his reports. Regarding Zuhayr ibn Sālim, al-Ḥāfiẓ said: “Truthful, though he has some weakness.”
I say: Thus, the chain is good, Allah willing, and it is unquestionably authentic in light of what follows. Aḥmad also recorded it (1/42): ʿAbd al-Quddūs ibn al-Ḥajjāj narrated to us: Ṣafwān narrated to us; Abū al-Mukhāriq Zuhayr ibn Sālim narrated to me that ʿUmayr ibn Saʿd al-Anṣārī had been appointed governor of Homs by ʿUmar. He then related the hadith. ʿUmar said—to Kaʿb—“I am asking you about something, so do not conceal it from me.” He replied, “By Allah, I shall not conceal from you anything that I know.” He said, “What do you fear most for Muhammad’s ummah?” He replied, “Leaders who lead people astray.” ʿUmar said, “You have spoken the truth. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, confided this to me and informed me of it.”
- As for the hadith of Abū al-Dardāʾ, it is narrated by a brother of ʿAdī ibn Arṭāh, from a man, from him, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, charged us ...” He then cited it with the wording of the heading. Aḥmad recorded it (6/441).