and Ahmad (2/23, 40, 72, 140, and 143). In one narration, the wording is Ahmad’s, and likewise Muslim’s. In one of al-Bukhari’s two narrations: “While he was on the pulpit … pointing toward the east.” In the other: “He stood beside the pulpit and said …” In another narration recorded by Ahmad: “He performed the Fajr prayer, then faced the place where the sun rises and said …” Its chain of transmission is authentic.

In another narration recorded by Ahmad and Muslim, through ʿIkrimah ibn ʿAmmar, from Salim, the wording is: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came out of ʿAʾishah’s house and said: ‘The source of disbelief is from here …’” However, ʿIkrimah was weak with regard to his retention, so his reports cannot be relied upon when they contradict reliable narrators.

In another narration recorded by Ahmad, he said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gesturing with his hand in the direction of Iraq: ‘Behold, tribulation is here …’” the hadith in full. This is also a narration of Muslim. It is further corroborated by another narration of his through Ibn Fuḍayl, from his father, who said: I heard Salim ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar say: “O people of Iraq! How much you ask about minor matters, yet how readily you commit grave ones! I heard my father, ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar, say”—then he cited it as attributed to the Prophet.

The third route is from ʿAbd Allah ibn Dinar, from him. He said: I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, point toward the east and say—then he cited it—like Salim’s first narration, except that he repeated the statement twice. It was recorded by Malik (3/141–142), al-Bukhari (2/321 and 3/471), and Ahmad