“No one narrated it from Musa except Ibn Lahi‘ah.” I say: Remarkably, this statement of his is refuted by Ibn ‘Adi’s preceding statement and his narration, just as Ibn ‘Adi’s statement is refuted by al-Tabarani’s statement and his narration. Exalted is He whose knowledge encompasses all things.

Moreover, in my view, the hadith is good on account of the two routes taken together. It then rises to the rank of authentic through the hadith of Jabir—may Allah be pleased with him—attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, which is similar to it but more complete. Abu Dawud and others narrated it, and a number of scholars authenticated it. It is cited in Sahih Abi Dawud (963).

2584 — “O Allah, make Medina as beloved to us as Mecca—or even more so. Make it healthful, bless its sa‘ and mudd for us, and transfer its fever to al-Juhfah.”

Al-Bukhari narrated it (2/224–225, 4/264, 7/5 and 160), as did Muslim (4/119), Malik (3/87), Ibn Hibban (6/15/3716—al-Ihsan), and Ahmad (6/56, 65, 221–222, and 260), through ‘Urwah, from ‘A’ishah, who said: When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived in Medina, Abu Bakr and Bilal were stricken by fever. She said: I went in to see them and said, “My father, how are you feeling? Bilal, how are you feeling?” She said: Whenever Abu Bakr was overcome by fever, he would say:

“Every man awakens among his family, while death is nearer than the strap of his sandal.”

Whenever Bilal’s fever subsided, he would raise his voice and say—and in Ahmad’s version: