al-Awsat; its narrators are among those of the two Sahihs, apart from Muhtasib. Through Abu Ya‘la’s chain from Anas, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Blessedness is for the one who saw me and believed in me; and blessedness—seven times over—is for the one who believed in me without seeing me.” Ahmad narrated it. Abu Ya‘la’s chain, as stated above, is good, whereas Ahmad’s chain contains Jisr, who is weak.”

I say: Its documentation with this wording, along with corroborating reports—some of them authentic—has already preceded under no. 1241. Refer to it if you wish.

2889 — “Whenever he retired to his bed, he would lie on his right side and then say: ‘O Allah, I have submitted myself to You, turned my face toward You, entrusted my affairs to You, and placed my back in reliance upon You, in hope of You and fear of You. There is no refuge and no escape from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have sent down and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.’” He said: “Whoever says these words and then dies that night dies upon the innate disposition.”

Al-Bukhari recorded it in his Sahih (11/115/6315) and in al-Adab al-Mufrad (1213). Through his chain, al-Baghawi also recorded it in Sharh al-Sunnah (5/102/1316): Musaddad narrated to us; Abd al-Wahid ibn Ziyad narrated to us; al-Ala ibn al-Musayyib narrated to us, saying: My father narrated to me from al-Bara ibn Azib, who then related it. Al-Baghawi said: “Its authenticity is agreed upon.” That is what he said, but it is open to question, since by this he normally means that the two Shaykhs recorded it! Muslim did not record it.