IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'EL IBN KATHIR 203'Ammzr b. Yasir came in, overloaded with bricks, and said, "0 Messenger of
God, they're killing me by loading me with what they wouldn't carry!"
Umm Salama said, "I saw the Messenger of God (SAAS) wipe his hand
through his long, thick hair - which was curly - and say, 'Alas, Ibn Sumayya, it's
not them king you but the evil gang who will!"'
This tradition is devoid of a link from this line; indeed it is problematic between
Muhammad b. Ishaq and Umm Salama. Muslim, in his ~ahih collection, joined it
back to a hadith of Shu'ba, from Khdid al-Hadhdha', from Sa'id and al-Hasan, that
is from the two sons of Abii al-Hasan of Bqra., from their mother Khayra, the
freed-woman of Umm Salama, from Umm Salama, who said, "The Messenger of
God (SAAS) stated, 'The evil gang will kill 'Am%.'" He also related it from a
hadith of Ihn 'Aliyya, from Ibn 'Awn, from al-Hasan, from his mother, from Umm
Salama, which reports that the Messenger of God (SAAS) said to 'Amma as he
was transporting rocks, "Alas for you, 0 Ibn Sumayya! The evil gang will kill you!"
'Abd al-Razzaq stated, "Ma'mar related to us, from al-Hasan, from his
mother, from Umm Salama, who said, 'While the Messenger of God (SAAS)
and his Companions were building the mosque, his men would carry the bricks
one at a time, while 'Ammar would carry two, one for himself and one for the
Prophet (SAAS). So the latter patted him on the back and said, 'Ibn Sumayya,
the others will get a reward, but you will receive two. And the last food for you
will be a drink of milk and the evil gang will kill you!"'
This chain of authorities is in accordance with the criteria established in both
fahih collections.
Al-Bayhaqi and others tell us, through a group, from =%lid al-Hadhdb, from
'Ikrima, from Aba Sa'id al-Khudari, who said, "While building the mosque we
would be carrying bricks one by one, while 'Amma would bear them two at a
time. The Prophet (SAAS) saw him and, while wiping the dust off hi said,
'Alas, poor 'Amma! The evil gang will kill him. He will invite them to paradise,
while they will invite hi to the fire!' 'Amma commented, 'I seek refuge with
God from strife!"'
Imm al-Ei&%i, however, related &is badiih from Tdiisaddad, from 9%:
alLCAziz b. al-Mukhtar, from Khalid al-Hadhdhd; and from Ibrahim b. Masa,
from 'Abd al-Wahhah al-Thaqafi, from Khalid alNadhdhz'. However, that
account does not mention his use of the words, "The evil gang will kill you!"
Al-Bayhaqi stated, "It is as if he left this out only due to what Muslim related
from one route, from Abn Nadra, from Ahii Sacid, who said, 'Someone better
than myself told me that the Messenger of God (SAAS) while setting about dig-
ging the khandaq, "the trench", wiped his head and said to 'Ammzr, "Alas for
Ibn Sumayya! An evil gang will kill him!"'"
Muslim also related this, from a hadith of Shu'ba, from Abii Muslim, from
Aba Nadra, from Abii Sa'id who said, "One of my betters, Aba Qatada, related
to me that the Messenger of God (SAAS) said to 'Amm% b. Yasir, 'Alas for you,
Ibn Sumayya! The evil gang will ki you!"'