Musnad Ahmad 374, 375

Abu Nu‘aym narrated to us; Sufyan narrated to us, from ‘Alqamah ibn Marthad, from Sulayman ibn Buraydah, from Ibn Ya‘mar, who said: I said to Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, ‘We travel through distant lands and meet people who say, “There is no divine decree.”’ Ibn ‘Umar said, ‘When you meet them, tell them that ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar disavows them and that they disavow him,’ three times. Then he began to narrate: We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when a man came. He described his appearance and said: The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Come closer.’ He came closer. He said, ‘Come closer.’ He came closer. He said, ‘Come closer,’ until the man’s knees nearly touched his. He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, tell me about faith.’ He replied, ‘Believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, the Last Day, and believe in divine decree.’ Sufyan said, ‘I think he said: its good and its evil.’ He said, ‘What is Islam?’ He replied, ‘Establish prayer, give zakah, make pilgrimage to the House, fast the month of Ramadan, and perform ghusl after major ritual impurity.’ The man said each time, ‘You have spoken truthfully.’ The people said, ‘We have never seen anyone show greater reverence toward the Messenger of Allah than this man—as though he were teaching the Messenger of Allah.’ Then he said, ‘Messenger of Allah, tell me about excellence in worship.’ He replied, ‘That you worship Allah—or worship Him—as if you see Him; and if you do not see Him, then He sees you.’ The people again said that they had never seen anyone show greater reverence toward the Messenger of Allah; the man said, ‘You have spoken truthfully.’ He said, ‘Tell me about the Hour.’ He replied, ‘The one asked about it knows no more than the one asking.’ He said, ‘You have spoken truthfully,’ several times. The people said again that no one showed greater reverence toward the Messenger of Allah than this man. Then he turned away. Sufyan said: It reached me that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Seek him,’ but they did not find him. He said, ‘That was Gabriel, who came to teach you your religion. He had never come to me in any form that I failed to recognize, except this form.’ Abu Ahmad narrated to us; Sufyan narrated to us, from ‘Alqamah ibn Marthad, from Sulayman ibn Buraydah, from Ibn Ya‘mar, who said: I asked Ibn ‘Umar—or a man asked him—‘We travel through this land and meet people who say, “There is no divine decree.”’ Ibn ‘Umar said, ‘When you meet those people, tell them that ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar disavows them and they disavow him.’ He said it three times. Then he began relating to us: We were with the Messenger of Allah when a man came and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, may I come closer?’ He said, ‘Come closer.’ The man came a short distance closer. He again said, ‘Messenger of Allah, may I come closer?’ He said, ‘Come closer.’ The man came a short distance closer. He again asked, and the Prophet again said, ‘Come closer.’ The man came a short distance closer, until his knees nearly touched the knee of the Messenger of Allah. He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, what is faith?’—and he related a similar report.’