Muwatta Malik
Book 16, Hadith 28
Arabic hadith text
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ كَانَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلاَنِ أَحَدُهُمَا يَلْحَدُ وَالآخَرُ لاَ يَلْحَدُ فَقَالُوا أَيُّهُمَا جَاءَ أَوَّلُ عَمِلَ عَمَلَهُ . فَجَاءَ الَّذِي يَلْحَدُ فَلَحَدَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Translation
Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa that hisfather said, "There were two men in Madina, one of whom dug graveswith a niche in the side wall for the body, and the other who did not,and they said, 'Whichever one comes first can do the job,' and the onewho dug graves with a niche came first and dug the Messenger ofAllah's grave, may Allah bless him and grant him peace."