Muhammad ibn Miskin al-Yamami narrated to us, Yahya ibn Hassan narrated to us, Sulayman — and he is Ibn Bilal — narrated to us, from Sharik ibn Abi Namir, from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab: Abu Musa al-Ash'ari informed me that he performed ablution in his house, then went out and said, "I will surely stay with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and I will spend this day of mine with him."

He said: Then he came to the mosque and asked about the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. They said, "He has gone out, heading in this direction." He said: So I went out following his trail, asking about him, until he entered the well of Aris. He said: I sat at the door, and its door was made of palm branches, until the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, finished relieving himself and performed ablution. Then I stood up to go to him, and there he was, seated on the well of Aris, having positioned himself in the middle of its stone coping, uncovered his shins, and dangled his legs into the well.

He said: I greeted him with peace, then turned away and sat at the door, saying, "I will surely be the doorkeeper of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, today." Then Abu Bakr came and pushed the door. I said, "Who is this?" He said, "Abu Bakr." I said, "Wait a moment." He said: Then I went and said, "O Messenger of Allah, this is Abu Bakr seeking permission." He said, "Allow him in and give him glad tidings of Paradise." He said: So I went back until I said to Abu Bakr, "Enter, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gives you glad tidings of Paradise." He said: Abu Bakr entered and sat to the right of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, with him on the coping, dangling his legs into the well just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had done, and uncovering his shins.

Then I returned and sat down, having left my brother performing ablution to catch up with me. I said, "If Allah wills good for so-and-so" — meaning his brother — "He will bring him." Then suddenly a man was moving the door. I said, "Who is this?" He said, "Umar ibn al-Khattab." I said, "Wait a moment." Then I came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, greeted him with peace, and said, "This is Umar seeking permission." He said, "Allow him in and give him glad tidings of Paradise." So I came to Umar and said, "He has permitted you, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gives you glad tidings of Paradise." He said: He entered and sat with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on the coping, to his left, dangling his legs into the well.

Then I returned and sat down, saying, "If Allah wills good for so-and-so" — meaning his brother — "He will bring him." Then a man came and moved the door. I said, "Who is this?" He said, "Uthman ibn Affan." I said, "Wait a moment." He said: And I came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and informed him. He said, "Allow him in and give him glad tidings of Paradise, along with a trial that will befall him." He said: So I came and said, "Enter, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gives you glad tidings of Paradise, along with a trial that will befall you." He said: He entered and found the coping had been filled, so he sat facing them on the other side.

Sharik said: Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab said, "So I interpreted it as their graves."