In his work Hevatifü'l-Cann, Ḥāfiẓ Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar b. Sahl al-Ḥarāʾiṭī relates from ʿUbāda b. Ṣāmit as follows: When the delegation of Iyād came to the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), he asked them:
– O people of Iyād! What is Kuss b. Saʿīda doing?
– He has died, O Messenger of God.
– One day, I saw him at the ʿUkāẓ fair, mounted on a red camel. He was uttering radiant and beautiful words. But now I cannot recall those words.
– (A Bedouin from the back rows of the group stood up and spoke:) I remember the words he spoke that day, O Messenger of God.
Upon hearing this, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) was pleased. The man said: O Messenger of God, Kuss gave a speech that day as follows: "O people! Come, listen. Know that those who have gone, have gone. Those who are to come, will surely come. The night is dark. There are constellations in the sky. The sea is stormy and tumultuous. The stars shine forth. The mountains give strength to the earth. The rivers flow on. There is news in the sky, and a lesson on the earth. I see that people go, but do not return. Did they settle there willingly, or were they left to themselves and fell asleep? Kuss swears by Allah, with an oath in which there is no doubt, that Allah has a religion. And He prefers it over your present religion.
"In the first generations that have gone, there are lessons for us.
I have seen the roads that lead to death, but,
I have never seen a road that returns from death.
I have seen all my people, great and small, go to death,
He who goes to death passes on, he does not come to you.
Nor does the one who remains on the other side ever return to you.
I have come to understand with certainty that,
I too will go to where my people have gone."
Al-Ṭabarānī transmits this event in a different form in his work al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr, relating from Ibn ʿAbbās: "The delegation of ʿAbd al-Qays came to the Prophet. The Prophet asked them: 'Which of you knows Kuss b. Saʿīda al-Iyādī?' They replied, 'We all know him, O Messenger of God.' When he asked, 'What is he doing?' they said, 'I saw him at the ʿUkāẓ fair, mounted on a red camel. He was addressing the people, saying: "O people! Gather, listen, and pay heed. The living die. The dead depart. All that is to come, will come. There is news in the sky and lessons on the earth. The earth is spread out like a carpet, the sky raised like a roof. The stars shimmer and shine. The waters of the seas do not run dry. Kuss swears truthfully that if there is contentment in this matter, its end will be anger. Surely, Allah has a religion which, compared to your religion, is more pleasing to Him. I see that people go, but do not return. Did they settle there willingly and so remained, or were they left to themselves and fell asleep?"'
After this address of Kuss was recounted, the Prophet asked: 'Is there anyone among you who can recite Kuss's poetry to us?' One of those present began to recite his poem:
"In the first generations that have gone, there are lessons for us. I have seen the roads that lead to death, but never, Have I seen a road that returns from death. I have seen all my people, great and small, go to death. He who goes to death passes on, he does not come to you.
Nor does the one who remains on the other side ever return to you. I have come to understand with certainty that, I too will go to where my people have gone."
Muḥammad b. Isḥāq relates from Ḥasan, son of al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī: Jārūd b. Muʿallā b. Ḥanash b. Muʿallā al-ʿAbdī was a Christian. He knew how to interpret and explain the scriptures well. He was knowledgeable about the customs and sayings of the Persians. He was deeply learned in medicine and philosophy, his refinement and genius were evident, his beauty flawless, and he was a man of wealth and property. Elderly, cultured, eloquent, and a master of bayān (clear exposition), ḥujja (proof), and burhān (demonstration), he came with the delegation of ʿAbd al-Qays to the Prophet. When he entered the blessed presence, he stood before him, gestured with his hand, and began to recite this poem:
"O Prophet of hudā (guidance), those who have come to you,
Have crossed deserts and mirages to reach you.
They traversed the plains with love to come to you.
They endured countless hardships on your path,
The dark steeds you could hardly bear to look upon,
Our camels hastened ever faster.
With bridled mouths, wild and shining like stars,
Bright horses covered this distance.
These great and fearsome ones who strike fear in hearts,
Seek to ward off the severity of the day.
They increase the numbers of human communities.
They break away from those who persist in error.
They turn to a light, a burhān (demonstration), and a blessing from Allah,
Which is sought and desired.
O son of Āmina! Allah has singled you out for goodness.
The rains of goodness pour down upon you in torrents.
O Allah's ḥujja (proof), do not be like the bewildered who are left behind,
Take your share of that goodness in abundance."
After reciting this poem, the Prophet seated him beside him and said: "O Jārūd! You and your people have missed the appointed time." Jārūd replied: "May my mother and father be your ransom. Whoever is left behind from you has missed his share, and that is a great loss and a severe punishment. I am not one who, having seen and heard you, would follow anyone else. As you know, I belong to a religion. I have come to you to leave that religion and enter yours. Will this act of mine not erase my loss, my sin and guilt, and make my Lord pleased with me?" The Prophet said to him: "I guarantee this for you. Now sincerely affirm the tawḥid (the oneness of God) of Allah and renounce Christianity." Jārūd said: "May my mother and father be your ransom, extend your hand. I testify that there is no god but Allah, He is One and has no partner.
I testify that you are His servant and Messenger, Muḥammad." His people who were with him also became Muslim. The Prophet rejoiced at their acceptance of Islam, honored and delighted them. Then he turned to them and asked: "Is there anyone among you who knows Kuss b. Saʿīda al-Iyādī?" Jārūd replied: "May my mother and father be your ransom. We all know him. Among these, I am the one who knows his situation and story best. O Messenger of God, Kuss is from the Arab tribes. He lived for 600 years. From him, five generations descended, some in the deserts, some in the mountains. He would liken the heavens to the Messiah. He would not stay in any place, nor settle in any house, nor could any neighbor benefit from him—for he never stayed long in one place.
He wore garments woven from hair and sat upon mats. He never ceased from worship and asceticism. On his journeys, he would drink ostrich eggs, befriend wild beasts, hide in darkness, observe and take heed, reflect and gain experience. Because of these qualities, he became proverbial. People would beseech Allah for relief from calamities by his merit. He reached the rank of Simon, the chief of the disciples. He was the first Arab to devote himself to piety and tawḥid. He affirmed Allah's existence with his heart and performed his worship, believed with certainty in resurrection and reckoning after death, warned people against ruining their fate and afterlife, advised them to do righteous deeds without delay, reminded them that death is inevitable, submitted to divine decree (qadar) in sorrow and joy, visited graves and remembered the afterlife, composed poetry, reflected on destiny, gave news of the heavens and the propagation of creatures, described the stars and discovered water, recounted the marvels of the seas and knew their wonders, addressed people as a horseman, constantly preached, warned against anger and wrath, sent letters describing all that is fearful, used stern expressions in his speeches, wrote his writings in a clarifying style, warned of the calamities of time, cautioned against burdens and heaviness, explained the importance of matters, distanced himself from kufr (disbelief), inclined to the ḥanīf religion and encouraged others to enter it, and invited people to the divine realm and piety.
One day at the ʿUkāẓ fair he gave the following speech:
"East, west... orphanhood, community... War, peace... wet, dry... Sweet, salty... Suns, moons, winds, rains... Night, day... Females, males... Lands, seas... Grains, plants... Fathers, mothers... Communities, dispersions... Successive signs... Light, darkness... Existence, nonexistence... Lord and idols... The people have gone astray... The one who multiplies and is born... The one who is buried alive and perishes... Upbringing, cut down and gone... Rich and poor... Good and evil... Woe to the heedless... Let the worker do his work well... Let the one with ambition not pursue his ambition... Goodness—Allah is One. He has not begotten nor was He begotten. He is the First Creator and the Last Creator, the One who causes death and then brings to life. He is the Creator of male and female. He is the Lord of this world and the Hereafter.
Now, O people of Iyād! Where are the peoples of ʿĀd and Thamūd? Where are the fathers and grandfathers? Where are the sick and the elderly? All had an appointed end. Kuss swears by the Lord of the servants, the One who spread out the earth like a carpet, that on the day when the trumpet is blown, the people are summoned, the earth is illuminated, the admonisher gives counsel, the one who despairs of mercy is cast aside, the one who reflects on the truth sees the reality, you will all be resurrected one by one. Woe on that day to the one who strays from the manifest truth, the radiant light, the greatest goal; on the day when the mighty Allah decrees, the warner Muḥammad (peace be upon him) is present, there is no helper, the scales of justice are set up, faults are exposed, a group enters Paradise, and a group enters the blazing fire!"
Kuss b. Saʿīda also said in a poem:
"With excessive longing, the heart swore to it.
It remembered the nights that had days among them.
From the clouds poured down torrential rain,
Among its drops was fire.
The light of the fire dazzled the eyes.
The flash of lightning flew before the eyes.
In strong palaces there was goodness.
The others were desolate and empty.
The mountains are what hold the earth in place.
The waters of the seas are vast.
The stars shine in the darkness of night,
We see them revolve every day.
Then the sun is incited by the moon of the night.
All follow one another swiftly.
Everything, great and small, mixed together,
One day enters the earth and becomes a grave.
Even the predictions of unwavering hearts,
Cannot grasp many things, they are powerless.
For those who see the truth and take heed,
What I have said points to the path to Allah."
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: "Even if I forget other things, I do not forget these words of Kuss, which he spoke to the people at the ʿUkāẓ fair, mounted on a red camel: 'Gather, listen. When you listen, understand. When you understand, benefit. Speak. When you speak, speak the truth. The living die. The dead depart. All that is to come, will come. Rain, plants, the living and the dead. The night is dark, there are constellations in the heavens. The stars shine, the seas overflow. Light and darkness, night and day, good and evil. There is news in the sky and a lesson on the earth. Those whose qalb (the heart) is open are amazed by this. The earth is spread out like a carpet. The sky is raised like a roof. The stars set, but the seas do not. Death is near. Time betrays, sharp as the tip of a lancet, precise as the scales of justice. Kuss swears, without mixing his oath with sin or doubt, that if there is contentment in this matter, anger will follow!...
O people! Allah has a religion which, in His sight, is far more acceptable and beloved than the religion you are now in. And the time of that religion has come. What is happening? I see that some people go, but do not return. Did they settle there willingly and so remained? Or were they left to themselves and fell asleep?"
After saying this, the Prophet turned to some of his Companions (ṣaḥāba) and asked: "Is there anyone who can recite Kuss's poetry to us?" Abū Bakr, who was present, said: "May my mother and father be your ransom, O Messenger of God. On the day the ʿUkāẓ fair was held, I heard him say:
"In the first generations that have gone, there are lessons for us. I have seen the roads that lead to death, but, I have never seen a road that returns from death. I have seen all my people, great and small, go to death. He who goes to death passes on, he does not come to you. Nor does the one who remains on the other side ever return to you. I have come to understand with certainty that, I too will go to where my people have gone."
A tall, broad-shouldered man from the ʿAbd al-Qays delegation stood up and said: "May my mother and father be your ransom, O Messenger of God. I too saw something strange and wondrous in Kuss." The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) asked: "What did you see, O brother from ʿAbd al-Qays?" The man replied: In my youth, I set out on a journey. Four of the camels in my caravan ran off. They entered a desert with stones, thorns, grass, and wild caper trees, where ostriches roamed. I pursued them. Eventually, I reached a hill. At the foot of the hill, I saw a tree laden with fresh caper berries, its branches trailing to the ground. Beneath the tree, I saw Kuss b. Saʿīda standing. He held a whip in his hand. I approached him and greeted him, saying, "Good morning." He replied, "Good morning to you." Many wild animals were coming to drink at the spring beside Kuss. If any animal tried to drink out of turn, Kuss would strike it with his whip and make it wait its turn. As he struck, he would say: "Be patient a little, wait until your companion has drunk." I was very frightened by this scene. He said to me, "Do not be afraid." Then I saw: there were two graves there, and between them a mosque. I asked, "What are these two graves?" He replied, "Those buried here were brothers. Both worshipped Allah here. I too will worship Allah here between their graves until I die and join them." I suggested to him: "Would it not be better if you returned to your people, joined them in their good deeds, and opposed them in their bad deeds, thus warning them?" He replied: "May his mother perish... Do you not know that the descendants of Ismāʿīl abandoned the religion of their fathers and followed other, contrary things, exalting and glorifying the partners they associated with Allah?" After saying this, he turned to the two graves and began to recite this poem:
"My friends, awake, you have slept too long.
Does your labor and effort not pay your rent?
Is it because you have slept so long that you do not answer the one who calls you,
The one who calls and cries out to you,
Is like the one who waters your field.
Do you not know that I alone have come from Najrān?
I have no friend but you.
I stand by your graves, and I,
Will never leave here,
As long as the nights turn, or until I hear your voices...
Is it because you have wounded the heart of your lover all his life,
That he always weeps for you?
If one could give himself for another,
I would spend myself and give my life for you!
Death and you, both, are for my soul,
The closest goal; I wish to come to your grave."
After hearing this poem, the Prophet said: "May Allah have mercy on Kuss. But on the Day of Resurrection, he will be raised as a single umma."
Al-Bayhaqī and Ibn ʿAsākir also transmit this ḥadith with a different chain from ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās. According to this, Jārūd b. ʿAbdullāh came to the Prophet in Medina and recounted the same words as in the above narration, adding many details in both prose and verse. Among what he related was the following, spoken by a man who lost his camel and went in search of it: I spent the night in a valley. I could have died there, I was in fear. I had nothing to rely on but my sword. I watched the stars and glanced into the darkness. When the night ended and dawn began to break, a voice came from an unseen place. The owner of the voice said:
"O you who seek refuge in the hot night, Allah has sent a prophet in the Ḥaram. He is a Hāshimite, loyal and generous. He is the one who opens darkness and ambiguities."
I looked around, but saw no one and heard no sound from anywhere. Then I replied to the owner of the voice:
"O you who call out in the darkness of night, Welcome, you have come in peace. For you have inspired me, You have spoken well and beautifully, explain further, may Allah grant you hudā (guidance). What you invite to is like a prize. It is precious and sought after."
After I completed this poem, I again heard the voice, saying: "The light has arisen. Falsehood has perished. Allah has sent Muḥammad, crowned, helmeted, with arched brows and hazel eyes, as a prophet to a noble and stern people. He has a red camel. He testifies that there is no god but Allah. He is a prophet to all who dwell in the plains and mountains, black and white alike." After this, he began to recite this poem:
"Praise be to Allah, who did not create the creatures in vain. After Jesus, He did not leave us neglected for even a day. He sent us Aḥmad, the best of the messengers. May Allah have mercy on him as long as caravans go to the ḥajj."
This narration also includes the following poem of Kuss b. Saʿīda:
"O you who give news of death and the dead in the grave! There are holes in the remnants of their garments. Leave them to themselves, for one day they will be called. When they awaken from sleep, their minds will return. After death, they will be recreated as before. Some of them will be naked, some clothed, Some will have new garments, some old."
According to another variant of this ḥadith, Ibn ʿAbbās recited this event and the aforementioned poem, and said: "They found this poem inscribed by his grave:
"O you who give news of death and the dead in the grave!
There are holes in the remnants of their garments.
Leave them to themselves, for one day they will be called.
They will be awakened from sleep like the fainted.
Some of those dead will be naked, some clothed.
Some will have new garments, some old and faded."
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: "By Allah who sent me with the truth, Kuss believed in resurrection after death."
Al-Bayhaqī relates from Anas b. Mālik: The delegation of Iyād came to the Prophet. The Messenger of God asked them: "What is Kuss b. Saʿīda doing?" They replied, "He has passed away!" The Prophet said: "I once heard him give a speech, but now I cannot recall his words." Some of those present said: "We remember, O Messenger of God!" The Prophet said: "Then go ahead and recite." The spokesman of the delegation began to speak: Kuss once gave the following address at the ʿUkāẓ fair:
"O people! Listen, pay heed, and reflect. Every living being dies. Every dead departs. All that is to come, will come. The night is dark. There are constellations in the sky. The stars shine. The seas overflow. The mountains pin the earth. The rivers flow. Surely, there is news in the sky and lessons on the earth. I see that people die and go, and never return. Did they settle there willingly and so remained, or were they left to themselves and fell asleep? Kuss swears by Allah, with an oath in which there is no sin, that Allah has a religion. And that religion, compared to your religion, is more beloved and acceptable to Him." After this, Kuss began to recite this poem:
"In the first generations that have gone, there are lessons for us. I have seen the roads that lead to death, but, I have never seen a road that returns from death. I have seen all my people, great and small, go to death. He who goes to death passes on, he does not come to you. Nor does the one who remains on the other side ever return to you. I have come to understand with certainty that, I too will go to where my people have gone."