Al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAzīz al-Qaṭṭān al-Marwazī related to us. He said: ʿAlī ibn Sulaymān al-Rāzī related to us. He said: Ḥakīm ibn Zayd, judge of Amul, related to us. He said: I asked Abū Ḥanīfa about faith. He replied: “ʿAlqama ibn Marthad related to us, from Yaḥyā ibn Yaʿmar, who said: While we were in the mosque of the Messenger, God bless him and grant him peace, we saw Ibn ʿUmar, God be pleased with them both, sitting at one side. I said to my companion: ‘Would you like to go to Ibn ʿUmar and ask him about divine decree?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ I said: ‘Let me be the one to ask him, for I am gentler with him than you.’ We went to him and sat with him for a long time. I said: ‘Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, we are people who travel through these lands. Sometimes we arrive in a town and meet people who say there is no divine decree.’ He said: ‘Tell them that I am free of them.’ He said: ‘If I found supporters, I would fight them.’ He then began relating to us, saying: ‘By God, while I was sitting with the Messenger of God, God bless him and grant him peace, among some of his companions, a handsome young man approached, with fine hair, a pleasant fragrance and white clothes. He said: “Peace be upon you, Messenger of God! Peace be upon you all!” The Prophet, God bless him and grant him peace, returned his greeting, and so did we. He then asked: “May I come closer, Messenger of God?” He replied: “Come closer.” He came closer by a step or two, then said: “Tell me about faith.” He replied: “Faith is [to believe] in God, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day and divine decree, its good and its evil being from God.” He said: “You have spoken truly.” We marvelled at his saying “You have spoken truly,” as though he knew. He said: “Tell me what the prescribed observances of Islam are.” He replied: “Establishing prayer, giving zakat, making pilgrimage to the House, fasting Ramadan and washing from major ritual impurity.” He said: “You have spoken truly,” and we marvelled at his saying “You have spoken truly.” He said: “Tell us what excellence is.” He replied: “Excellence is to act for God as though you see Him; if you do not see Him, He sees you.” He said: “You have spoken truly.” He asked: “Tell me when the Hour will come.” He replied: “The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner.” He said: “You have spoken truly.” He then departed while we watched him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Bring me the man.” We rose and followed him, but did not know where he had gone. We mentioned this to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and he said: “This is Gabriel. He came to you to teach you the features of your religion. He has never come to me in a form without my recognising him in it, except this form.”’”
The attribution to Ibn ʿUmar, the five observances listed here, and the wording “act for God” are retained as printed; familiar parallel versions are not substituted.