It is narrated from Humaid bin Hilal, who narrates from a man of the tribe of Abdul Qais, who was initially with the Khawarij, then separated from them. It is narrated from him that the Khawarij entered a settlement, and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with him) came out of that settlement, dragging his cloak and appearing frightened. The Khawarij said to him: Do not worry, do not be afraid, nothing will be said to you. He said: By Allah, you people have indeed frightened me. The Khawarij said: Are you Abdullah, the son of Khabbab, the companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? He said: Yes. The Khawarij asked: Have you heard any hadith from your father, which he narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? Please narrate that hadith to us. Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Yes, I heard my father say, he narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he mentioned a tribulation, during which the one sitting is better than the one standing, the one standing is better than the one walking, and the one walking at a normal pace is better than the one running in the tribulation. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you encounter such circumstances, then become the slain servant of Allah. The student of Humaid, Ayyub, said: I am certain that Humaid bin Hilal further narrated that you should not become the killer servant of Allah. The Khawarij asked: Did you hear this hadith directly from your father, that he narrated it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Yes, absolutely. A member of Abdul Qais narrates that despite hearing this hadith, they took Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) to the bank of the river and beheaded him, and his blood flowed into the river water as if it were a shoelace (i.e., it did not dissolve in the water but flowed like a thread or lace in the water). And those oppressors also ripped open the belly of his slave woman.

Sulaiman, another student of Humaid bin Hilal, also narrated this hadith from him in the same manner. However, instead of the word "ma abdhara," he used the word "ma abdharaqa," though the meaning and sense of both are the same. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Do not become a servant killed by Allah Almighty.