It is narrated from Murrah al-Bahzi (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tribulations will appear on the earth like the horns of cattle (pointed and entangled)." Meanwhile a man passed by with his head covered, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This man will be on the truth on that day." I got up and went to him, took hold of his garment and said: O Messenger of Allah! Is this the man? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes, this is he." I looked, and it was Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.

It is narrated from Abu Habibah that he entered the house of Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was besieged, and he heard Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) ask Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) for permission to speak. He gave him permission, so he stood up and, after praising and extolling Allah, said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "After me you will meet tribulation and discord" - or he said: "discord and tribulation." Someone asked: O Messenger of Allah! What do you command us? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Hold fast to the Amir and his companions." And he (Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him) was pointing by this to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ruwayfi' bin Thabit al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that dry and fresh dates were presented to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Companions ate them until nothing remained except the stones and the leftovers in which there was no good. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know what this is? The better ones among you will depart one after another, until none will remain among you except people like these (in whom there is no good)." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs did not record it, and its authentic supporting narration (shahid) is the narration of Abu Humayd al-Ta'ini.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You will be picked out (through tribulations) just as good dates are picked out from a large bowl. Your best people will depart and the bad ones will remain; so if you are able, embrace death (to escape the tribulations)." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You will be picked out (in trials) just as good dates are picked out from a bowl. Your best people will depart and the bad ones will remain, until those will remain who have no worth at all with Allah; so if you are able, embrace death."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Soon a time will come when people will be sifted just as grain is sifted, and only the worthless and base people will remain, whose covenants and trusts will have become corrupted, and they will become like this (because of discord)" - and he (peace and blessings be upon him) interlaced his fingers to show it. The Companions said: O Messenger of Allah! Then what do you command us? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Adopt what you recognise (as right) and leave what you disapprove of; attend to your own particular (personal and close) affairs and leave the affairs of the general public." Sa'id bin Mansur said: "Huthalat al-nas" means the base people, and the meaning of "marijat 'uhuduhum" is that they will not honour their covenants. This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.