Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba 23:27

Abu Mu’awiyah narrated to us, from Dawud ibn Abi Hind, from Shahr ibn Hawshab, from al-Harith ibn ‘Umayr al-Zubaydi, who said: The plague occurred in al-Sham, so Mu’adh stood in Homs and addressed them. He said: "Indeed, this plague is a mercy from your Lord, the supplication of your Prophet (peace be upon him), and the death of the righteous before you. O Allah, allot to the family of Mu’adh their full share of it." When he descended from the pulpit, someone came to him and said: "Indeed, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu’adh has been afflicted." He said: "To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return." He then set out toward him. When ‘Abd al-Rahman saw him approaching, he said: "It is the truth from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters." He (Mu’adh) said: "O my son, you will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient." The family of Mu’adh died one by one until Mu’adh was the last of them. He was then afflicted. Al-Harith ibn ‘Umayr al-Zubaydi came to him, and Mu’adh fell into a faint. When Mu’adh regained consciousness, al-Harith was weeping. Mu’adh said: "What makes you weep?" He replied: "I weep for the knowledge that will be buried with you." He said: "If you are a seeker of knowledge, then by all means seek it from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, ‘Uwaymir Abu al-Darda’, and Salman al-Farisi. And beware of the slip of the scholar." He said: "I asked, 'How, may Allah rectify you, can I recognize it?'" He said: "Indeed, the truth has a light by which it is known." Mu’adh died, and al-Harith set out intending to find ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud in Kufa. He arrived at his door, where a group of ‘Abdullah’s companions were talking. The conversation flowed between them until they said: "O Syrian, are you a believer?" He said: "Yes." They said: "And are you from the people of Paradise?" He replied: "I have sins, and I do not know what Allah will do regarding them. If I knew that they had been forgiven, I would have informed you that I am from the people of Paradise." While they were like that, ‘Abdullah came out to them. They said to him: "Do you not wonder at this brother of ours, the Syrian? He claims he is a believer, and he claims he is from the people of Paradise." ‘Abdullah said: "If I had said one of them, I would have followed it with the other." Al-Harith said: "To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. May Allah bless Mu’adh." He (Ibn Mas’ud) said: "Woe to you, and who is Mu’adh?" He said: "Mu’adh ibn Jabal." He said: "And what did he say?" He said: "He said: 'Beware of the slip of the scholar.' I swear by Allah that this is a slip from you, O Ibn Mas’ud. Faith is only that we believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, Paradise, the Fire, the Resurrection, and the Balance; and that we have sins, and we do not know what Allah will do regarding them. If we knew that they had been forgiven, we would have said that we are from the people of Paradise." ‘Abdullah said: "You have spoken the truth. By Allah, if it were from me, it would have been a slip."