Hadith No: 5
Ahmed ibn Hanbal - Musnad al-Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
First Musnad of the Kufans - Hadith of Zayd ibn Arqam (ra)
Volume: (4) - Page Number: (367)
18780 - Narrated to us by Isma'il ibn Ibrahim, from Abi Hayyan al-Taimi, who said: Yazid ibn Hayyan al-Taimi narrated to me, saying: I, and Husayn ibn Sabra, and Umar ibn Muslim went to Zayd ibn Arqam. When we sat down with him, Husayn said to him: "You have certainly encountered much good, O Zayd. You saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), heard his sayings, fought alongside him, and prayed with him. You have truly seen much good, O Zayd. Narrate to us, O Zayd, what you heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny)." He replied: "O son of my brother, by Allah, my age is now advanced, and my time with him is long past. I have forgotten some of what I once remembered from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny). So whatever I tell you, accept it, and what I do not, do not burden me with it." Then he said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) stood up one day, delivering a sermon to us at a place called Khumm, between Mecca and Medina. He praised and thanked Allah, the Exalted, and admonished and reminded us, then said: 'After this, O people, I am but a human being. It is likely that a messenger from my Lord, the Almighty, will come to me, and I will answer him.
And I am leaving behind in you two precious things: the first of them is the Book of Allah, the Exalted, which contains guidance and light. Hold firmly to the Book of Allah and cling to it.'" He encouraged regard for the Book of Allah and expressed his enthusiasm for it, saying: "And my family. I remind you of Allah concerning my family. I remind you of Allah concerning my family. I remind you of Allah concerning my family." Husayn said to him: "Who are the members of his family, O Zayd? Are not his wives from his family?" He replied: "His wives are indeed from his family, but the members of his family are those who are forbidden to accept charity after him." Husayn asked: "Who are they?" He answered: "They are the family of Ali, the family of Aqil, the family of Ja'far, and the family of Abbas." Husayn said: "Are all of these forbidden to accept charity?" He replied: "Yes."