[Machine] Amir al-Mu'minin wrote to me when he conquered Sham, sending me perfumes, honey, and a silk garment. He expressed his concerns about starting a campaign to India, and mentioned that India was within us during that time. Basra was his reason for doing so. I expressed my objection to it. Then, a man stood up and said to me, "O Abu Sulayman, fear Allah, for the trials have appeared." He said, "And the son of al-Khattab is alive, the trials will only come after him, and people will have two options, either they will be like Biliyan or they will be in a place like Biliyan." The man looked around and wondered if he could find a place where he would not be affected by the trials and evils, but he could not find it. He said, "Those are the days that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned, the days of turmoil. We seek refuge in Allah from those days, may we not be overtaken by them."
كَتَبَ إِلَيَّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حِينَ أَلْقَى الشَّامَ بَوَانِيَةً بَثْنِيَّةً وَعَسَلًا وَشَكَّ عَفَّانُ مَرَّةً قَالَ حِينَ أَلْقَى الشَّامَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَسِيرَ إِلَى الْهِنْدِ وَالْهِنْدُ فِي أَنْفُسِنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ الْبَصْرَةُ قَالَ وَأَنَا لِذَلِكَ كَارِهٌ قَالَ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا سُلَيْمَانَ اتَّقِ اللهَ فَإِنَّ الْفِتَنَ قَدْ ظَهَرَتْ قَالَ فَقَالَ وَابْنُ الْخَطَّابِ حَيٌّ إِنَّمَا تَكُونُ بَعْدَهُ وَالنَّاسُ بِذِي بِلِّيَانَ أَوبِذِي بِلِّيَانَ بِمَكَانِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَيَنْظُرُ الرَّجُلُ فَيَتَفَكَّرُ هَلْ يَجِدُ مَكَانًا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ بِهِ مِثْلُ مَا نَزَلَ بِمَكَانِهِ الَّذِي هُوَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَالشَّرِّ فَلَا يَجِدُهُ قَالَ وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ الَّتِي ذَكَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّامُ الْهَرْجِ فَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ أَنْ تُدْرِكَنَا تِلْكَ وَإِيَّاكُمْ الْأَيَّامُ