The Prophet, during his fatal ailment used to blow (on his hands and pass them) over his body while reciting the Mu'auwidhat (Surat-an-Nas and Surat-al-Falaq). When his disease got aggravated, I used to recite them for him and blow (on his hands) and let him pass his hands over his body because of its blessing. (Maʿmar asked Ibn Shihab: How did he use to do Nafth? He said: He used to blow on his hands and then pass them over his face.)  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يَنْفِثُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي قُبِضَ فِيهِ بِالْمُعَوِّذَاتِ فَلَمَّا ثَقُلَ كُنْتُ أَنَا أَنْفِثُ عَلَيْهِ بِهِنَّ فَأَمْسَحُ بِيَدِ نَفْسِهِ لِبَرَكَتِهَا فَسَأَلْتُ ابْنَ شِهَابٍ كَيْفَ كَانَ يَنْفِثُ قَالَ يَنْفِثُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَمْسَحُ بِهِمَا وَجْهَهُ  

The Prophet ﷺ once came out to us and said, "Some nations were displayed before me. A prophet would pass in front of me with one man, and another with two men, and another with a group of people. and another with nobody with him. Then I saw a great crowd covering the horizon and I wished that they were my followers, but it was said to me, 'This is Moses and his followers.' Then it was said to me, 'Look'' I looked and saw a big gathering with a large number of people covering the horizon. It was said, "Look this way and that way.' So I saw a big crowd covering the horizon. Then it was said to me, "These are your followers, and among them there are 70,000 who will enter Paradise without (being asked about their) accounts. " Then the people dispersed and the Prophet ﷺ did not tell who those 70,000 were. So the companions of the Prophet ﷺ started talking about that and some of them said, "As regards us, we were born in the era of heathenism, but then we believed in Allah and His Apostle . We think however, that these (70,000) are our offspring." That talk reached the Prophet ﷺ who said, "These (70,000) are the people who do not draw an evil omen from (birds) and do not get treated by branding themselves and do not treat with Ruqya, but put their trust (only) in their Lord." then 'Ukasha bin Muhsin got up and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Am I one of those (70,000)?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Yes." Then another person got up and said, "Am I one of them?" The Prophet ﷺ said, " 'Ukasha has anticipated you."  

خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ عُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ الأُمَمُ فَجَعَلَ يَمُرُّ النَّبِيُّ مَعَهُ الرَّجُلُ وَالنَّبِيُّ مَعَهُ الرَّجُلاَنِ وَالنَّبِيُّ مَعَهُ الرَّهْطُ وَالنَّبِيُّ لَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَدٌ وَرَأَيْتُ سَوَادًا كَثِيرًا سَدَّ الأُفُقَ فَرَجَوْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ أُمَّتِي فَقِيلَ هَذَا مُوسَى وَقَوْمُهُ ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِي انْظُرْ فَرَأَيْتُ سَوَادًا كَثِيرًا سَدَّ الأُفُقَ فَقِيلَ لِي انْظُرْ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا فَرَأَيْتُ سَوَادًا كَثِيرًا سَدَّ الأُفُقَ فَقِيلَ هَؤُلاَءِ أُمَّتُكَ وَمَعَ هَؤُلاَءِ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفًا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ فَتَفَرَّقَ النَّاسُ وَلَمْ يُبَيَّنْ لَهُمْ فَتَذَاكَرَ أَصْحَابُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالُوا أَمَّا نَحْنُ فَوُلِدْنَا فِي الشِّرْكِ وَلَكِنَّا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَلَكِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ هُمْ أَبْنَاؤُنَا فَبَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَتَطَيَّرُونَ وَلاَ يَسْتَرْقُونَ وَلاَ يَكْتَوُونَ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ فَقَامَ عُكَّاشَةُ بْنُ مِحْصَنٍ فَقَالَ أَمِنْهُمْ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَامَ آخَرُ فَقَالَ أَمِنْهُمْ أَنَا فَقَالَ سَبَقَكَ بِهَا عُكَّاشَةُ