Yahya related to me from Malik from Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Halhala that Humayd ibn Malik ibn Khu'haym said, "I was sitting with Abu Hurayra on his land at al-Aqiq. Some people rode out from Madina to call upon Abu Hurayra. He told me to go to his mother, sending his greetings and asking her to prepare some food." Humayd continued, "She set down three loaves on a plate and some oil and salt. Then she put it on my head and I carried it to them. When I set it before them, Abu Hurayra said, 'Allah is greater' and added, 'Praise be to Allah who has filled us with bread after our food had previously been only water and dates,' as the people did not touch any of the food.
When they left, he said, 'O son of my brother, be good to your sheep and wipe the mucus from them and clean their pen. Pray in their quarter for they are among the animals of the Garden. By He in Whose Hand my self is, a time is about to come upon people when a small group of sheep will be more beloved to their owner than the house of Marwan . ' "

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَلْحَلَةَ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ مَالِكِ بْنِ خُثَيْمٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِسًا مَعَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ بِأَرْضِهِ بِالْعَقِيقِ فَأَتَاهُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ عَلَى دَوَابَّ فَنَزَلُوا عِنْدَهُ - قَالَ حُمَيْدٌ - فَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ اذْهَبْ إِلَى أُمِّي فَقُلْ إِنَّ ابْنَكِ يُقْرِئُكِ السَّلاَمَ وَيَقُولُ أَطْعِمِينَا شَيْئًا . قَالَ فَوَضَعَتْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَقْرَاصٍ فِي صَحْفَةٍ وَشَيْئًا مِنْ زَيْتٍ وَمِلْحٍ ثُمَّ وَضَعَتْهَا عَلَى رَأْسِي وَحَمَلْتُهَا إِلَيْهِمْ فَلَمَّا وَضَعْتُهَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ كَبَّرَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَشْبَعَنَا مِنَ الْخُبْزِ بَعْدَ أَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ طَعَامُنَا إِلاَّ الأَسْوَدَيْنِ الْمَاءَ وَالتَّمْرَ . فَلَمْ يُصِبِ الْقَوْمُ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ شَيْئًا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفُوا قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي أَحْسِنْ إِلَى غَنَمِكَ وَامْسَحِ الرُّعَامَ عَنْهَا وَأَطِبْ مُرَاحَهَا وَصَلِّ فِي نَاحِيَتِهَا فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ دَوَابِّ الْجَنَّةِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَيُوشِكُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ تَكُونُ الثُّلَّةُ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ أَحَبَّ إِلَى صَاحِبِهَا مِنْ دَارِ مَرْوَانَ .