Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Glimpses of Shi'ism in the Musnad of Ibn Hanbal Chapter 16: Prophecy of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn (‘a) Ibn Hanbal says: Muhammad bin ‘Ubayd has related to us from Sharhabi-l bin Madrak from ‘Abdulla-h bin Nujayy from his father who narrates that he was marching with (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)] towards Siffi-n and when we reached Ninevah, (Imam) ‘Ali- [(‘a)] cried in a loud voice: “O Aba- ‘Abdilla-h! Be patient. O Aba- ‘Abdilla-h!
Be patient beside the River Euphrates.” I asked him: For what? He said: “Once when I went to the Prophet I saw tears in his eyes and asked him: O Messenger of Allah (S) who has made you upset? Why are your eyes moist with tears? He said: Bal qa-ma min ‘indi- Jibra’i-lu qabl, fahaddathani- anna al-Husayn yuqtulu bishatt al-Fura-t. Qa-la: Hal laka an ushimaka min turbatih? Qa-la: Qultu: Na‘am. Famadda yadahu faqabaza qabzatan min tura-bin fa a‘ta-ni-ha-.
falam amliku ‘ayni- an fa-zata- (A while ago [the Archangel] Gabriel left. He has informed me that indeed Husayn will be killed beside the River Euphrates. Then he [the Prophet] said: Do you like to smell part of his soil [where Imam Husayn (‘a) will be killed]. I said: Yes. He stretched his hand and taking a fistful of soil gave it to me.