Abaan bn Uthmaan related from Uthmaan bn Affaan (May Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (salaLlaahu alayhi wa sallam)said: ‘Whoever says 'Bismillaahi-lladhee Laa yadurru ma'a’smi-hi shay'un fil ar’di wa laa fiss-amaa wa-huwa samee'ul 'aleem'[‘In the Name of Allaah Whom nothing on earth or heaven can bring harm when His Name is mentioned’], no sudden affliction will come his way till morning. Whoever says it in the morning, nothing will afflict him till evening.

There occurred this after the narration: Abaan bn Uthmaan was afflicted with semi-paralysis and the man who heard this narration from him was staring at him (in doubt about the truthfulness of the narration). Abaan then asked: ‘Why are you staring at me?! By Allaah, I have not told a lie with regards to what I heard from Uthmaan bn Affaan nor Uthmaan with regards to what he heard from the Messenger of Allaah (salaLlaahu alayhi wa sallam). But on the day I was afflicted with this ailment, I was angry and forgot to say these words.'

‘I say (Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaaalee): In this is a number of lessons and benefits:

1. Anger is a disease which comes between a man and his intellect.

2. If Allaah intends to execute his will, He prevents the slave from what can make him evade it.

3. Prayer prevents a matter that might have happened from happening.(Prayer may prevent destiny).

4. The great zeal of the narrators of hadeeth in relating and collecting hadeeth.

5. The great strength of the certainty of the pious predecessors in Allaah and their firm belief in what the Messenger of Allaah (salaLlaahu alayhi wa sallam) informed us about.

Taken from Ajaalatur-Raaghib of Aboo Usaamah Saleem bn 'Eed al-Hilaalee, pp.91-94. Culled by Aboo Amrah, Abdul-Azeez Ajiferuke.