“I
heard
my paternal uncle Yahya – and I have not seen a man among us
like
him – tell the people that Sa'd bin Zurarah, who was the
grandfather of Muhammad through his mother, was suffering from pain
in
his throat, known as croup. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘I shall do
my
best for Abu Umamah.’ Such that I will be excused (i.e., free of
blame
if he is not healed). And he cauterized him with his own hand,
but he
died. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘May the Jews be doomed! They
will say:
“Why could he not avert death from his Companions?” But
I have no
power to do anything for him or for my own self.’”
Sunan Ibn Majah Book 31, Hadith 57