We complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was reclining on his cloak in the shade of the Kaabah. We said to him, "Will you not seek victory for us? Will you not pray to Allah for us?"He replied, "Among those who came before you, a man would have a hole dug for him in the ground, and he would be placed in it. Then a saw would be brought and placed on his head, and he would be split in two, yet this would not turn him away from his religion. He would be combed with iron combs that scraped away the flesh from his bones and sinews, yet this would not turn him away from his religion. By Allah, this matter will be completed, until a rider will travel from Sanaa to Hadramawt fearing none but Allah, or the wolf for his sheep. But you are being impatient."
شكونا إلى رسول الله ﷺ، وهو متوسد بردة له في ظل الكعبة، قلنا له: ألا تستنصر لنا، ألا تدعو الله لنا؟ قال: كان الرجل فيمن قبلكم يحفر له في الأرض، فيجعل فيه، فيجاء بالمنشار فيوضع على رأسه فيشق باثنتين وما يصده ذلك عن دينه. ويمشط بأمشاط الحديد ما دون لحمه من عظم أو عصب، وما يصده ذلك عن دينه، والله ليتمن هذا الأمر، حتى يسير الراكب من صنعاء إلى حضرموت، لا يخاف إلا الله، أو الذئب على غنمه، ولكنكم تستعجلون.
Bukhari narrated it in the Signs of Prophethood (3612), from Muhammad bin Muthanna, [who said], Yahya narrated to us, from Ismail, [who said], Qays narrated to us, from Khabab bin Arat, and he mentioned it.