This filled my heart with deep concern, and it was not long before the messenger of the governor arrived, informing me that the governor was summoning me. I responded to the summons, and on coming to the governor, he addressed me saying, “O Sawaab! Tonight, a certain group of people will come to the musjid and knock on the door. When they come, then you should open the door for them and allow them to do as they wish. Ensure that you do not interfere with them.” I replied, “I will do as you have commanded me.”
I then departed from the governor, and for the entire day, I remained behind the Rowdhah Mubaarak, weeping in grief and concern. However, I did not allow any of my tears to flow openly, and hence nobody knew the grief and worry that I was experiencing. Finally, when it was night, and we had performed the esha salaah, the people left the musjid and we locked the doors.
Not long thereafter, there was a knock heard on the door known as Baab-us-Salaam, which is the door that faced the door of the governor’s palace. I opened the door and forty men entered the musjid. I counted them, one by one, and saw that they had spades, baskets, candles and equipment for breaking and digging. After entering, they headed towards the Rowdhah Mubaarak, but by Allah, they had not yet reached the mimbar when the earth opened up and swallowed every single one of them, together with their equipment, so that not even a single trace or sign of them remained.
Later on, when some time had passed and the governor had not received any news regarding the group, he summoned me and asked, “O Sawaab! Did the group of people not come to you?” I replied, “Certainly, they did, but this is what happened to them.” I then informed him of how the earth had opened up and swallowed them into its depths. Hearing this, the governor did not believe me and said, “Be careful of what you say!” I responded, “It is exactly as I have said. Stand and come and look! See if you can find any trace or sign of those people.”
When the governor realized that I had spoken the truth, he said, “This incident must remain here, between us. If you mention it to anyone, I will have you beheaded and killed!” I then departed and left.
(Wafaa’ul Wafaa 2/189)