3. My father said: `Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim said, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn Sinan, on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir that `Awn ibn `Abd Allah ibn Mas`ud became sick as I went to visit him. He said: “Shall I not related to you a tradition from `Abd Allah ibn mas`ud?” I replied, “Why not?” He said: `Abd Allah said: “While we were in the presence of the Messenger of Allah , he smiled. So I asked him, “What is it, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “I am surprised at how a believer can worry about being sick. If he knew the reward which resides in illness, he would ask to be ill until he meets his Lord, the Mighty and High.”