The Sufficient (Vol 3) · Hadith 970 (#Ḥadīth #41)

41ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى يَرْفَعُهُ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ دَعَا نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأنْبِيَاءِ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أُسَلِّطُ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوَّهُمْ فَقَالَ لاَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ فَالْجُوعَ فَقَالَ لاَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ مَا تُرِيدُ فَقَالَ مَوْتٌ دَفِيقٌ يَحْزُنُ الْقَلْبَ وَيُقِلُّ الْعَدَدَ فَأُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمُ الطَّاعُونُ.

41. Muhammad ibn Yahya in a marfu‘ manner has narrated the following: “’Amir al-Mu’minin , has said, ‘A prophet of the prophets prayed against his followers. It was said to him, “I will make their enemy to dominate them.” He said, “No, I do not want this.” It was told to him that hunger would dominate them. He said, “No.” He then was asked, “What do you want?” He replied, “I want for them a pressing death to seize the heart with grief and reduce the number.” Plague was then sent upon them.’”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).