Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1742
The illness of the Prophet ﷺ and his death
فِيمَا جَاءَ أَنَّهُ خَيِّرٌ بَيْنَ أَنْ يَبْقَى حَتَّى يَرَى مَا يُفْتَحُ عَلَى أُمَّتِهِ وَبَيْنَ التَّعْجِيلِ وَاسْتِغْفَارِهِ ﷺ لِأَهْلِ الْبَقِيعِ رَوَى ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ وَالْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ وَابْنُ سَعْدٍ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي مُوَيْهِبَةَ وَالْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ وَابْنُ سَعْدٍ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ مَوْلَيَا رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَ ؓ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِأَبِي مُوَيْهِبَةَ- قَالَ: أُمِرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يُصَلَّى عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَقِيعِ فَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي الثَّانِيَةِ هَبَّنِي مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ: «يَا أَبَا مُوَيْهِبَةَ إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَسْتَغْفِرَ لِأَهْلِ الْبَقِيعِ فَأَسْرِجْ لِي دَابَّتِي» قَالَ: فَرَكِبَ وَمَشَيْتُ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَيْهِمْ فَنَزَلَ عَنْ دَابَّتِهِ، وَأَمْسَكْتُ الدَّابَّةَ، فَلَمَّا وَقَفَ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِهِمْ قَالَ: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَا أَهْلَ الْمَقَابِرِ لِيَهْنِ لَكُمْ مَا أَصْبَحْتُمْ فِيهِ مِمَّا أَصْبَحَ فِيهِ النَّاسُ، لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا نَجَّاكُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ، أَقْبَلَتِ الْفِتَنُ كَقِطَعِ اللَّيْلِ الْمُظْلِمِ يَتْبَعُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا، يَتْبَعُ آخِرَهُمْ أَوَّلُهَا، الْآخِرَةُ شَرٌّ مِنَ الْأُولَى»، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ وَقَالَ: «يَا أَبَا مُوَيْهِبَةَ إِنِّي قَدْ أُوتِيتُ مَفَاتِيحَ خَزَائِنِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْخُلْدَ فِيهَا، ثُمَّ الْجَنَّةَ. فَخُيِّرْتُ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَبَيْنَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّي وَالْجَنَّةِ» قَالَ: قُلْتُ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي فَخُذْ مَفَاتِيحَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْخُلْدَ فِيهَا ثُمَّ الْجَنَّةَ، قَالَ: «لَا وَاللَّهِ يَا أَبَا مُوَيْهِبَةَ لَقَدِ اخْتَرْتُ لِقَاءَ رَبِّي وَالْجَنَّةَ»، ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرَ لِأَهْلِ الْبَقِيعِ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ، فَبَدَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي وَجَعِهِ الَّذِي قَبَضَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهِ حِينَ أَصْبَحَ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ قَالَتْ: قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَلَبِسَ ثِيَابَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ، فَأَمَرْتُ خَادِمَتِي بَرِيرَةَ، فَتَبِعْتُهُ حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ الْبَقِيعَ وَقَفَ فِي أَدْنَاهُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَقِفَ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَسَبَقَتْهُ بَرِيرَةُ فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي فَلَمْ أَذْكُرْ لَهُ شَيْئًا حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ «إِنِّي بُعِثْتُ لِأَهْلِ الْبَقِيعِ لِأُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْهِمْ». وَرَوَى أَيْضًا عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: فَقَدْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَبِعْتُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ بِالْبَقِيعِ فَقَالَ: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ، أَنْتُمْ لَنَا فَرَطٌ آتَانَا اللَّهُ وَآتَاكُمْ مَا تُوعَدُونَ، وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُمْ وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بَعْدَهُمْ» قَالَتْ: ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ: «وَيْحَهَا لَوْ تَسْتَطِيعُ مَا فَعَلَتْ». قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَقَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: حَدَّثَنِي أَيُّوبُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ عَاصِبًا رَأْسَهُ حَتَّى جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، ثُمَّ كَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى عَلَى أَصْحَابِ أُحُدٍ، وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ، فَأَكْثَرَ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيْهِمْ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إنَّ عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ، فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: فَفَهِمَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَعَرَفَ أَنَّ نَفْسَهُ يُرِيدُ، فَبَكَى وَقَالَ: بَلْ نَحْنُ نَفْدِيكَ بِأَنْفُسِنَا وَأَبْنَائِنَا، فَقَالَ: عَلَى رِسْلِكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: اُنْظُرُوا هَذِهِ الْأَبْوَابَ اللَّافِظَةَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَسُدُّوهَا إلَّا بَيْتَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَإِنِّي لَا أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا كَانَ أَفْضَلَ فِي الصُّحْبَةِ عِنْدِي يَدًا مِنْهُ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَيُرْوَى: إلَّا بَابَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ بَعْضِ آلِ أَبِي سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُعَلَّى: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ، قَالَ يَوْمئِذٍ فِي كَلَامِهِ هَذَا: فَإِنِّي لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ الْعِبَادِ خَلِيلًا لَاِتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا، وَلَكِنْ صُحْبَةٌ وَإِخَاءُ إيمَانٍ حَتَّى يَجْمَعَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا عِنْدَهُ وَرَوَى عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ بِسَنَدٍ جَيِّدٍ قَوِيٍّ عَنْ طَاوُوسٍ مُرْسَلًا قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ وَأُعْطِيتُ الْخَزَائِنَ، وَخُيِّرْتُ بَيْنَ أَنْ أَبْقَى حَتَّى أَرَى مَا يُفْتَحُ عَلَى أُمَّتِي وَبَيْنَ التَّعْجِيلِ فَاخْتَرْتُ التَّعْجِيلَ». وَرُوِيَ عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ ؓ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى عَلَى قَتْلَى أُحُدٍ بَعْدَ ثَمَانِ سِنِينَ كَالْمُوَدِّعِ لِلْأَحْيَاءِ وَالْأَمْوَاتِ ثُمَّ طَلَعَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ: «إِنِّي بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ فَرَطٌ، وَأَنَا عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدٌ ! وَإِنَّ مَوْعِدَكُمُ الْحَوْضُ وَإِنِّي لَأَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ وَأَنَا فِي مَقَامِي هَذَا، لَسْتُ أَخْشَى عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تُشْرِكُوا، وَلَكِنْ أَخْشَى عَلَيْكُمُ الدُّنْيَا أَنْ تَنَافَسُوا فِيهَا». قَالَ عُقْبَةُ: وَكَانَتْ آخِرَ نَظْرَةٍ نَظَرْتُهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ.
Translation
✧ Concerning what has come that he was given the choice between remaining until he saw what would be opened for his community and hastening, and his ﷺ seeking forgiveness for the people of al-Baqīʿ Ibn Isḥāq, Imām Aḥmad, Ibn Saʿd, and al-Bayhaqī narrated from Abū Muwayhibah, and Imām Aḥmad, Ibn Saʿd, and al-Bayhaqī from Abū Rāfiʿ, the two freedmen of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and ؓ — the wording being from Abū Muwayhibah — that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was commanded to pray over the people of al-Baqīʿ, so he prayed over them three times. When it was the second time, he woke me in the middle of the night and said: “O Abū Muwayhibah, I have been commanded to seek forgiveness for the people of al-Baqīʿ, so saddle my mount for me.” He said: He mounted and I walked until he reached them. He dismounted from his mount and I held the mount. When he stood among them, he said: “Peace be upon you, O people of the graves. May you be content with what you have entered into compared with what the people have entered into. If you knew what Allah has delivered you from, afflictions have come like the segments of the dark night, following one another, the last of them following the first, the latter worse than the former.” Then he turned to me and said: “O Abū Muwayhibah, I have been given the keys to the treasures of this world and perpetuity therein, then Paradise. I was given the choice between that and meeting my Lord and Paradise.” He said: I said: By my father and mother, take the keys to the treasures of this world and perpetuity therein, then Paradise. He said: “No, by Allah, O Abū Muwayhibah, I have chosen meeting my Lord and Paradise.” Then he sought forgiveness for the people of al-Baqīʿ, then departed. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ began in his illness in which Allah, Mighty and Majestic, took him when morning came. Ibn Saʿd narrated from ʿĀʾishah ؓ that she said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ arose one night, put on his clothes, and then went out. I instructed my servant Barīrah, and she followed him. When he came to al-Baqīʿ, he stood at its near edge as long as Allah willed, then he departed. Barīrah hastened back and told me. I did not mention anything to him until morning; then I mentioned that to him, and he said: “I was sent to the people of al-Baqīʿ to pray over them.” He also narrated from her that she said: I missed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the night, so I followed him, and there he was at al-Baqīʿ. He said: “Peace be upon you, abode of a believing people. You are for us a vanguard, and Allah has given us and will give you what you are promised. We shall, if Allah wills, join you. O Allah, do not deprive us of their reward and do not try us after them.” She said: Then he turned to me and said: “Woe to her, if she could, she would not have done that.” Ibn Isḥāq said: al-Zuhrī said: Ayyūb b. Bashīr narrated to me: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out with his head bandaged until he sat on the pulpit. The first thing he spoke was that he prayed over the companions of Uḥud and sought forgiveness for them, and he prayed over them at length. Then he said: “Indeed a servant among the servants of Allah, whom Allah gave the choice between this world and what is with Him, and he chose what is with Allah.” He said: Abū Bakr understood it and recognized that he meant himself, so he wept and said: “Rather we ransom you with our own selves and our children.” He said: “Gently, O Abū Bakr.” Then he said: “Look at these doors that open into the mosque; close them except the house of Abū Bakr, for I know no one who was better in companionship with me in kindness than him.” Ibn Hishām said: And it is also narrated: except the door of Abū Bakr. Ibn Isḥāq said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAbd Allāh narrated to me, from one of the family of Abū Saʿīd b. al-Muʿallā: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said on that day in this speech: “For if I were to take a bosom friend from among the servants, I would have taken Abū Bakr as a bosom friend, but there is companionship and brotherhood of faith until Allah gathers us with Him.” ʿAbd al-Razzāq narrated with a sound, strong chain from Ṭāwūs, in mursal form, that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I was aided with awe, and I was given the treasures, and I was given the choice between remaining until I see what is opened for my community and hastening, so I chose hastening.” It is narrated from ʿUqbah b. ʿĀmir ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed over the slain of Uḥud after eight years, like one bidding farewell to the living and the dead, then ascended the pulpit and said: “I am a forerunner before you and a witness over you. Your appointed meeting is the Cistern, and I am looking at it from this place of mine. I do not fear for you that you associate partners with Allah, but I fear for you regarding this world, that you contend with one another over it.” ʿUqbah said: That was the last time I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.