عبد الله بن زيد

the Prophet (S) had said: “From among my progeny there will be twelve inspired men.” A man called Abdullah bin Zayd, who was the foster-brother of Ali bin al-Husayn as-Sajjad (as), said to him (to Imam al-Baqir): “Glory be to Allah! Inspired!” as if he denied that. Imam Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) said to him: “By Allah, the son of your mother -he meant Ali bin al-Husayn (as)- was indeed inspired.”

Abu Abdillah Ja’far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon both, told me: "Let not people delude you against yourself, for that which is your fate shall reach you in spite of them! And let not the days prevent you from this and that, for surely, with you is the One Who protects you! And do not belittle your little good deeds, for you shall see them tomorrow in a form, which will please you. And do not underestimate your little evil deeds, for you shall see them tomorrow in a form, which will grieve you. Do good deeds, for I have seen nothing quicker in pursuit of an old sin, so as to blot it out, than the good deed. Surely, Allah says (in the Qur’an): ’Indeed, good deeds carry away the evil deeds; and that is a reminder for those who remember Allah.’(Hud, 11:114)"

“One day I went to see Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.).” He said, “O Hakam do you know the verse (of the Holy Quran) from which Ali ibn abu Talib had learned who his assassin was and the extremely great matters of which he would speak to people? “ Al-Hakam has said that I said to myself in my mind, “ I have now a chance to learn of the knowledge of Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) with which I will learn of those extremely great matters.” The narrator has said that he replied the Imam (a.s.), “No, O son of the Messenger of Allah, I do not know.” He has said that he then said, “Please tell me, O son of the Messenger of Allah, which verse is it?” the Imam (a.s.) said, “It, I swear by Allah, is the words of Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, “We have not sent any messenger or prophet before you (or a Muhahhdath) one who hears from the angels. (22:52) Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) was a Muhaddath. At this point a man called ‘Abdallah ibn Zayd who was a brother of Ali from his mother’s side said, “Glory belongs to Allah. A Muhaddath1!” It seemed as if he did not believe it. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) then turned to us and said, “Do not have any doubts, I swear by Allah, that the son of your mother after all did have knowledge of this fact.” The narrator has said that when the Imam (a.s.) said so the man kept silent. The Imam (a.s.) then said, “This is the issue in which abu al-Khattab perished. He never learned what was the explanation of the prophet and a Muhaddath.”

Khalid al-Hadha’ informed us from Abi Qilaba `Abdullah b. Zayd al-Jarmi from Ibn `Abbas. He said: When the Messenger of Allah (s) became ill, and his companions were with him, `Ammar b. Yasir (ra) went to him and said to him: May my mother and my father be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah – which one of us will give you your funeral bath if this (death) were to happen? He said: That is `Ali b. Abi Talib, for he will have no concern for any part of my body except that the angels will assist him in that. So, he said to him: May my mother and my father be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah – which one of us will pray over you if this were to happen? He said: Cease; may Allah have mercy on you. Then, he said to `Ali (as): O Ibn Abi Talib! Once you see that my spirit has departed from my body, then bathe me carefully, and shroud me with these two for my burial. Do not make my shroud extravagant. Then, carry me until you place me at the edge of my grave. The first one who will pray over me is the Powerful [God] from above His Throne. Then, Gabriel, Michael, and Israfil [will pray over me] among angelic soldiers – none can enumerate them except Allah. Then, those that encircle the Throne, then, the inhabitants of heaven. Then, my Ahl al-Bayt and the women who are near [to me] – they should gesture with a nod and give their salaam, and they should not harm me with a mournful or despondent voice. Then, he said: O Bilal! Gather the people for me. So, he gathered the people. The Messenger of Allah (s) went out grasping his turban and leaning on his bow, until he climbed the pulpit. He praised Allah and commended Him, then said: O my companions! What kind of a prophet was I to you! Did I not fight alongside you? Did I not break my tooth [in the Battle of Uhud]? Did my forehead not get dusty? Did blood not run down on my hot face until it covered my beard? Did I not suffer hardship and difficulty with the ignorant of my nation? Did I not tie a painful stone to my stomach? They said: Of course, O Messenger of Allah. You were patient for Allah, and you prohibited the things Allah deemed immoral. We [pray that] Allah grants you the best of rewards. He said: May Allah reward you too. Then, he said: Surely, my Lord ruled and declared that no wrongdoing of an oppressor will go unaddressed by Him. So, I adjure you by Allah – which of you men have experienced a wrongdoing from Muhammad so that I may expiate for him? Expiation in the abode of this world is dearer to me than expiation (punishment) in the abode of the Hereafter upon the heads of the angels and the prophets. So, a man called Suwada b. Qays, who was from the furthest part of the community, came to him and said to him: May my mother and my father be your sacrifice, O Messenger of Allah! When you proceeded from Ta’if, I met you whilst you were upon your she-camel al-`Ada’. In your hand was a long pole. You raised the pole – and you had wanted to disembark – and it hit my stomach. I do not know if it was done intentionally or by accident. So, he said: God forbid that it was intentional. Then, he said: O Bilal! Go to the house of Fatima and bring me the long pole. So, Bilal went and called out in the middle of Medina: O people! Which of you gives expiation for others before the Day of Resurrection? This Muhammad (s) gives expiation for others before the Day of Resurrection! Then, Bilal knocked on the door of Fatima (sa), saying: O Fatima! Stand up, for your father wants the long pole. So, Fatima (sa) came forward, saying: O Bilal! What will my father do with the pole, when this is not a day for the pole? So, Bilal said: O Fatima! Do you not know that your father has climbed the pulpit to bid farewell to the people of the religion and this world?! So, Fatima (sa) screamed, saying: How overwhelming is your grief, father! Who will be there for the poor, the needy, and the wayfarers, O Beloved of Allah, and O beloved of the hearts? Then, she gave him the pole, and he went out until he gave it to the Messenger of Allah (s). So, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: Where is the elder? So, the elder said: I am here, O Messenger of Allah – may my father and my mother be your sacrifice. So, he said: Come and seek expiation from me until you are satisfied. So, the elder said: Uncover your stomach for me, O Messenger of Allah. So, he (s) uncovered his stomach. The elder said: May my mother and my father be your sacrifice, O Messenger of Allah! Do you permit me to place my lips on your stomach? So, he permitted him. So, he said: I seek refuge from the Fire on the Day of the Fire for the place of expiation on the stomach of the Messenger of Allah. So, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: O Suwada b. Qays! Will you forgive me, or will you seek expiation? So, he said: Rather, I will forgive, O Messenger of Allah. So, he (s) said: O Allah! Forgive Suwada b. Qays just as he forgave Your Prophet, Muhammad. Then, the Messenger of Allah (s) stood up and entered the house of Umm Salama, saying: O Lord! Safeguard the Nation of Muhammad from the Fire and ease the Judgment for them. So, Umm Salama said: O Messenger of Allah! Why do I see that you are gloomy, and that your colour has changed?! So, he said: I mourn for myself at this hour. Peace be unto you from me in this world, for you will never hear the voice of Muhammad again after this today. So, Umm Salama said: O grief! You do not realize the sorrow over you, Muhammad. Then, he (s) said: Call for the love of my heart and the joy of my eye Fatima to come. So, Fatima (sa) came, saying: May my self be sacrificed for your self! May my face be a shield for yours. Will you not speak to me? For surely, I am looking at you and I see that you are leaving this world, and that the soldiers of death have overcome you intensely. So, he said to her: O daughter! I am departing from you, so peace be unto you from me. She said: O father! Where shall I meet you on the Day of Resurrection? He said: At the Judgment. She said: What if I do not find you at the Judgment? He said: [Then] at the intercession for my Nation. She said: What if I do not find you at the intercession for your Nation? He said: At the Path, with Gabriel on my right, Michael on my left, and the angels behind me and before me calling out: “O Lord! Safeguard the Nation of Muhammad from the Fire and ease the Judgment for them.” So, Fatima (sa) said: Where is my mother Khadija? He said: In a palace that has four gates to Paradise. Then, the Messenger of Allah (s) swooned. Bilal entered, saying: Prayer [time] – may Allah have mercy on you. So, the Messenger of Allah (s) went out and led the people in prayer. He lightened the prayer, then said: Call for `Ali b. Abi Talib and Usama b. Zayd for me. They came, and he (s) put one hand on the shoulder of `Ali (as) and one hand on the shoulder of Usama. Then, he said: Come with me to Fatima. So, they went with him until he put his head in her lap. Al-Hasan and al-Husayn (as) wept and screamed, saying: May we sacrifice our selves for your self! May our faces be a shield for yours. So, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: Who are these, `Ali? He said: These are your two sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn. So, he embraced them and kissed them both. Al-Hasan (as) was weeping more intensely, so he said to him: Stop, Hasan, for you have broken [the heart] of the Messenger of Allah. Then, the Angel of Death (as) came down and said: Peace be unto you, O Messenger of Allah. He said: And also with you, O Angel of Death. I have a need from you. He said: What is your need, O Prophet of Allah? He said: My need is that my spirit is not taken until Gabriel (as) comes to me and gives his salaam to me and I give my salaam to him. So, the Angel of Truth went out, saying: O Muhammad! I will meet Gabriel in the air. So, he said: O Angel of Death! Did you take the spirit of Muhammad? He said: No, Gabriel. He asked me to not take his spirit until he meets you, receives your salaam, and gives his salaam. So, Gabriel said: O Angel of Death! Do you not see that the gates of Paradise are open for the spirit of Muhammad? Do you not see that the houris have adorned [themselves] for the spirit of Muhammad? Then, Gabriel (as) came down and said: Peace be unto you, Aba’l Qasim. So, he said: And also with you, Gabriel. Come closer to me, my beloved Gabriel. So, he came closer to him. Then, the Angel of Death came down. Gabriel said to him: O Angel of Death! Uphold the will of Allah with regards to the spirit of Muhammad. Gabriel was to his right, Michael was to his left, and the Angel of Death took his spirit (s). When the veil was lifted from the face of the Messenger of Allah (s), he looked to Gabriel (as) and said to him: Adversity has befallen me! So, he said: O Muhammad! Surely, you are dead, and they are dead. Every soul shall taste death. Ibn `Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s) would say during that illness: Bring my beloved to me. So, they would bring man after man, and he would turn them away. So, it was said to Fatima (sa): bring `Ali. We did not see that the Messenger of Allah (s) wanted anyone other than `Ali (as). So, Fatima sent for `Ali (as). When he entered, the Messenger of Allah (s) opened his eyes and his face lit up. Then, he said: To me, `Ali; to me, `Ali. He (s) did not stop getting closer to him until he took his hand and sat him down at his head. Then, he fainted. Then, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (as) came, screamed, and wept until they embraced the Messenger of Allah (s). `Ali (as) wanted to stop them, but the Messenger of Allah (s) awoke and said: O `Ali! Let me smell them and let them smell me. Let me seek contentment through them and let them seek contentment through me. Surely, they will be wronged after me, and they will be killed unjustly. So, may the curse of Allah be upon those who oppress them. He said this three times. Then, he reached his hand out to `Ali (as), and he pulled him beneath the garment that was on him. He put his mouth to his ear and whispered a prolonged whispering to him; till his pure spirit left him (s). Then, `Ali (as) came out from beneath his garments and said: May Allah make your rewards grand with regards to your Prophet, for Allah has brought him to Himself. Then, the voices rose in clamour and weeping. Then, it was said to Amir al-Mu’minin (as): What did the Messenger of Allah (s) whisper to you when you were beneath his garments? So, he said: He taught me one thousand doors, each door of which opens another thousand doors.