salahdin
Junior Member
‘Amr bin Al-’As on his deathbed…
Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyah mentions in Kitab ar-Ruh:
Narrated Ibn Shumas Al-Mahri:
We went to ‘Amr bin Al-’As, and he was about to die. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall.
His son said, “O father! Did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, give you the tidings of this?”
He turned his face (towards the audience) and said:
Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyah mentions in Kitab ar-Ruh:
Narrated Ibn Shumas Al-Mahri:
We went to ‘Amr bin Al-’As, and he was about to die. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall.
His son said, “O father! Did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, give you the tidings of this?”
He turned his face (towards the audience) and said:
“The best thing which we can count upon is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Verily I have passed through three phases.
(The first one) on which I found myself an averse to no one else more than I was averse to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and there was no other desire stronger in me than that I should overpower him and kill him. Had I died in this state, I would have been definitely one of the denizens of Fire.
When Allah instilled the love of Islam in my heart, I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Stretch out your right hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.’ He stretched out his right hand, but I withdrew my hand. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘What has happened to you, O ‘Amr ?’
I replied ‘I intend to lay down some conditions.’
He asked, ‘What conditons do you intend to put forward?’
I said, ‘I should be granted pardon.’
He said, ‘Are you aware that Islam wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)? Verily, migration wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds. Verily, the pilgrimage wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds.’
And then no one was more dear to me than the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and none was more sublime in my eyes, than him. Never could I pluck courage to catch a full glimpse of his face due to its splendour. So if I am asked to describe his features, I cannot do that for I have not eyed him fully.
Had I died in this state I had every reason to hope that I would have been among the dwellers of Paradise. Then we were responsible for certain things (in the light of which) I am unable to know what is in store for me. When I die, let neither female mourner nor fire accompany me. When you bury me, fill my grave well with earth, then stand around it for the time within which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy with your company and ascertain what answer I can give to the messengers (angels) of Allah.”
(The first one) on which I found myself an averse to no one else more than I was averse to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and there was no other desire stronger in me than that I should overpower him and kill him. Had I died in this state, I would have been definitely one of the denizens of Fire.
When Allah instilled the love of Islam in my heart, I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Stretch out your right hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.’ He stretched out his right hand, but I withdrew my hand. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘What has happened to you, O ‘Amr ?’
I replied ‘I intend to lay down some conditions.’
He asked, ‘What conditons do you intend to put forward?’
I said, ‘I should be granted pardon.’
He said, ‘Are you aware that Islam wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)? Verily, migration wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds. Verily, the pilgrimage wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds.’
And then no one was more dear to me than the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and none was more sublime in my eyes, than him. Never could I pluck courage to catch a full glimpse of his face due to its splendour. So if I am asked to describe his features, I cannot do that for I have not eyed him fully.
Had I died in this state I had every reason to hope that I would have been among the dwellers of Paradise. Then we were responsible for certain things (in the light of which) I am unable to know what is in store for me. When I die, let neither female mourner nor fire accompany me. When you bury me, fill my grave well with earth, then stand around it for the time within which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy with your company and ascertain what answer I can give to the messengers (angels) of Allah.”
-radhiAllahu ‘anhu (May Allah be pleased with him)-