Download PDF: [S] Reciting Kalimah befor Death (Islamic Story)

Muhaddith ibn Zar’a is Ubaidullah bin Abdul Karrim bin Yazeed was an Imam of his age and also considered as “Sayyidul Huffaaz.” He was born in 200 A.H. From a small age, he started to acquire knowledge and he travelled to many parts of the Muslim world. Yunus bin Abde ‘Ala explains, “I have never seen someone who was more humble than Abu Zar’a. He was one of the most intelligent and he had memorized thousands of Ahadith.”

 

According to Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Ahmed bin Hambal – may Allah be pleased with him – he knew nearly six hundred thousand Ahadith through memory. Ibn Abi Shayba states that he has never seen someone greater in memorizing the Ahadith than Abu Zar’a. He was tan in complexion, his beard was black and he was very frail and thin. He passed away in 264 A.H. (Sayr ‘Alaamul Nublah)

 

Allama Dhabi – may Allah be pleased with him – narrates that when the time came close for his passing and the signs of impending death appeared on him, his students wanted to inform him about reading the Kalimah. In other words, they wanted to give him Talkeen. However, they felt extreme shame to mention this to their eminent teacher. After all, this was the greatest Muhaddith of his era, he was the Shaikhul Islam of the area and also a great Imam of the Muslims.

 

Finally, they made a plan. They decided that they would mention the Sanad of this Hadith Shareef and they knew that when they mention the Sanad, their eminent teacher would mention the Matn (or the actual words of the Hadith Shareef) by himself without anyone forcing him to do so. This is also the behaviour of a great Muhaddith that when the Sanad is mentioned, the Muhaddith completes the Matn as well.

 

However, most of these students had forgotten the actual Sanad of this Hadith. One student then said, “So and so has reported to me”. After saying this, the student could not say anything else. Another student then said, “So and so has reported from so and so who had reported from so and so. However, when he heard this, Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Abu Zar’a – may Allah be pleased with him – completed the entire Sanad and also mentioned the Matn as well.

 

He said that Hadrat Sayyiduna Mu’az – may Allah be pleased with him – had narrated from Sayyiduna Rasoolullah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – who had stated that, “He whose final words are ‘la ilaaha illal laahu’ he will enter Jannah.” (Sunan Abi Daud). After mentioning this Hadith Shareef, he passed away. He passed away at the age of 64. (Sayr ‘Alaamul Nublah)

 

Such is the wisdom of the great ‘Ulama that they leave nothing in a state of confusion. What is to be completed and conveyed, that is what is completed and conveyed. If the message is not properly conveyed, it merely proves the ignorance of someone.

 

Sayyiduna Rasoolullah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – has stated that we should speak to people according to the intellect or intelligence of that person. In other words, when you are in front of a farmer, do not speak about great scientific facts because he is not learned about these things. In like manner, when you speak to a college graduates, do not speak about when maize should be planted because in most likelihood, he might not even know what maize looks like.