Remove one of the two things from the spread!

Remove one of the two things from the spread!” Ummu-Kulthūm took away the bowl of milk and Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) ate a few morsels of the bread with the salt. After the meal, according to his practice, he stood up on the mat to offer his prayer. But he was looking up repeatedly at the twinkling stars and said: “By Allah! I am not lying nor am I making a wrong statement!

This is the night about which promise has been made to me!”[1] In uneasiness he sometimes recited Sūrah Yasin, sometimes he said “We are Allah’s and to Him do we return,” and sometimes “There is neither might nor power save with Allah, the Most High, the All-great,” and “O Allah! Make death felicitous for me!” When Ummu-Kulthūm saw this, she asked, “Father! Why are you so worried today?” He replied, “I have the Hereafter in front of me!

I am going to the Presence of Allah!” Tears welled in the eyes of Ummu-Kulthūm and she said, “Father! Today you should not go to the Mosque! Ju`dah ibn Hubayrah is there. Ask him to lead the prayer!” The Imam (a.s) said, “There is no escape from the Fate fixed by Allah” The night was in its last stages when the Muezzin, Ibn tabaj came and informed about the prayer. The Imam (a.s) rose to move towards the mosque.

When he came to the courtyard of the house, the domesticated geese started shouting and swaying their wings. Someone wanted to move them aside, but the Imam (a.s) said, “Leave them alone! After a short time the sounds of crying and wailing would start” Imam al-Hasan (a.s) or Ummu-Kulthūm said, “Father! What sort of things you are saying today!” He said, “This is the truth that has come out of my mouth!” Then the Imam (a.s) told Ummu-Kulthūm, “My daughter! These birds cannot speak!

Take care of feeding them! If you cannot do that, then you must free them so that they find their food by going around on the earth!” When he reached near the door, he tied a shawl around his girdle and recited two couplets of Ruhayhah al-Ansari: Fasten you riddle for the death Because the death is coming before you When death comes Do not show unease! [1] Al-Sawā`iq al-Muhriqah, Page 134 Ummu-Kulthūm bid adieu to her father with tears in her eyes.

Imam al-Hasan (a.s) wanted to go to the Mosque with the Imam, but he asked him not to come. When he reached the Mosque, there was darkness there. He offered a few genuflections of prayer in the darkness. After reciting the supplications, the reddish dawn was around.