He, peace be on him, decided to send out the foremost of the...

He, peace be on him, decided to send out the foremost of the Emigrants and Ansar in his army, so that at his death there would not be anyone in Medina who differed about the leadership and who had ambitions to become the leader of the people. In this way he (hoped to) set in order the situation for the man who was to succeed him and to prevent any opponent from opposing him in his right. He gave (Usama) the command on the condition which we have mentioned and he endeavoured to send them out.

He ordered Usama to leave Medina with his army for al-Jurf, and he urged the people to go out to him and to go with him. He warned them against lingering and dilatoriness in (doing) it.4 While matters were in that situation, the illness came upon him of which he (later) died. When he felt the sickness which had befallen him, he took the hand of 'Ali, peace be on him. A group of the people followed him and he headed for (the cemetery of) al-Baqi'.

He told those who followed him: "I have been commanded to seek forgiveness for (the souls of) the people of (the cemetery of) al-Baqi'." They went with him until he stopped in front of them.

He, peace be on him, said: "People of the graves, let there be comfort for you in your situation (as opposed to the situation) in which discords have come upon the people like the cutting of the dark night when the first of them will follow the last." Then he (spent) a long time seeking forgiveness for (the souls of) the people of (the cemetery of) al-Baqi'.

(After this), he approached the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and told him: "Gabriel, peace be on him, used to revise the Qur'an with me once each year. This year he has revised it with me twice. I can only consider that it is because (the end of) my allotted span of life is at hand." Then he said: "'Ali, I was given the choice between remaining forever amid the treasuries of the world or of (going to) heaven. I have chosen to meet my Lord and (to go to) heaven. When I die, wash me.

Cover my nakedness so that no one but a blind man could see it."5 He returned to his house and remained there for three days in a weak condition. Then he went out to the mosque, wearing a turban on his head and leaning on the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, on his right hand and on al-Fadl b. al-'Abbas on his other hand. He went up on the pulpit and sat there. Then he said: "People, the time of my departure from you has come.