Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 509
حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَعَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ عَلَى أَسْمَاءَ، قَبْلَ قَتْلِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بِعَشْرِ لَيَالٍ، وَأَسْمَاءُ وَجِعَةٌ، فَقَالَ لَهَا عَبْدُ اللهِ: كَيْفَ تَجِدِينَكِ؟ قَالَتْ: وَجِعَةٌ، قَالَ: إِنِّي فِي الْمَوْتِ، فَقَالَتْ: لَعَلَّكَ تَشْتَهِي مَوْتِي، فَلِذَلِكَ تَتَمَنَّاهُ؟ فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَشْتَهِي أَنْ أَمُوتَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ عَلَيَّ أَحَدُ طَرَفَيْكَ، أَوْ تُقْتَلَ فَأَحْتَسِبَكَ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَظْفُرَ فَتَقَرَّ عَيْنِي، فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُعْرَضَ عَلَيْكَ خُطَّةٌ، فَلاَ تُوَافِقُكَ، فَتَقْبَلُهَا كَرَاهِيَةَ الْمَوْتِ. وإنما عنى ابن الزبير ليقتل فيُحزنُها ذلك.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Zakariyya related to us: Abu Usamah related to us, from Hisham, from his father, who said: ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr and I went in to visit Asma’, ten nights before ‘Abd Allah was killed. Asma’ was ill. ‘Abd Allah asked her, “How are you feeling?” She said, “I am ill.” He said, “I am at the point of death.” She replied, “Perhaps you want me to die and that is why you are wishing for it. Do not do that. By Allah, I do not want to die until one of your two outcomes comes to pass: either you are killed, and I seek reward through your loss, or you triumph and my eyes are gladdened. Beware lest a course of action be offered to you that you do not approve of, and then you accept it because you hate death.” The compiler adds: Ibn al-Zubayr meant that he would be killed and that this would grieve her.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report includes a final compiler’s clarification about Ibn al-Zubayr’s intent; it is translated outside the dialogue.
فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُعْرَضَ عَلَيْكَ خُطَّةٌ،
The expression خُطَّةٌ may refer to a proposed plan or course of action; the report does not specify what it is.
Is “course of action” an appropriate general rendering of خُطَّةٌ in this context?