64/83. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4447 — A Question About Leadership
The sickness of the Prophet (saws) and his death
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ مَيِّتُونَ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ}.
Hadith About Leadership After the Prophet’s Illness
Sahih Bukhari : 4447
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4447
حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ ـ وَكَانَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَحَدَ الثَّلاَثَةِ الَّذِينَ تِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي وَجَعِهِ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ، فَقَالَ النَّاسُ يَا أَبَا حَسَنٍ، كَيْفَ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَصْبَحَ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ بَارِئًا، فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ عَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أَنْتَ وَاللَّهِ بَعْدَ ثَلاَثٍ عَبْدُ الْعَصَا، وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لأُرَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَوْفَ يُتَوَفَّى مِنْ وَجَعِهِ هَذَا، إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ وُجُوهَ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ، اذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلْنَسْأَلْهُ فِيمَنْ هَذَا الأَمْرُ، إِنْ كَانَ فِينَا عَلِمْنَا ذَلِكَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي غَيْرِنَا عَلِمْنَاهُ فَأَوْصَى بِنَا. فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ إِنَّا وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ سَأَلْنَاهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَمَنَعَنَاهَا لاَ يُعْطِينَاهَا النَّاسُ بَعْدَهُ، وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَسْأَلُهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
`Abdullah bin `Abbas Narrated from:
`Ali bin Abu Talib came out of the house of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) during his fatal illness. The people asked, "O Abu Hasan (i.e. `Ali)! How is the health of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) this morning?" `Ali replied, "He has recovered with the Grace of Allah."`Abbas bin `Abdul Muttalib held him by the hand and said to him, "In three days you, by Allah, will be ruled (by somebody else), And by Allah, I feel that Allah's Apostle will die from this ailment of his, for I know how the faces of the offspring of `Abdul Muttalib look at the time of their death. So let us go to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and ask him who will take over the Caliphate. If it is given to us we will know as to it, and if it is given to somebody else, we will inform him so that he may tell the new ruler to take care of us."`Ali said, "By Allah, if we asked Allah's Apostle for it (i.e. the Caliphate) and he denied it us, the people will never give it to us after that. And by Allah, I will not ask Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for it."
[1] He means that the Prophet ﷺ will die and you will be under the authority of a new ruler.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4447In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 467USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 728
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4447
This hadith about leadership after the Prophet’s illness reports a serious conversation between Abbas and Ali. Ali came out from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم during the illness in which he passed away. When people asked about the Prophet’s health, Ali said he had recovered by Allah’s grace. Abbas then told Ali that he believed the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would die from that illness and suggested asking him who would take over the matter of rule. Abbas said that if it was for them, they would know, and if it was for others, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم could advise that ruler to care for them. Ali refused to ask, saying that if it was denied to them, people would not give it afterward. The text shows caution, concern, and restraint.
What we learn from this hadith
- People were anxious about the Prophet’s health during his final illness.
- Abbas wanted clarity about who would hold authority after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Ali chose not to ask the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about the matter.
- The narration shows careful speech during a sensitive time.
