64/83. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4459 — Aisha on the Claim About Ali
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 Aisha and the Claim of Ali’s Appointment
Sahih Bukhari : 4459
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4459
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَزْهَرُ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، قَالَ ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَوْصَى إِلَى عَلِيٍّ، فَقَالَتْ مَنْ قَالَهُ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَإِنِّي لَمُسْنِدَتُهُ إِلَى صَدْرِي، فَدَعَا بِالطَّسْتِ فَانْخَنَثَ فَمَاتَ، فَمَا شَعَرْتُ، فَكَيْفَ أَوْصَى إِلَى عَلِيٍّ
Al-Aswad Narrated from:
It was mentioned in the presence of `Aisha that the Prophet (ﷺ) had appointed `Ali as successor by will. Thereupon she said, "Who said so? I saw the Prophet, while I was supporting him against my chest. He asked for a tray, and then fell on one side and expired, and I did not feel it. So how (do the people say) he appointed `Ali as his successor?"
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4459In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 475USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 736
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4459
This hadith about Aisha and the claim of Ali’s appointment reports a clear reply from Aisha. It was mentioned in her presence that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had appointed Ali as successor by will. Aisha asked, “Who said so?” She then described what she herself saw: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was being supported against her chest, asked for a tray, fell to one side, and passed away, and she did not feel it at first. She then asked how people could say he appointed Ali as his successor. The core topic is succession claim, but the explanation must stay with the text. Aisha is not giving a long political discussion here; she is responding based on what she personally witnessed at the Prophet’s final moment.
What we learn from this hadith
- Aisha rejected the claim that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم appointed Ali by will.
- She based her response on what she personally witnessed.
- She described the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم passing while she supported him.
- The hadith should be read without adding claims beyond Aisha’s statement.
