In the presence of ʿAisha some people mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ had appointed ʿAli by will as his successor. ʿAisha said, "When did he appoint him by will? Verily when he died he was resting against my chest (or said: in my lap) and he asked for a wash-basin and then collapsed while in that state, and I could not even perceive that he had died, so when did he appoint him by will?"  

أَنَّ عَلِيًّا ؓ كَانَ وَصِيًّا فَقَالَتْ مَتَى أَوْصَى إِلَيْهِ وَقَدْ كُنْتُ مُسْنِدَتَهُ إِلَى صَدْرِي أَوْ قَالَتْ حَجْرِي فَدَعَا بِالطَّسْتِ فَلَقَدِ انْخَنَثَ فِي حَجْرِي فَمَا شَعَرْتُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ فَمَتَى أَوْصَى إِلَيْهِ  

It was mentioned in the presence of ʿAisha that the Prophet ﷺ had appointed ʿAli 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 ʿAli as his successor?"  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَوْصَى إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَتْ مَنْ قَالَهُ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَإِنِّي لَمُسْنِدَتُهُ إِلَى صَدْرِي فَدَعَا بِالطَّسْتِ فَانْخَنَثَ فَمَاتَ فَمَا شَعَرْتُ فَكَيْفَ أَوْصَى إِلَى عَلِيٍّ  

It was mentioned before A'isha that will had been made (by the Holy Prophet) in favour of 'Ali (as the Prophet's first caliph), whereupon she said: When did he make will in his favour? I had been providing support to him (to the Holy Prophet) with my chest (or with my lap). He asked for a tray, when he fell in my lap (relaxing his body), and I did not realise that he had breathed his last. When did he make any will in his ('Ali's) favour?  

مَتَى أَوْصَى إِلَيْهِ فَقَدْ كُنْتُ مُسْنِدَتَهُ إِلَى صَدْرِي أَوْ قَالَتْ حَجْرِي فَدَعَا بِالطَّسْتِ فَلَقَدِ انْخَنَثَ فِي حَجْرِي وَمَا شَعَرْتُ أَنَّهُ مَاتَ فَمَتَى أَوْصَى إِلَيْهِ  

“They said in ‘Aishah’s presence that ‘Ali was appointed (by the Prophet ﷺ before he died), and she said: ‘When was he appointed? He (the Prophet ﷺ) was resting against my bosom, or in my lap, and he called for a basin, then he became limp in my lap and died, and I did not realize it. So when did he ﷺ appoint him?’”  

مَتَى أَوْصَى إِلَيْهِ؟ فَلَقَدْ كُنْتُ مُسْنِدَتَهُ إِلَى صَدْرِي أَوْ إِلَى حِجْرِي فَدَعَا بِطَسْتٍ فَلَقَدِ انْخَنَثَ فِي حِجْرِي فَمَاتَ وَمَا شَعَرْتُ بِهِ فَمَتَى أَوْصَى ﷺ ؟