ʿUmarؓ saw Talhah bin ʿUbaidullah looking upset and said: “What is the matter with you, O Father of so and so? Perhaps your cousin being appointed as caliph has upset you, O Father of so and so?” He said: “No, but I heard a Hadeeth from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and nothing prevented me from asking him about it except the fear of not being able to comply with it sand I did not ask him about it until he died. I heard him say: ʿI know a word which no one says at the time of death but his colour will brighten and Allah will relieve him of his distress.ʿ Umar ؓ said: “I know what it is.” Talhah said: “What is it?” ’Umarؓ said: “Do you know any word that is greater than the word he enjoined his uncle to say when he was dying, La ilaha illallah?” Talhah said: “You are right. By Allah, that is what it is.”

سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ حَدِيثًا مَا مَنَعَنِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ عَنْهُ إِلا الْقُدْرَةُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى مَاتَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنِّي لَأعْلَمُ كَلِمَةً لَا يَقُولُهَا عَبْدٌ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ إِلا أَشْرَقَ لَهَا لَوْنُهُ وَنَفَّسَ اللهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَتَهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي لأعْلَمُ مَا هِيَ قَالَ وَمَا هِيَ؟ قَالَ تَعْلَمُ كَلِمَةً أَعْظَمَ مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ أَمَرَ بِهَا عَمَّهُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلا اللهُ قَالَ طَلْحَةُ صَدَقْتَ هِيَ وَاللهِ هِيَ

“What is the matter with you, O Abu Muhammad? Perhaps you are upset about your cousin being appointed as caliph?” [referring to Abu Bakrؓ ]. He said: “No.” And he spoke highly of Abu Bakr ؓ , [then he said:] “But I heard the Prophet ﷺ say: ʿ[There is] a word which no one says when he is dying but Allah will relieve him of distress and his colour will brighten.” Nothing prevented me from asking him about it except the fear of not being able to comply with it and I did not ask him about it until he died.” ‘Umar said to him: “I know what it is.” Talhah said to him: “What is it?ʿ ‘Umar said: “Do you know any word that is greater than the word he enjoined his uncle to say when he was dying, ‘La ilaha illallah’?” Talhah said: “You are right. By Allah, that is what it is.”

لَا وَأَثْنَى عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنِّي سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ كَلِمَةٌ لَا يَقُولُهَا عَبْدٌ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ إِلا فَرَّجَ اللهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَتَهُ وَأَشْرَقَ لَوْنُهُ فَمَا مَنَعَنِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ عَنْهَا إِلا الْقُدْرَةُ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى مَاتَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ طَلْحَةُ وَمَا هِيَ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ كَلِمَةً هِيَ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ أَمَرَ بِهَا عَمَّهُ؟ لَا إِلَهَ إِلا اللهُ؟فَقَالَ طَلْحَةُ هِيَ وَاللهِ هِيَ

“What is the matter with you, O Abu Muhammad? Perhaps you are upset about your cousin being appointed as caliph?” [referring to Abu Bakrؓ ]. He said: “No.” And he spoke highly of Abu Bakr ؓ , [then he said:] “But I heard the Prophet ﷺ say: ʿ[There is] a word which no one says when he is dying but Allah will relieve him of distress and his colour will brighten.” Nothing prevented me from asking him about it except the fear of not being able to comply with it and I did not ask him about it until he died.” ‘Umar said to him: “I know what it is.” Talhah said to him: “What is it?ʿ ‘Umar said: “Do you know any word that is greater than the word he enjoined his uncle to say when he was dying, ‘La ilaha illallah’?” Talhah said: “You are right. By Allah, that is what it is.” (Using translation from Aḥmad 1386)

لَا وَأَثْنَى عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «كَلِمَةً لَا يَقُولُهَا عَبْدٌ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَتَهُ وَأَشْرَقَ لَوْنُهُ» فَمَا مَنَعَنِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ عَنْهَا إِلَّا الْقُدْرَةَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى مَاتَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي لَأَعْرِفُهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ طَلْحَةُ وَمَا هِيَ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ «هَلْ تَعْلَمُ كَلِمَةً هِيَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ أَمَرَ بِهَا عَمَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ» فَقَالَ لَهُ طَلْحَةُ هِيَ وَاللَّهِ هِيَ

his mother Su'da Al-Murriyyah said: "Umar bin Khattab passed by Talhah, after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had died, and said: 'Why do you look so sad? Are you upset because your cousin has been appointed leader?' He said: 'No, but I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "I know a word which no one says at the time of death but it will be light in his record of deeds, and his body and soul will find comfort in it at the time of death," -but I did not ask him about it before he died.' He ('Umar) said: ' I know what it is. It is what he wanted his uncle (Abu Talib) to say, and if he had known anything that would be more effective in saving him, he would have told him to say it.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3795)

مَرَّ عُمَرُ بِطَلْحَةَ بَعْدَ وَفَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَا لِكَ مُكْتَئِبًا أَسَاءَكَ إِمْرَةُ ابْنِ عَمِّكَ؟ قَالَ لَا وَلَكِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ كَلِمَةً لَا يَقُولُهَا عَبْدٌ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا كَانَتْ نُورًا لِصَحِيفَتِهِ وَإِنَّ جَسَدَهُ وَرُوحَهُ لَيَجِدَانَ لَهَا رَوْحًا» فَقُبِضَ وَلَمْ أَسْأَلْهُ قَالَ أَنَا أَعْلَمُهَا هِيَ الَّتِي أَرَادَ عَلَيْهَا عَمَّهُ وَلَوْ عَلِمَ شَيْئًا أَنْجَى مِنْهَا لَأَمَرَهُ 10875 أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ عَامِرٍ قَالَ مَرَّ عُمَرُ بِطَلْحَةَ فَرَآهُ كَئِيبًا نَحْوَهُ