Peace be upon you, abode of a people who are believers. What you were promised would come to you tomorrow, you receiving it after some delay; and God willing we shall join you. O Allah, grant forgiveness to the inhabitants of Baqi' al-Gharqad. Qutaiba did not mention his words:" would come to you".  

أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كُلَّمَا كَانَ لَيْلَتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ إِلَى الْبَقِيعِ فَيَقُولُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَتَاكُمْ مَا تُوعَدُونَ غَدًا مُؤَجَّلُونَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لاَحِقُونَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لأَهْلِ بَقِيعِ الْغَرْقَدِ وَلَمْ يُقِمْ قُتَيْبَةُ قَوْلَهُ وَأَتَاكُمْ  

Should I not narrate to you (a hadith of the Holy Prophet) on my authority and on the authority of my mother? We thought that he meant the mother who had given him birth. He (Muhammad b. Qais) then reported that it was 'A'isha who had narrated this: Should I not narrate to you about myself and about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? We said: Yes. She said: When it was my turn for Messenger of Allah ﷺ to spend the night with me, he turned his side, put on his mantle and took off his shoes and placed them near his feet, and spread the corner of his shawl on his bed and then lay down till he thought that I had gone to sleep. He took hold of his mantle slowly and put on the shoes slowly, and opened the door and went out and then closed it lightly. I covered my head, put on my veil and tightened my waist wrapper, and then went out following his steps till he reached Baqi'. He stood there and he stood for a long time. He then lifted his hands three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I too ran. He came (to the house) and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and I entered (the house), and as I lay down in the bed, he (the Holy Prophet) entered the (house), and said: Why is it, O 'A'isha, that you are out of breath? I said: There is nothing. He said: Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware would inform me. I said: Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransom for you, and then I told him (the whole story). He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt, and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? She said: Whatsoever the people conceal, Allah will know it. He said: Gabriel came to me when you saw me. He called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you (for he did not come to you), as you were not fully dressed. I thought that you had gone to sleep, and I did not like to awaken you, fearing that you may be frightened. He (Gabriel) said: Your Lord has commanded you to go to the inhabitants of Baqi' (to those lying in the graves) and beg pardon for them. I said: Messenger of Allah, how should I pray for them (How should I beg forgiveness for them)? He said: Say, Peace be upon the inhabitants of this city (graveyard) from among the Believers and the Muslims, and may Allah have mercy on those who have gone ahead of us, and those who come later on, and we shall, God willing, join you.  

أَلاَ أُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِّي وَعَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْنَا بَلَى قَالَ قَالَتْ لَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَتِيَ الَّتِي كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِيهَا عِنْدِي انْقَلَبَ فَوَضَعَ رِدَاءَهُ وَخَلَعَ نَعْلَيْهِ فَوَضَعَهُمَا عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَبَسَطَ طَرَفَ إِزَارِهِ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَاضْطَجَعَ فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلاَّ رَيْثَمَا ظَنَّ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتُ فَأَخَذَ رِدَاءَهُ رُوَيْدًا وَانْتَعَلَ رُوَيْدًا وَفَتَحَ الْبَابَ فَخَرَجَ ثُمَّ أَجَافَهُ رُوَيْدًا فَجَعَلْتُ دِرْعِي فِي رَأْسِي وَاخْتَمَرْتُ وَتَقَنَّعْتُ إِزَارِي ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْتُ عَلَى إِثْرِهِ حَتَّى جَاءَ الْبَقِيعَ فَقَامَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ انْحَرَفَ فَانْحَرَفْتُ فَأَسْرَعَ فَأَسْرَعْتُ فَهَرْوَلَ فَهَرْوَلْتُ فَأَحْضَرَ فَأَحْضَرْتُ فَسَبَقْتُهُ فَدَخَلْتُ فَلَيْسَ إِلاَّ أَنِ اضْطَجَعْتُ فَدَخَلَ فَقَالَ مَا لَكِ يَا عَائِشُ حَشْيَا رَابِيَةً قَالَتْ قُلْتُ لاَ شَىْءَ قَالَ لَتُخْبِرِينِي أَوْ لَيُخْبِرَنِّي اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ قَالَ فَأَنْتِ السَّوَادُ الَّذِي رَأَيْتُ أَمَامِي قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي ثُمَّ قَالَ أَظَنَنْتِ أَنْ يَحِيفَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكِ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَتْ مَهْمَا يَكْتُمِ النَّاسُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّهُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَإِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ أَتَانِي حِينَ رَأَيْتِ فَنَادَانِي فَأَخْفَاهُ مِنْكِ فَأَجَبْتُهُ فَأَخْفَيْتُهُ مِنْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْكِ وَقَدْ وَضَعْتِ ثِيَابَكِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتِ فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُوقِظَكِ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ تَسْتَوْحِشِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَهْلَ الْبَقِيعِ فَتَسْتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ لَهُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ قُولِي السَّلاَمُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَلاَحِقُونَ  

" Peace be upon the inhabitants of the city (i. e. graveyard)." In the hadith transmitted by Zuhair (the words are):" Peace be upon you, the inhabitants of the city, among the believers, and Muslims, and God willing we shall join you. I beg of Allah peace for us and for you."  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُهُمْ إِذَا خَرَجُوا إِلَى الْمَقَابِرِ فَكَانَ قَائِلُهُمْ يَقُولُ فِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ زُهَيْرٍ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَلَاحِقُونَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمْ الْعَافِيَةَ