ʿAlī speaking of virtues and trials of Khabbāb b. al-Aratt and supplicating for the dwellers of graves

We traveled with him, that is ʿAlī, when he came back from Ṣiffīn until he was at the door or Kūfah and we were at the graves of seven ˹people˺ toward our right and ʿAlī then said, "Whose graves are these?" They said, "O Leader of the Believers, Khabbāb b. al-Aratt passed away after you left to go to Ṣiffīn. His wished to be buried behind Kūfah. The people buried their dead in their yards and at the doorsteps of their houses. But when they ˹heard from˺ Khabbāb wishing to be buried behind ˹Kūfah˺, the people then buried ˹him there.˺"

ʿAlī then said, "May Allah have Mercy on Khabbāb. He accepted Islam with zeal, emigrated in obedience, lived as a mujāhid (fighter in the cause of Allah), and was heavily tested ˹by Allah˺ with his body in various ways. Allah will never overlook the reward of the one who did iḥsān (excelled) in deeds."

Then he drew closer to the graves and said, "Peace be upon you all, O people of the abodes, from the believers and the Muslims, you are our forerunners and predecessors and we are your followers and soon ˹shall˺ be meeting you. O Allah, forgive us and them and be increasingly pardoning of us and them. Glad tidings to the one who remembered the place of return, worked for ˹an easy˺ accounting, was content with little provision, and was pleased with Allah ﷻ."  

سِرْنَا مَعَهُ يَعْنِي عَلِيًّا حِينَ رَجَعَ مِنْ صِفِّينَ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ عِنْدَ بَابِ الْكُوفَةِ إِذَا نَحْنُ بِقُبُورٍ سَبْعَةٍ عَنْ أَيْمَانِنَا فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ «مَا هَذِهِ الْقُبُورُ؟» فَقَالُوا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّ خَبَّابَ بْنَ الْأَرَتِّ تُوُفِّيَ بَعْدَ مَخْرَجِكَ إِلَى صِفِّينَ وَأَوْصَى أَنْ يُدْفَنَ فِي ظَهْرِ الْكُوفَةِ وَكَانَ النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا يَدْفِنُونَ مَوْتَاهُمْ فِي أَفْنِيَتِهِمْ وَعَلَى أَبْوَابِ دُورِهِمْ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا خَبَّابًا أَوْصَى أَنْ يُدْفَنَ بِالظَّهْرِ دَفْنَ النَّاسِ۔

فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ «رَحِمَ اللهُ خَبَّابًا لَقَدْ أَسْلَمَ رَاغِبًا وَهَاجَرَ طَائِعًا وَعَاشَ مُجَاهِدًا وابْتُلِيَ فِي جِسْمِهِ أَحْوَالًا وَلَنْ يُضَيِّعَ اللهُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا»

ثُمَّ دَنَا مِنَ الْقُبُورِ فَقَالَ «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَا أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنْتُمْ لَنَا سَلَفٌ فَارِطٌ وَنَحْنُ لَكُمْ تَبَعٌ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ لَاحِقٌ۔ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلَهُمْ وَتَجَاوَزْ بِعَفْوِكَ عَنَّا وَعَنْهُمْ۔ طُوبَى لِمَنْ ذَكَرَ الْمَعَادَ وَعَمِلَ لِلْحِسَابِ وَقَنَعَ بِالْكَفَافِ وَرَضِيَ عَنِ اللهِ ﷻ»