Chapter on Guiding the Dying, Positioning Them at Death, Procedures for Their Final Moments, Washing Them, and Placing Them in Shrouds

And through this chain of transmission, from Ahmad bin Muhammad, from Al-Husayn bin Sa’id, from Al-Qasim bin Muhammad, from Ali bin Abi Hamzah, from Abu Basir, from Abu Ja’far عليه السلام: He said: We were with Imam عليه السلام, and Humran was present, when one of his servants entered and said, "May I be sacrificed for you! 'Ikrimah is near death." 'Ikrimah had followed the views of the Khawarij but had later become devoted to Abu Ja’far عليه السلام. Abu Ja’far عليه السلام said to us: "Wait for me until I return to you." We said: "Yes." Imam عليه السلام did not delay long before Imam عليه السلام returned and said: "Had I reached 'Ikrimah before his soul had reached its final stage, I would have taught him words from which he could benefit. But I reached him after his soul had already settled in its place." I said: "May I be sacrificed for you! What are those words?" Imam عليه السلام said: "By Allah سبحانه وتعالى, it is what you are upon now. So prompt your dying ones at the time of death to testify that there is no god but Allah سبحانه وتعالى and to affirm wilayah (the guardianship of the Imams عليه السلام)."