Hadeeth of the Cloak

حَدِيثُ اَلكِسَاء

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

عَنْ جَابر بن عَبْدِ اللهِ الأنْصَاري عَنْ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهراءِ عَلَيهَا السَّلامُ  بِنتِ رَسُول اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه وسَلَّم) قَالَ سَمِعْتُ فاطِمَةَ أَنِّها قالَت: دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ أبي رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه وسَلَّم) فِي بَعضِ الأيَّامِ  فَقَالَ: السَّلامُ عَلَيكِ يا فاطِمَةُ،  فَقُلتُ عَلَيكَ السَّلامُ، قالَ: إنّي أَجِدُ في بَدَني ضُعفاً،  فَقُلتُ لَهُ: أُعِيذُكَ باللهِ يا أَبَتاهُ مِنَ الضُّعفِ  فَقَالَ: يا فاطِمَةُ إِيتيني بِالكِساءِ اليَمانِيِّ فَغَطّينِي بهِ. فَأَتَيتُهُ بِالكِساءِ اليَمانِيِّ فَغَطّيتُهُ بِهِ  وَصِرتُ أَنظُرُ إِلَيهِ  وَإِذا وَجهُهُ يَتَلألأ كَأَنَّهُ البَدرُ  فِي لَيلَةِ تمامِهِ وَكَمالِهِ،

From Jabir Bin Abdullah Al Ansary,

(It has been narrated) from Fatima Al-Zahra-asws, daughter of Rasool-Allah-saww. (Jabir) said, ‘I heard (Syeda) Fatima-asws that she-asws said: ‘Rasool-Allah-saww came over to me-asws during one of the days, so he-saww said: ‘Peace be upon you-asws, Fatima-asws’. So I-asws said: ‘And upon you-saww be peace!’ He-saww said: ‘I-saww find weakness in my-saww body’. So I-asws said: ‘I-asws seek Refuge for you-saww with Allah-azwj, O father-saww, from the weakness’. So he-saww said: ‘O Fatima-asws! Come to me-saww with the Yemeni Cloak and cover me-saww with it’. So I-asws came with the Yemeni Cloak and covered him-saww with it, and went on to look at him-as, and his-saww face was sparkling like the moon on the night of completeness and perfection.

فَما كَانَت إِلاّ ساعَةً  وإذا بوَلَدِيَ الحَسَنِ قَد أَقبَلَ وَقالَ: السَّلامُ عَلَيكِ  يا أُمّاهُ،  فَقُلتُ: وَعَلَيكَ السَّلامُ  يا قُرَّةَ عَيِني وَثَمَرَةَ فُؤادِي،  فَقالَ: يا أُمّاهُ إِنّي أَشَمُّ عِندَكِ رائِحَةً طَيِّبَةً  كَأَنَّها رائِحَةُ جَدِي رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه وسَلَّم) فَقُلتُ: نَعَم إِنَّ جَدَّكَ تَحتَ الكِساء،  فَأَقبَلَ الحَسَنُ نَحوَ الكِساء  وَقالَ: السَّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا جَدَّاهُ يا رَسُولَ اللهِ  أَتَأذَنُ لي أَن أَدخُلَ مَعَكَ  تَحتَ الكِساءِ؟  فَقالَ: وَعَلَيكَ السَّلامُ يا وَلَدِي  وَيا صاحِبَ حَوضِي  قَد أَذِنتُ لَكَ،  فَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ تَحتَ الكِساءِ.

So it was only a while when my-asws son-asws Al-Hassan-asws came over and said: ‘Peace be upon you-asws O mother-asws! So I-asws said: ‘And upon you-asws be peace, O delight of my-asws eyes and fruit of my-asws heart’. So he-asws said: ‘O mother-asws! I-asws smell in your-asws presence a pleasant fragrance, like the aroma of my-asws grandfather-saww Rasool-Allah-saww!’ So I-asws said: ‘Yes! Your-asws grandfather-saww is underneath the Cloak’. So Al-Hassan-asws came near the Cloak and said: ‘Peace be upon you-saww, O grandfather-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww! Do you permit me-asws to enter to be with you-saww underneath the Cloak?’ So he-saww said: ‘And upon you-asws be peace, O my-saww son-asws, and O Master of the Fountain! I-saww have permitted you-asws’. So he-asws entered to be with him-saww underneath the Cloak.

فَما كانَت إِلاّ سَاعَةً وَإِذا بِوَلَدِيَ الحُسَينِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَدْ أَقبَلَ  وَقال: السَّلامُ عَلَيكِ يا أُمّاهُ، فَقُلتُ: وَعَلَيكَ السَّلامُ يا قُرَّةَ عَيِني وَثَمَرَةَ فُؤادِي،  فَقالَ لِي: يا أُمّاهُ إِنّي أَشَمُّ عِندَكِ رائِحَةً طَيِّبَةً كَأَنَّها رائِحَةُ جَدِي رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه وسَلَّم) فَقُلتُ: نَعَم إِنَّ جَدَّكَ وَأَخاكَ تَحتَ الكِساءِ،  فَدَنَا الحُسَينُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) نحوَ الكِساءِ وَقالَ: السَّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا جَدَّاهُ السَّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا مَنِ اختارَهُ اللهُ  أَتَأذَنُ لي أَن أَكونَ مَعَكُما تَحتَ الكِساءِ؟  فَقالَ: وَعَلَيكَ السَّلامُ  يا وَلَدِي وَيا شافِع أُمَّتِي  قَد أَذِنتُ لَكَ، فَدَخَلَ مَعَهُما تَحتَ الكِساء

So it was only a while when my-asws son-asws Al-Husayn-asws came over and said: ‘Peace be upon you-asws, O mother-asws!’ So I-asws said: ‘And upon you-asws be peace, O my-asws son-asws, and O delight of my-asws eyes and fruit of my heart’. So he-asws said to me-asws: ‘I-asws smell in your-asws presence a pleasant fragrance like the aroma of my-asws grandfather Rasool-Allah-saww!’ So I-asws said: ‘Yes! Your-asws grandfather-saww, and your-asws brother-asws are underneath the Cloak. So he-asws approached to be near the Cloak and said: ‘Peace be upon you-saww O grandfather-saww. Peace be upon you-saww O one Chosen by Allah-azwj. Do you-saww permit me-asws that I-asws come to be with the both of you-asws underneath the Cloak?’ So he-saww said: ‘And upon you-asws be peace, O my-saww son-asws, and O interceder of my-saww community, I-saww have permitted you-asws’. So he-asws entered to be with them both underneath the Cloak.

فَأَقبَلَ عِندَ ذلِكَ أَبو الحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بنُ أَبي طالِبٍ  وَقال: السَّلامُ عَلَيكِ يا بِنتَ رَسُولِ اللهِ،  فَقُلتُ: وَعَلَيكَ السَّلامُ يا أَبَا الحَسَن وَيا أَمِيرَ المُؤمِنينَ. فَقالَ: يا فاطِمَةُ إِنّي أَشَمُّ عِندَكِ رائِحَةً طَيِّبَةً كَأَنَّها رائِحَةُ أَخي  وَابِنِ عَمّي رَسُولِ اللهِ، فَقُلتُ: نَعَم ها هُوَ مَعَ وَلَدَيكَ تَحتَ الكِساءِ، فَأقبَلَ عَلِيٌّ نَحوَ الكِساءِ وَقالَ: السَّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَتَأذَنُ لي أَن أَكُونَ مَعَكُم تَحتَ الكِساءِ؟  قالَ لَهُ وَعَلَيكَ السَّلامُ يا أَخِي وَيا وَصِيّيِ وَخَلِيفَتِي وَصاحِبَ لِوائِي  قَد أَذِنتُ لَكَ، فَدَخَلَ عَلِيٌّ تَحتَ الكِساءِ

So, during that, Abu Al-Hassan Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws came over and said: ‘Peace be upon you-asws, O daughter-asws of Rasool-Allah-saww’. So I-asws said: ‘And upon you-asws be peace, O Abu Al-Hassan-asws, and O Amir-ul-Momineen-asws!’ So he-asws said: ‘O Fatima-asws! I-asws smell in your-asws presence a pleasant fragrance like the aroma of my-asws brother-saww, and son-saww of my-asws uncle-as Rasool-Allah-saww’. So I-asws said: ‘Yes!’ Here he-saww is along with your-asws two sons-asws underneath the Cloak’. So Ali-asws went near to the Cloak and said: ‘Peace be upon you-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww! Do you-saww permit me-asws that I-asws come to be with you-asws all underneath the Cloak?’ He-saww said to him-asws: ‘And upon you-asws be peace, O my-saww brother-asws, and O my-saww successor-asws, and my-saww Caliph! I-saww have permitted you-asws’. So Ali-asws entered to be underneath the Cloak’.

ثُمَّ أَتَيتُ نَحوَ الكِساءِ وَقُلتُ: السَّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا أبَتاهُ يا رَسُولَ الله  أَتأذَنُ لي أَن أَكونَ مَعَكُم تَحتَ الكِساءِ؟  قالَ: وَعَليكِ السَّلامُ يا بِنتِي وَيا بَضعَتِي قَد أَذِنتُ لَكِ، فَدَخَلتُ تَحتَ الكِساءِ

Then I-asws came near the Cloak and I-asws said: ‘Peace be upon you-saww, O father-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww! Do you-saww permit me-asws that I-asws come to be with you-asws all underneath the Cloak?’ He-saww said: ‘And upon you-asws be peace, O my-saww daughter-asws, and O part of me-saww. I-saww have permitted you-asws’. So I-asws entered to be underneath the Cloak’.

فَلَـمَّا اكتَمَلنا جَمِيعاً تَحتَ الكِساءِ أَخَذَ أَبي رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه وسَلَّم) بِطَرَفَيِ الكِساءِ  وَأَومَأَ بِيَدِهِ اليُمنى إِلىَ السَّماءِ  وقالَ: اللّهُمَّ  إِنَّ هؤُلاءِ  أَهلُ بَيتِي  وخَاصَّتِي وَحَامَّت،  لَحمُهُم لَحمِي وَدَمُهُم دَمِي،  يُؤلِمُني ما يُؤلِمُهُم ويَحزُنُني ما يُحزِنُهُم،  أَنَا حَربٌ لِـمَن حارَبَهُم  وَسِلمٌ لِـمَن سالَـمَهُم  وَعَدوٌّ لِـمَن عاداهُم  وَمُحِبٌّ لِـمَن أَحَبَّهُم،  إنًّهُم مِنّي وَأَنا مِنهُم  فَاجعَل  صَلَواتِكَ  وَبَرَكاتِكَ وَرَحمَتكَ وغُفرانَكَ وَرِضوانَكَ  عَلَيَّ وَعَلَيهِم  وَأَذهِب عَنهُمْ  الرِّجسَ  وَطَهِّرهُم تَطهِيراً

So when we-asws were all complete underneath the Cloak, my-asws father-saww grabbed a part of the Cloak and raised his-saww right hand towards the sky, and said: ‘O Allah-azwj! These are the People-asws of my-saww Household, and my-saww special ones, my-saww supporters. Their-asws flesh is my-saww flesh, and their-asws blood is my-saww blood. And it hurts me-saww what hurts them-asws, and it grieves me-saww what grieves them-asws. I-saww am at war with the ones who are at war with them-asws, and at peace with the ones who are peaceful with them-asws, and an enemy to the ones who are inimical to them-asws, and love the ones who love them-asws. They-asws are from me-saww and I-saww am from them-asws. Therefore, Make Your-azwj Benedictions, and Your-azwj Blessings, and Your-azwj Mercy, and Your-azwj Forgiveness to be upon me-saww and upon them-asws, and Keep away the uncleanness from them-asws, and Keep them Purified with a perfect Purification’.

فَقالَ اللهُ  عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: يا مَلائِكَتي وَيا سُكَّانَ سَماواتي  إِنّي ما خَلَقتُ سَماءً مَبنَّيةً  وَلا أرضاً مَدحيَّةً  وَلا قَمَراً مُنيراًوَلا شَمساً مُضيِئةً  وَلا فَلَكاً يَدُورُ  وَلا بَحراً يَجري  وَلا فُلكاً يَسري  إِلاّ في مَحَبَّةِ هؤُلاءِ  الخَمسَةِ  الَّذينَ هُم تَحتَ الكِساءِ، فَقالَ الأَمِينُ جِبرائِيلُ: يا رَبِّ وَمَنْ تَحتَ الكِساءِ؟  فَقالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: هُم  أَهلُ بَيتِ النُّبُوَّةِ  وَمَعدِنُ الرِّسالَةِ  هُم فاطِمَةُ وَأَبُوها، وَبَعلُها  وَبَنوها،  فَقالَ جِبرائِيلُ: يا رَبِّ أَتَأذَنُ لي  أَن أَهبِطَ إلىَ الأَرضِ  لأِكُونَ مَعَهُم سادِساً؟  فَقالَ اللهُ: نَعَم قَد أَذِنتُ لَك

So Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “O My-azwj Angels, and O dwellers of My-azwj sky! I-azwj did not Create the Raised sky, nor the Stretched earth, nor the luminous moon, nor the shining sun, nor the orbiting planets, nor the flowing oceans, nor the flowing of the ships, except for the Love of these-asws five who are underneath the Cloak”. So the Trustworthy Jibraeel-as said: ‘O Lord-azwj! And who are underneath the Cloak?’ So Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “They-asws are the People-asws of the Household of the Prophet-hood, and the Mines of the Messenger-ship. They-asws are Fatima-asws, and her-asws father-saww, and her-asws husband-asws and her-asws two sons-asws!” So Jibraeel-as said: ‘O Lord-azwj! Do You-azwj Permit me-as to descend to the earth and join them-asws as the sixth one?’ So Allah-azwj Said: “Yes! I-azwj have Permitted you-as!”

فَهَبَطَ الأَمِينُ جِبرائِيلُ وَقالَ: السَّلامُ عَلَيكَ يا رَسُولَ اللهِ، العَلِيُّ الأَعلَى  يُقرِئُكَ السَّلام،  وَيَخُصُّكَ بِالتًّحِيَّةِ وَالإِكرَامِ  وَيَقُولُ لَكَ: وَعِزَّتي وَجَلالي  إِنّي ما خَلَقتُ سَماءً مَبنيَّةً ولا أَرضاً مَدحِيَّةً وَلا قَمَراً مُنِيراً وَلا شَمساً مُضِيئَةً ولا فَلَكاً يَدُورُ ولا بَحراً يَجري وَلا فُلكاً يَسري  إِلاّ لأجلِكُم وَمَحَبَّتِكُم،  و َقَد أَذِنَ لي أَن أَدخُلَ مَعَكُم، فَهَل تَأذَنُ لي يا رَسُول اللهِ؟  فَقالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه وسَلَّم): وَعَلَيكَ السَّلامُ يا أَمِينَ وَحيِ اللهِ، إِنَّهُ نَعَم  قَد أَذِنتُ لَكَ، فَدَخَلَ جِبرائِيلُ مَعَنا تَحتَ الكِساءِ،  فَقالَ لأِبي: إِنَّ اللهَ قَد أَوحى إِلَيكُم يَقولُ  إنَّما يُرِيدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطهِّرَكُمْ تَطهِيرا

So the Trustworthy Jibraeel-as descended and said: ‘Peace be upon you-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww! The Highest of the High Coveys the Greetings to you-saww, and Specialises you-saww with the Tribute and Honour, and is Saying to you-saww: “By My-azwj Honour and My-azwj Majestic! I-azwj did not Create the Raised sky, nor the Stretched earth, nor the luminous moon, nor the shining sun, nor the orbiting planets, nor the flowing oceans, nor the flowing of the ships, except for your-asws Sake and your-asws Love”, and has Permitted me-as that I-as should enter to be with you-asws all. So, do you-saww permit me-as, O Rasool-Allah-saww?’ So Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘And upon you-as be peace, O Trustee of the Revelations of Allah-azwj! It (the answer) is yes! I-saww have permitted you-as’. So Jibraeel-as entered to be with us-asws underneath the Cloak. So he-as said to my-asws father-saww: ‘Allah-azwj has Revealed unto you-saww and is Saying [33:33] But rather, Allah Desires to Keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and Keep you Purified with a (perfect) Purification’.

فَقالَ: عَلِيٌّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لأَبِي: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَخبِرنِي  ما لِجُلُوسِنا هَذا تَحتَ الكِساءِ مِنَ الفَضلِ عِندَ اللهِ؟  فَقالَ النَّبيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه وسَلَّم): وَالَّذي بَعَثَنِي بِالحَقِّ نَبِيّاً وَاصطَفانِي بِالرِّسالَةِ نَجِيّاً،  ما ذُكِرَ خَبَرُنا هذا  فِي مَحفِلٍ مِن مَحافِل أَهلِ الأَرَضِ  وَفِيهِ جَمعٌ مِن شِيعَتِنا وَمُحِبِيِّنا  إِلاّ وَنَزَلَت عَلَيهِمُ الرَّحمَةُ،  وَحَفَّت بِهِمُ الـمَلائِكَةُ  وَاستَغفَرَت لَهُم  إِلى أَن يَتَفَرَّقُوا. فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام): إذَاً وَاللهِ  فُزنا  وَفازَ شِيعَتنُا  وَرَبِّ الكَعبَةِ

So Ali-asws said to my-asws father-saww: ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! Inform me-asws, what merit is there for those seated underneath the Cloak, in the Presence of Allah-azwj?’ So the Prophet-saww said: ‘By the One-azwj Who Sent me-saww with the Truth as a Prophet-saww, and Chose me-saww with the Noble Message, there will not be mentioned this Hadeeth of ours-asws in a gathering of the gatherings of the earth, wherein will be gathered our-asws Shias and those that love us-asws, except that the Mercy would descend upon them, and the Angels would surround them, and seek Forgiveness for them until they disperse’. So Ali-asws said: ‘Then, by Allah-azwj, we-asws have succeeded, and our-asws Shias have succeeded, by the Lord-azwj of the Kaaba!’.

فَقالَ أَبي رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه وسَلَّم): يا عَلِيُّ  وَالَّذي بَعَثَني بِالحَقِّ نَبِيّاً وَاصطَفاني بِالرِّسالَةِ نَجِيّاً ما ذُكِرَ خَبَرُنا هذا في مَحفِلٍ مِن مَحافِلِ أَهلِ الأَرضِ وَفِيهِ جَمعٌ مِن شِيعَتِنا وَمُحِبّيِنا  وَفِيهِم مَهمُومٌ إِلا ّوَفَرَّجَ اللهُ هَمَّهُ  وَلا مَغمُومٌ إِلاّ وَكَشَفَ اللهُ غَمَّهُ  وَلا طالِبُ حاجَةٍ إِلاّ وَقَضى اللهُ حاجَتَهُ

So my-asws father-saww, Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘O Ali-asws! By the One-azwj Who Sent me-saww with the Truth as a Prophet-saww, and Chose me-saww with the Noble Message, there will not be mentioned this Hadeeth of ours-asws in a gathering of the gatherings of the earth, wherein will be gathered our-asws Shias and those that love us-asws, and among them would be anxious ones, except that Allah-azwj would Relieve them from their anxiety, nor would there be any saddened ones, except that Allah-azwj would remove their sadness from them, nor any seekers of needs, except that Allah-azwj would Fulfill their needs’.

فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام): إذَاً وَاللهِ فُزنا وَسُعِدنا، وَكَذلِكَ شِيعَتُنا  فَازوا وَسُعِدوا في الدُّنيا وَالآخِرَةِ  وَرَبِّ الكَعبَةِ.

So Ali-asws said: ‘Then we-asws succeed and are happy, and similar to that are our-asws Shias who have succeeded and would be happy in the world and the Hereafter, by the Lord-azwj of the Kaaba!’ And Praise is due to Allah-azwj the Lord-azwj of the Worlds’.[1]

[1]                         عوالم العلوم و المعارف والأحوال من الآيات و الأخبار و الأقوال (مستدرك سيدة النساء إلى الإمام الجواد، ج‏11-قسم-2-فاطمةس، ص: 930

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