Tradition of the Cloak
حَدِيثُ اَلكِسَاء
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَن الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري عَن فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَآءِ عَلَيْهَا ٱلسَّلاَمُ بِنتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ
Fatimah al-Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet, peace be on them, is to have thus related (an event):-
دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ أَبِى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِى بَعْضِ الأَيَّامِ فَقَالَ: السَّلاَم عَلَيْكِ يَا فَاطِمَةُ
My father, the Prophet of Allah, came to my house one day and said to me: ''Peace be upon you, O Fatimah!''
فَقُلْتُ: عَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ
I replied: ''And upon you be peace''
قَالَ: إِنِّى أَجِدُ فِى بَدَنِى ضُعْفَاً
Then he said: ''I feel weakness in my body''
فَقُلْتُ لَهُ : أُعِيذُكَ بِالِلَّهِ يَآ أَبَتَاهُ مِنَ الضُّعْفِ
I said: ''Allah protects you from weakness, father''
فَقَالَ: يَا فَاطِمَةُ إِيْتِينِى بِالْكِسَآءِ الْيَمَانِى فَغَطِّينِى بِهِ
"Fatimah," he ordered, "bring me the Yemeni cloak and cover me with it."
فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِالْكِسَآءِ الْيَمَانِى فَغَطَّيْتُهُ بِهِ
So, I brought the Yemeni cloak and covered him with it.
وَصُرْتُ أَنظُرُ إِلَيْهِ وَإِذَا وَجْهُهُ يَتَلْاَلَؤُ كَأَنَّهُ الْبَدْرُ فِى لَيْلَةِ تَمَامِهِ وَكَمَاِلهِ
Then, I looked at him and saw that his face was shining like a full moon with its glory and splendor.
فَمَا كَانَتْ إِلا سَاعَةً وَّإِذَا بِوَلَدِىَ الْحَسَنِ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ وَقَالَ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكِ يَآ أُمَّاهُ
After a while, my son Hasan came in. ''Peace be upon you, mother!'' he greeted.
فَقُلْتُ: وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ يَا قُرَّةَ عَيْنِى وَثَمَرَةَ فُؤَادِى
I replied: "And upon you peace, O light of my eyes, and the delight of my heart"
فَقَالَ: يَآ أُمَّاهُ إِنِّى أَشُمُّ عِندَكِ رَآئِحَةً طَيِّبَةً كَأَنَّهَا رَآئِحَةُ جَدِّى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ
He then said:" Mother! I smell a fragrance so sweet and so pure as that of my grandfather, the Prophet of Allah"
فَقُلْتُ: نَعَمْ إِنَّ جَدَّكَ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
I replied: "Yes. Your grandfather is lying underneath the cloak"
فَأَقْبَلَ الْحَسَنُ نَحْوَ الْكِسَآءِ وَقَالَ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا جَدَّاهُ يَارَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَتَأْذَنُ لِى أَنْ أَدْخُلَ مَعَكَ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
Hasan went near the cloak and said: "Peace be on you, my grandfather, the Prophet of Allah; May I enter the cloak with you?"
فَقَالَ: وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ يَا وَلَدِى وَيَا صَاحِبَ حَوْضِي، قَدْ أَذِنتُ لَكَ
He replied: "And upon you peace, my son and the master of my fountain (Kauthar), you are given the permission to enter"
فَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
So, Hasan entered the cloak with him.
فَمَا كَانَتْ إِلا سَاعَةً وَّإِذَا بِوَلَدِىَ الْحُسَيْنِ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ وَقَالَ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكِ يَآ أُمَّاهُ
After a while, my son Husain came in and said: "Peace be on you, mother"
فَقُلْتُ: وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ يَا وَلَدِيْ وَيَا قُرَّةَ عَيْنِى وَثَمَرَةَ فُؤَادِى
I replied: "And upon you peace, O light of my eyes, and the delight of my heart"
فَقَالَ لِي: يَآ أُمَّاهُ إِنِّى أَشُمُّ عِندَكِ رَآئِحَةً طَيِّبَةً كَأَنَّهَا رَآئِحَةُ جَدِّى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
He then said: "Mother! I smell a sweet fragrance like that of my grandfather, the Prophet of Allah"
فَقُلْتُ: نَعَمْ إِنَّ جَدَّكَ وَأَخَاكَ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
I replied: "Yes. Your grandfather and your brother are lying underneath the cloak"
فَدَنَى الْحُسَيْنُ نَحْوَ الْكِسَآءِ وَقَالَ:السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا جَدَّاهُ، السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مَنِ اخْتَارَهُ اللَّهُ ، أَتَأْذَنُ لِى أَنْ أَكُونََ مَعَكُمَا تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
Husain stepped towards the cloak and said: "Peace be on you, my grandfather, the chosen of Allah; May I enter the cloak with you?"
فَقَالَ: وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ يَا وَلَدِيْ وَيَا شَافِعَ أُمَّتِى قَدْ أَذِنتُ لَكَ
He replied: "And upon you peace, my son and the interceder of my followers, you are given the permission to enter"
فَدَخَلَ مَعَهُمَا تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
So, Husain entered the cloak with them.
فَأَقْبَلَ عِندَ ذَلِكَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِّيُّ ابْنُ أَبِى طَاِلبٍ وَّقَالَ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكِ يَابِنتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
After a while, Abul Hasan, Ali bin Abi Talib came in and said: "Peace be on you, O daughter of the Prophet of Allah"
فَقُلْتُ: وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ يَآ أَبَا الْحَسِن وَيَآ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤمِنِينَ
I replied: "And upon you peace, O father of Hasan, and the Commander of the faithful"
فَقَالَ يَا فَاطِمَةُ إِنِّى أَشُمُّ عِندَكِ رَآئِحَةً طَيِّبَةً كَأَنَّهَا رَآئِحَةُ أَخِى وَابْنِ عَمِّى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
He then said: "Fatimah! I smell a sweet fragrance like that of my bother, (my cousin), the Prophet of Allah"
فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ هَا هُوَ مَعَ وَلَديْكَ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
I replied: "Yes. He is underneath the cloak with your two sons"
فَأَقْبَلَ عَلِّيٌّ نَّحْوَ الْكِسَآءِ وَقَالَ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَارَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَتَأْذَنُ لِى أَنْ أَكُوْنَ مَعَكُمْ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
So, Ali went near the cloak and said: "Peace be on you, Prophet of Allah; May I enter the cloak with you?"
قَالَ لَهُ: وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ يَآ أَخِى وَيَا وَصِيِّى وَخَلِيْفَتِى وَصَاحِبَ لِوَآئِي، قَدْ أَذِنتُ لَكَ
He replied: "And upon you peace, my brother, my legatee, my successor, and my standard bearer, you are given the permission to enter"
فَدَخَلَ عَلِيٌّ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
So, Ali entered the cloak with them.
ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ نَحْوَ الْكِسَآءِ وَقُلْتُ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَآ أَبَتَاه يَا رَسُوْلَ اللَّهِ، أَتَأْذَنُ لِى أَنْ أَكُوْنَ مَعَكُمْ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
Then I stepped forward and said: "Peace be on you, my father, O Prophet of Allah; May I enter the cloak with you?"
قَالَ: وَعَلَيْكِ السَّلاَمُ يَا بِنتِى وَيَا بَضْعَتِي، قَدْ أَذِنتُ لَكِ
He replied: "And upon you peace, my daughter, O part of my self; you are given the permission to enter"
فَدَخَلْتُ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
So, I entered the cloak with them.
فَلَّمَا اكْتَمَلْنَا جَمِيْعاً تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ أَخَذَ أَبِى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ بِطَرَفَيِ الْكِسَآءِ وَأَوْمَئَ بِيَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ وَقَالَ:
Getting together underneath the cloak, my father, the Prophet of Allah, held the two ends of the cloak and raised his right hand towards the heavens and prayed:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ هَؤُلاءِ أَهْلُ بَيْتِى وَخَآصَّتِى وَحَآمَّتِي،
"O Allah, these are the people of my Household (Ahlul-Bayt). They are my confidants and my supporters.
لَحْمُهُمْ لَحْمِي، وَدَمُهُمْ دَمِي،
Their flesh is my flesh and their blood is my blood.
يُؤْلِمُنِى مَا يُؤْلِمُهُمْ،
Whoever hurts them, hurts me too.
وَيَحْزُنُنِيْ مَا يَحْزُنُهُمْ،
Whoever displeases them, displeased me too.
أَنَا حَرْبٌ لِّمَنْ حَارَبَهُمْ،
I am at war with those at war with them.
وَسِلْمٌ لِّمَن سَالَمَهُمْ،
I am at peace with those at peace with them.
وَعَدُوُّ لِّمَنْ عَادَاهُمْ،
I am the enemy of their enemies
وَمُحِبٌّ لِّمَنْ أَحَبَّهُمْ،
And I am the friend of their friends.
إِنَّهُم مِّنِّي، وَأَنَا مِنْهُمْ،
They are from me and I am from them.
فَاجْعَلْ صَلَوَاتِكَ وَبَرَكَاتِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ وَغُفْرَانِكَ وَرِضْوَانِكَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَيْهِمْ وَأَذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَطَهِّرهُمْ تَطْهِيراً
O Allah! Bestow Your Blessings, Benevolence, Forgiveness and Your pleasure upon me and upon them. And remove impurity from them and keep them thoroughly pure"
فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ:
Then the Lord, Almighty Allah said:
يَا مَلآئِكَتِى وَيَا سُكَّانَ سَمَاوَاتِى إِنِّى مَا خَلَقْتُ سَمَآءً مَّبْنِيَّةً وَّلا أَرْضاً مَّدْحِيَّةً وَّلا قَمَراً مُّنِيراً وَّلا شَمْساً مُّضِيئَةً وَّلا فَلَكاً يَّدُوْرُ وَلا بَحْراً يَّجْرِى وَلا فُلْكاً يَّسْرِى إِلا فِى مَحَبَّةِ هَؤُلاءِ الْخَمْسَةِ الَّذِيْنَ هُمْ تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
"O My angles! O Residents of My Heavens, verily, I have not created the erected Sky, the stretched earth, the illuminated moon, the bright sun, the rotating planets, the flowing seas and the sailing ships, but for the love of these Five lying underneath the cloak"
فَقَالَ الأَمِينُ جِبْرَآئِيْلُ: يَا رَبِّ وَمَن تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ
Gabriel, the trusted angle, asked: "Who are under the cloak?"
فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: هُمْ أَهْلُ بَيْتِ النُّبُوَّةِ وَمَعْدِنُ الرِّسَالَةِ، هُمْ فَاطِمَةُ وَأَبُوهَا وَبَعْلُهَا وَبَنُوْهَا
The Almighty answered: "They are the Household of the Prophet and the assets of Prophethood. They are: Fatimah, her father, her husband and her two sons"
فَقَالَ جِبْرَآئِيْلُ: يَا رَبِّ أَتَأْذَنُ لِى أَنْ أَهْبِطَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ لأَكُوْنَ مَعَهُمْ سَادِساً
Gabriel said:" O Lord, May I fly to earth to be the sixth of them?
فَقَالَ اللَّهُ : نَعَمْ قَدْ أَذِنتُ لَكَ
Allah replied:" Yes. You are given the permission"
فَهَبَطَ الأَمِينُ جِبْرَآئِيْلُ وَقَالَ : السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، الْعَلِيُّ الأَعْلَى يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلاَمَ وَيَخُصُّكَ بِالتَّحِيَّةِ وَالإِكْرَامْ وَيَقُوْلُ لَكَ:
Gabriel, the trusted, landed near them and said: "Peace be on you, O Prophet of Allah. The All-Highest conveys His peace on you and His greetings and says:
وَعِزَّتِى وَجَلاَلِى إِنِّى مَا خَلَقْتُ سَمَآءً مَّبْنِيَّةً وَّلا أَرْضاً مَّدْحِيَّةً وَّلا قَمَراً مُّنِيراً وَلا شَمْساً مُّضِيئَةً وَّلا فَلَكاً يَّدُوْرُ وَلا بَحْراً يَّجْرِى وَلا فُلْكاً يَّسْرِى إِلا لأَجْلِكُمْ وَمَحَبَّتِكُمْ،
"By My Honor and Glory, "O My angles! O Residents of My Heavens, verily, I have not created the erected Sky, the stretched earth, the illuminated moon, the bright sun, the rotating planets, the flowing seas and the sailing ships, but for your sake and love"
وَقَدْ أَذِنَ لِى أَنْ أَدْخُلَ مَعَكُمْ، فَهَلْ تَأْذَنُ لِى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
God has given me permission to enter the cloak with you. May I join you, O Prophet of Allah?"
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ : وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ يَآ أَمِيْنَ وَحْيِ اللَّهِ، نَعَمْ قَدْ أَذِنتُ لَكَ
The Prophet replied: "And peace be on you, O trusted bearer of Allah''''s Revelations!, you are granted the permission"
فَدَخَلَ جِبْرَآئِيْلُ مَعَنَا تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ فَقَالَ لأَبِي: إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَوْحَى إِلَيْكُمْ يَقُولُ:
So, Gabriel entered the cloak with us and said to my father: "Allah sends His Revelations to you
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُذۡهِبَ عَنڪُمُ ٱلرِّجۡسَ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡبَيۡتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ تَطۡهِيرً۬ا
" Verily Allah''''''''s desire is to remove blemish from you, O People of Household (Ahlul-Bayt) and purify you with a perfect purification" (33:33)
فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ لأَبِي: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي، مَا لِجُلُوسِنَا هَذَا تَحْتَ الْكِسَآءِ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ عِندَ اللَّهِ
Then Ali said to my father:" O Prophet of Allah, tell me, what significance has Allah given for getting together underneath this cloak?"
فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: وَالَّذِى بَعَثَنِى باِلْحَقِّ نَبِيَّاً وَّاصْطَفَانِى بِالرِّسَالَةِ نَجِّيًّا
The Prophet replied: "By Him who rightfully appointed me a Prophet and chose me a Messenger for the salvation of the mankind,
مَّا ذُكِرَ خَبرُنَا هَذَا فِى مَحْفَلٍ مِّن مَّحَافِلِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ وَفِيْهِ جَمْعٌ مِّن شِيْعَتِنَا وَمُحِبِّيْنَا إِلا
whenever and wherever an assembly of our followers and friends mention this event,
وَنَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الرَّحْمَةُ
Allah will bestow on them His Blessings and Mercy;
وَحَفَّتْ بِهِمُ الَمَلآئِكَةُ وَاسْتَغْفَرَتْ لَهُمْ إِلَى أَن يَّتَفَرَّقُوا
angles will encircle them asking Allah the remission of their sins until the assembly disperse
فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: إِذًا وَّ اللَّهِ فُزْنَا وَفَازَ شِيْعَتُنَا وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ
So Ali said:" Verily, by the Lord of Kaaba!, we and our followers are the winners"
فَقَالَ أَبِيْ رَسُوْلُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: يَا عَلِيُّ وَ الَّذِى بَعَثَنِى بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيًّا وَّاصْطَفَانِى باِلرِّسَالَةِ نَجِيًّا
Then my father replied: "By Him who rightfully appointed me a Prophet and chose me a Messenger for the salvation of the mankind,
مَّا ذُكِرَ خَبرُنَا هَذَا فِى مَحْفَلٍ مِّن مَّحَافِلِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ وَفِيْهِ جَمْعٌ مِّن شِيْعَتِنَا وَمُحِبِّيْنَا
whenever and wherever an assembly of our followers and friends mention this event,
وَفِيْهِم مَّهْمُوْمٌ إِلا وَفَرَّجَ اللَّهُ هَمَّهُ
there shall remain none grieved but Allah will remove his grief,
وَلاَ مَغْمُوْمٌ إِلا وَكَشَفَ اللَّهُ غَمَّهُ
there shall remain none distressed but Allah will dispel his distress,
وَلا طَاِلبُ حَاجَةٍ إِلا وَقَضَى اللَّهُ حَاجَتَهُ
there shall remain none wish-seeker but Allah will grant his wish.
فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: إِذًا وَّاللَّهِ فُزْنَا وَسُعِدْنَا وَكَذَلِكَ شِيْعَتُنَا فَازُوا وَسُعِدُوا فِى الدُّنيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ
Ali happily said: "Verily, by the Lord of Kaaba! we and our followers are the winners and the blessed, in this world and the next."