Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْمُبَارَكِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ شِمَاسَةَ حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ لَمَّا حَضَرَتْ عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ الْوَفَاةُ بَكَى فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ لِمَ تَبْكِي أَجَزَعًا عَلَى الْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ لَا وَاللَّهِ وَلَكِنْ مِمَّا بَعْدُ فَقَالَ لَهُ قَدْ كُنْتَ عَلَى خَيْرٍ فَجَعَلَ يُذَكِّرُهُ صُحْبَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَفُتُوحَهُ الشَّامَ فَقَالَ عَمْرٌو تَرَكْتَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ شَهَادَةَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ إِنِّي كُنْتُ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَطْبَاقٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا طَبَقٌ إِلَّا قَدْ عَرَفْتُ نَفْسِي فِيهِ كُنْتُ أَوَّلَ شَيْءٍ كَافِرًا فَكُنْتُ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَوْ مِتُّ حِينَئِذٍ وَجَبَتْ لِي النَّارُ فَلَمَّا بَايَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كُنْتُ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ حَيَاءً مِنْهُ فَمَا مَلَأْتُ عَيْنِي مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَا رَاجَعْتُهُ فِيمَا أُرِيدُ حَتَّى لَحِقَ بِاللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَيَاءً مِنْهُ فَلَوْ مِتُّ يَوْمَئِذٍ قَالَ النَّاسُ هَنِيئًا لِعَمْرٍو أَسْلَمَ وَكَانَ عَلَى خَيْرٍ فَمَاتَ فَرُجِيَ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ ثُمَّ تَلَبَّسْتُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِالسُّلْطَانِ وَأَشْيَاءَ فَلَا أَدْرِي عَلَيَّ أَمْ لِي فَإِذَا مِتُّ فَلَا تَبْكِيَنَّ عَلَيَّ وَلَا تُتْبِعْنِي مَادِحًا وَلَا نَارًا وَشُدُّوا عَلَيَّ إِزَارِي فَإِنِّي مُخَاصِمٌ وَسُنُّوا عَلَيَّ التُّرَابَ سَنًّا فَإِنَّ جَنْبِيَ الْأَيْمَنَ لَيْسَ بِأَحَقَّ بِالتُّرَابِ مِنْ جَنْبِي الْأَيْسَرِ وَلَا تَجْعَلَنَّ فِي قَبْرِي خَشَبَةً وَلَا حَجَرًا فَإِذَا وَارَيْتُمُونِي فَاقْعُدُوا عِنْدِي قَدْرَ نَحْرِ جَزُورٍ وَتَقْطِيعِهَا أَسْتَأْنِسْ بِكُمْ.
English Translation
Ali ibn Ishaq told us, he said: Abdullah — meaning Ibn al-Mubarak — informed us, he said: Ibn Lahi'ah informed us, he said: Yazid ibn Abi Habib told me that Abd al-Rahman ibn Shimasah told him, he said: When death approached Amr ibn al-As, he wept. His son Abdullah said to him, "Why do you weep? Is it out of fear of death?" He said, "No, by Allah, but because of what comes after." He said to him, "You have indeed been upon good," and he began reminding him of his companionship with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and his conquests of Syria. Amr said, "You have left out something better than all of that: the testimony that there is no god but Allah. I have passed through three stages, and in every stage I recognized myself. I was first of all a disbeliever, and I was the harshest of people against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him; had I died then, the Fire would have been mine. Then, when I gave my pledge to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, I became the most shy of people before him, so much so that I never filled my eyes looking at the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, nor did I ever look him full in the face out of shyness before him, until he met Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Had I died at that time, people would have said, 'Good for Amr — he accepted Islam and was upon good, then died, so Paradise is hoped for him.' Then after that I became entangled with authority and other affairs, and I do not know whether they are against me or for me. So when I die, do not weep over me, and do not send with me any eulogizer or fire. Tie my waist-wrapper firmly on me, for I am one who will be disputing [on the Day of Judgment]. Sprinkle the earth over me gently, for my right side has no more claim to the earth than my left side. Do not place any wood or stone in my grave. When you have buried me, sit by me for the time it takes to slaughter a camel and cut it up, so that I may find comfort in your company."