of Allah—Abū ʿUbaydah ibn al-Jarrāḥ used to dig the trench-style grave (shaqq) for the Meccan people, whereas Abū Ṭalḥah would prepare the niche-style grave (lahd) for the people of Madinah. Al-ʿAbbās therefore sent two men to summon them both and said, “O Allah, choose what is best for Your Messenger; whichever of the two arrives will dig for him.” Abū Ṭalḥah came first and so he carved the lahd for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
Al-Wāqidī said: ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Jaʿfar related to us, from ʿUthmān ibn Muḥammad al-Akhnasī, from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Saʿīd ibn Yarbuʿ, who said: When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away, the Companions differed over where to place his grave. One suggested, “In al-Baqīʿ, for he often sought forgiveness for its people.” Another said, “Beside his pulpit,” and yet another, “In the place where he led us in prayer.” Abū Bakr arrived and said, “I possess knowledge on this matter. I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘No Prophet is taken in death except that he is buried where he passes away.’”
Ibn ʿUyaynah reported, from Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd, from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, who said: ʿĀʾishah once disclosed a dream to her father—who was among the most skilled at interpreting dreams—saying, “I saw three moons fall into my apartment.” He replied, “If your vision is true, three of the best people on earth will be buried in your house.” When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, died, he said, “O ʿĀʾishah, that is the finest of your moons.”
Al-Wāqidī said: Ibn Abī Sabrah told me, from ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Maʿbad, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: From the moment the sun passed its zenith on Tuesday, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was laid upon his bier and the people kept offering the funeral prayer over him, the bier resting at the edge of his grave. When they were ready to bury him, they moved the bier toward the side of his feet and lowered him from that direction. Those who descended into his grave were al-ʿAbbās, ʿAlī, Qutham ibn al-ʿAbbās, al-Faḍl ibn al-ʿAbbās, and Shuqrān.
Ibn Isḥāq said: Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd Allāh related to me, from ʿIkrimah, from