her brother ʿAbd al-Raḥmān. I said, “Ibn ʿAbbās is at the door asking permission to enter.”

She replied, “Spare me Ibn ʿAbbās; I have no need of him or of his commendations.”

ʿAbdullāh said, “Mother, Ibn ʿAbbās is one of your righteous sons. He has come only to bid you farewell and to salute you.”

She said, “Then let him in, if you wish.”

Ibn ʿAbbās entered, and when he had sat down he said, “Rejoice! By Allah, nothing now stands between you and freedom from every hardship—and your meeting with Muhammad ﷺ and the loved ones—except that your soul depart your body.”

She said, “Enough, Ibn ʿAbbās.”

He continued, “You were the Messenger of Allah’s most beloved wife—meaning, to him—and he loved only what is pure. On the night of al-Abwāʾ your necklace fell, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stayed behind to look for it. The people awoke with no water, so Allah revealed: ‘…then perform tayammum with clean earth’ (1) [al-Nisāʾ: 42]. That concession came to this ummah on your account. Then Allah—exalted is He—sent down your vindication from above the seven heavens, so that there is now no mosque in which Allah is mentioned without your declaration of innocence being recited there night and day.”

She said, “Leave me, Ibn ʿAbbās. By Allah, I wish I had been something forgotten, out of sight.” (2)

Yahyā al-Qaṭṭān reports—through ʿUmar ibn Saʿīd, from Ibn Abī Mulaykah—that Ibn ʿAbbās sought permission to visit ʿĀʾishah while she was overcome by illness. She said, “I fear that he will praise me.” It was said to her, “He is the Messenger of Allah’s cousin and one of the leading Muslims.” She said, “Let him in.”

He entered and asked, “How do you find yourself?”

She replied, “Well—if I remain God-fearing.”

He said, “Then you are well, God willing.”