Ṣāliḥ said: Mujāhid ibn Mūsā entered upon my father and said, “O Abū ʿAbd Allāh, glad tidings have come to you! All these people testify on your behalf; you need not worry were you to meet Allah this very hour.”

He kept kissing his hand, weeping, and saying, “Advise me, O Abū ʿAbd Allāh.” My father pointed to his tongue.

Then Sawwār the judge came in and began congratulating him and telling him about the dispensations.

It is related from Muʿtamir that his father, when death drew near, said to him, “Narrate to me the dispensations.”

My father said to me, “Bring me the book that contains the report of Ibn Idrīs, from his father, from Ṭāwūs, that he used to dislike groaning.” I read it to him, and he did not groan except on the night of his death⦗1⦘.

ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad also said: My father said, “Produce the hadith about groaning.” I read it to him, and no groan was heard from him until he died.

In the collection of Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAlam al-Dīn we heard him say: I heard ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad relate:

“When death approached my father I sat beside him with a cloth in my hand to bind his jaws. He would lapse into unconsciousness and then come round, open his eyes, and move his hand, saying, ‘Not yet, not yet,’ three times.

When he did this a third time I asked, ‘Father, what is this you are repeating at such a time?’

He replied, ‘My son, do you not know?’ I said, ‘No.’

He said, ‘Iblīs—may Allah curse him—is standing right in front of me, biting his fingers and saying, “Aḥmad, you have escaped me!” and I am replying, “Not yet—not until I die.”’

This is a singular and unusual report, transmitted only by Ibn ʿAlam—and Allah knows best.