The narrator said, We were present with Amr bin As as he was in the throes of death. He wept for a long time and turned his face toward the wall. His son began saying, "Father, did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ not give you good tidings of such and such? Did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ not give you good tidings of such and such?"Then Amr turned his face toward them and said, "The best of what we count upon is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I have passed through three stages. There was a time when no one hated the Messenger of Allah ﷺ more than I did, and nothing would have pleased me more than to gain power over him and kill him. Had I died in that state, I would have been among the people of the Fire.When Allah placed Islam in my heart, I came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, 'Extend your right hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.' He extended his hand, but I withdrew mine.He asked, 'What is the matter, Amr?'I said, 'I want to make a condition.'He asked, 'What condition?'I said, 'That I be forgiven.'He said, 'Do you not know that Islam wipes out what came before it, that emigration wipes out what came before it, and that the pilgrimage wipes out what came before it?'After that, no one was more beloved to me than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, nor more revered in my eyes. I could not bring myself to look fully at him out of awe, and if I were asked to describe him, I would not be able to, because I never filled my eyes with the sight of him. Had I died in that state, I would have hoped to be among the people of Paradise.Then we took charge of certain affairs, and I do not know how I stand regarding them. So when I die, let no wailing woman accompany me, nor any fire. When you bury me, pour the earth over me gently. Then stand around my grave for as long as it takes to slaughter a camel and distribute its meat, so that I may find comfort in your presence and consider what reply I will give to the messengers of my Lord."
قال حضرنا عمرو بن العاص وهو في سياقة الموت، فبكى طويلا وحول وجهه إلى الجدار، فجعل ابنه يقول: يا أبتاه أما بشرك رسول الله ﷺ بكذا؟ أما بشرك رسول الله ﷺ بكذا؟ قال: فأقبل بوجهه فقال: إن أفضل ما نعد شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله، إني قد كنت على أطباق ثلاث لقد رأيتني وما أحد أشد بغضا لرسول الله ﷺ مني، ولا أحب إلي أن أكون قد استمكنت منه فقتلته، فلو مت على تلك الحال لكنت من أهل النار، فلما جعل الله الإسلام في قلبي أتيت النبي ﷺ، فقلت: ابسط يمينك فلأبايعك، فبسط يمينه، قال: فقبضت يدي قال: ما لك يا عمرو؟ قال: قلت: أردت أن أشترط، قال: تشترط بماذا؟ قلت: أن يغفر لي، قال: أما علمت أن الإسلام يهدم ما كان قبله، وأن الهجرة تهدم ما كان قبلها، وأن الحج يهدم ما كان قبله؟ وما كان أحد أحب إلي من رسول الله ﷺ ولا أجل في عيني منه، وما كنت أطيق أن أملأ عيني منه إجلالا له، ولو سئلت أن أصفه ما أطقت، لأني لم أكن أملأ عيني منه، ولو مت على تلك الحال لرجوت أن أكون من أهل الجنة، ثم ولينا أشياء ما أدري ما حالي فيها، فإذا أنا مت فلا تصحبني نائحة ولا نار، فإذا دفنتموني فشنوا علي التراب شنا، ثم أقيموا حول قبري قدر ما تنحر جزور ويقسم لحمها حتى أستأنس بكم، وأنظر ماذا أراجع به رسل ربي.