Reciting Kalema on the Death Bed

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Shaikh Bahai states in his book ‘Kashkol’ that there was a person who had spent his entire life in pleasures and luxuries of this world.

When he was about to die, the people gathered around him and requested him to recite the ‘Kalema’. But instead of the ‘Kalema’ the dying man said:

يَارَبَّ قَائِلَةٍ يَوْمًا وَ قَدْ تَعِبَتْ

اَيْنَ الطَّرِيْقُ اِلى حَمَامِ مَنْجَاب

“Where is that woman who in a state of exhaustion came to me and asked me the way to the public bath (named Manjab).”

He said so because one day a virtuous and beautiful woman came out of her house to have bath in a famous bathhouse named ‘Manjab’. She forgot her way and was exhausted in search of it. She saw this man standing near a door and asked him the way to it. He pointed towards his house and said that the same was the bathhouse named ‘Manjab’. As soon as the woman entered therein, the man locked the door and intended to have illicit physical relation with her. The virtuous woman sensed that there was no escape from his lustful fold, and hence pretended to be interested in him. She said that she was in a state of uncleanness and was proceeding for a bath. She told the man to go and get some scent for her so that she may perfume and adorn herself for him and also to get something to eat as she was famished. The man was deceived by her words and went to the market to buy things. As soon as he stepped outside, the woman thanked Allah for preserving her chastity and ran away. When the man returned, he understood his mistake and regretted. Now when his end neared, he remembered this indecent act and instead of reciting the ‘Kalema’ said the above words.

The incident is to be reflected upon that when the person was about to die, the sin (even though he had not committed it, but had intended) stopped him from reciting the ‘Kalema’.

Reference:Manazelul Akherah Shk Abbas Qummi (ra)