51. Last Meal

On the night of the 19th of Ramadan, Imam Ali was in his daughter Um Kalthoum’s house. Imam Ali had been rarely sleeping during the nights of the Holy Month of Ramadan, and devoted himself to prayer despite the complicated situation and the expected battle. The Imam remembered that the Prophet told him that the Holy Month of Ramadan would be the month of his martyrdom. Um Kalthoum brought Iftar for the Imam, which consisted of bread, salt, and yogurt. The Imam told her that the Prophet would not eat two foods with bread in one meal, and that he would not break his tradition. So he asked her to remove the yogurt, and only ate bread and salt. In this night, the. Imam would constantly look to the sky and say: “By Allah, this is the night that my beloved the Messenger of Allah promised me.” The Imam fell asleep and saw the Prophet who once again told him that he will see him soon. After some time, the Imam asked Um Kalthoum to wake him up for prayer as he would sleep for some time. Upon hearing the Athan, Um Kalthoum woke up the Imam. The Imam woke up, performed his wudhu, wore his clothes and headed to the door. In the house’s courtyard were a few geese given to Imam Hussain. The geese honked loudly, and flapped their wings as if they’re trying to warn the Imam. The Imam said: “There is no god, but Allah. Calls followed by cries.” Then as he was leaving the house, the door’s nails stuck to his clothes, he pulled it and said: “Oh Allah bless us in our deaths, oh Allah bless us in our meeting with you.”