حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَعَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ عَلَى أَسْمَاءَ، قَبْلَ قَتْلِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بِعَشْرِ لَيَالٍ، وَأَسْمَاءُ وَجِعَةٌ، فَقَالَ لَهَا عَبْدُ اللهِ: كَيْفَ تَجِدِينَكِ؟ قَالَتْ: وَجِعَةٌ، قَالَ: إِنِّي فِي الْمَوْتِ، فَقَالَتْ: لَعَلَّكَ تَشْتَهِي مَوْتِي، فَلِذَلِكَ تَتَمَنَّاهُ؟ فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَشْتَهِي أَنْ أَمُوتَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ عَلَيَّ أَحَدُ طَرَفَيْكَ، أَوْ تُقْتَلَ فَأَحْتَسِبَكَ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَظْفُرَ فَتَقَرَّ عَيْنِي، فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُعْرَضَ عَلَيْكَ خُطَّةٌ، فَلاَ تُوَافِقُكَ، فَتَقْبَلُهَا كَرَاهِيَةَ الْمَوْتِ. وإنما عنى ابن الزبير ليقتل فيُحزنُها ذلك.
Hisham reported that his father ('Urwa ibn az-Zubayr) said, "'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr and I went to visit Asma' ten nights before 'Abdullah was killed. Asma' was in pain and 'Abdullah asked her, 'How are you feeling?' 'In pain,' she replied. He said, 'I am near death.' She said, 'Perhaps you desire my death and that is the reason you desire it? Do not do that. By Allah, I do not want to die until I reach one of the two ends:
either you will be killed and I will leave you to Allah or you will win and I will be content. Beware of having your portion presented to you and then you do not agree with it. Accept it, even though you dislike death."
Cited in Al-Adab al-Mufrad (No. 509).