How Imâm Muslim Died

On the authority of Ahmad b. Salamah:

A gathering of knowledge and revision was held for Abul-Husayn Muslim b. Al-Hajjâj where a hadîth that he did not know was mentioned. He went home and lit his lamp and said to those at home, “no one should enter the house (disturb me).” He was told, “We have been gifted a basket of dates.” He said, “Put it out for me,” so they served it to him. He started searching for the hadîth and taking a date at a time until the morning, by which time the dates where finished and he had finally found the hadîth.

Muhammad b. ‘Abdillâh (one of the reporters of this narration) added, “A reliable companion of ours added that this was the cause of his death.”

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of Imâm Muslim.