Hence, on returning home, Imaam Muslim (rahimahullah) entered his room, lit the lamp and said to his household, “No one should enter this room (as I do not want to be disturbed while looking for the Hadith)!” At that time, one of his household informed him saying, “We have been given a basket of dates as a gift.” Hearing this, Imaam Muslim (rahimahullah) requested them to bring the dates to him.

Imaam Muslim (rahimahullah) thereafter sat, searching through the books of Hadith for that specific Hadith. As he searched for the Hadith, he continued taking dates from the basket and eating them, one after the other. Such was the engrossment of Imaam Muslim (rahimahullah) that he spent the entire night in this manner, eating the dates and searching for the Hadith.

Finally, as the time of Fajr set in, Imaam Muslim (rahimahullah) located the Hadith. However, without realizing it, on account of his deep engrossment and concentration, he had also eaten the entire amount of dates which were in the basket.

The Ulama mention that it was on account of Imaam Muslim (rahimahullah) eating this very large amount of dates that he thereafter fell ill and passed away.

(Tahzeeb-ul-Kamaal 10/127 and Al-Muntazam 12/172)