The
Eleventh Year of Migration | The Sickness of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
In Muharram 11 AH, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) developed a
temperature which kept getting higher. When the news of his illness spread, the
evildoers had an opportunity to start their treacherous activities. Musailamah,
Tulaihah bin Khuwailid, Aswad and Sajâh bint Hârith all claimed they were
prophets. They thought that they would also achieve success due to their claims
like the Prophet of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
did. But Allâh the Almighty put the seal on the Prophethood of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and demonstrated it
once again by driving each of them to an ignominious failure and defeat for
their heinous claim. Musailamah the liar gained notoriety in Yamâmah and Aswad
bin Ka'b Ansi in Yemen.
One day the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) came out while sick
with a bandage tied around his head because of a headache. Addressing the
Companions he said, "Last night I saw in a dream that I had two bracelets
of gold on my wrists and I threw them away out of dislike. I interpreted this
dream to mean that the two bracelets stand for the men of Yamâmah and Yemen
(Musailamah the liar, and Aswad the liar)." Aswad the liar was killed by a
person named Firoz during the lifetime of the Prophet of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), while Musailamah
the liar was killed by Wahshi, the killer of Hamzah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) during the caliphate of Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ). Wahshi used to say: "I have killed the best man while I
was in a state of disbelief and the worst man after I became a believer in
Islam."
Jihâd
in the way of Allâh from the Sick-bed:
When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) felt a little relief on Safar 26, 11 AH,
he ordered to make hasty preparations to take on the Romans because of menacing
news from the borders of Syria and Palestine. The next day he appointed Usâmah
bin Zaid bin Hârithah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
as the commander of the Muslim detachment and said to him, "Hurry up to
the land of your father and go quickly so that they won't have time to find out
about your movements. You will be, Allâh willing, crowned with success."
Marching on the Romans was necessary
because due to the events of Yamâmah and Yemen and the Christian conspiracies
against Islam, it had once again encouraged the Romans to turn against Arabia.
The departure of the Muslim troops was so necessary and so significant that in
spite of the severity of his illness, the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) got up to fix the standard of Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) with his own hands
and let them go ahead. He had ordered all the distinguished Companions to join
the detachment. Thus Abu Bakr, Abbâs, Umar, Uthmân and Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) were all going under the command of Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). However, Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and Abbâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
were held back in Al-Madinah to attend to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) during his illness. Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) took his detachment
out of Al-Madinah and made camp at Jurf about 5 km from the city. Abu Bakr and
Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) would come to the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) from there with the
permission of the army commander Usâmah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and then go back.
In the meantime the Prophet's
condition grew worse while Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) and his troops anxiously awaited the news about him. The
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) also gave his
approval to their holding up at Jurf. However, some people expressed their
misgivings at the commandership of Usâmah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) because his father had once been a slave. When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) heard about the
disapproval, he summoned the people and said, "Why there is an objection
against his appointment as commander when his father had already been the
commander of previous Muslim detachments?" He further added, "Zaid is
among the foremost Muslims and commands a place of distinction in Islam."
Those raising the objection subsided, showed their repentance and accepted
Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) as the commander of
the Muslim detachment.
Illness
increases:
The illness went on increasing day
by day. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
sought permission from his wives to stay in the room of Âishah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), which they readily
acceded to. He entered the apartment of Âishah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and then came out to say, "I tell you to fear Allâh. May
Allâh guide you all, I leave Him with you and entrust you to Him. I am a warner
against Hell and a giver of glad tidings of Jannah (Paradise). Jannah is for
those who seek not oppression in the earth, nor corruption. The next life is
for those who ward off evil. Never give yourselves to arrogance and
vainglory." After a pause the Prophet (صلى الله
عليه وآله وسلم) said, "My family members should wash my body,"
and added, "leave the spot for a while after putting my body beside the
grave so that angels may perform their funeral prayers in groups one after
another. The males of my family should come first to perform their funeral
prayers followed by their women." The Prophet of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) lay bed-ridden for three successive days.
Asking
Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to lead the Prayers:
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) deputed Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to lead the Muslims in prayers in the
Prophet's Mosque. Âishah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
submitted, "My father is not able to serve in this capacity for he is too
tender-hearted to do this. Please ask Umar to do the job." He said, "No,
Abu Bakr will do it." Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) was leading the prayer when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) felt a bit better and came into the
mosque. As soon as Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
came to know of the Prophet's arrival, he tried to get back, but the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) motioned for him not
to leave his place. Thus the Prophet (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) led the prayer sitting while Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was standing in the prayer. The Sahihain
(Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim) report that one day, during his illness, the
Prophet of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
asked for a pen and paper. Since he was then undergoing the intensity of his
illness, Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
intervened to say that he must not be put to any trouble for the Quran is
enough for us all as he has already said. But some of the Companions were in
favor of letting him dictate. The Prophet (صلى الله
عليه وآله وسلم) disliked the clamor of voices and asked the people to leave. At
the time he was suffering from a violent headache and this was the reason why
Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had suggested not to
trouble him in any way. When his pain had subsided a little, he called the
people in and said, "Make it a practice to keep the visiting deputations
happy with gifts and rewards. Drive the polytheists out of the Arabian
Peninsula and send the army of Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ). Show kindness to the Ansâr and forgive their mistakes and
consider none superior to Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) in your assemblies." Following this he fell unconscious
again due to the pain.
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