A
little before Death
Ali, Abbâs, Fadl bin Abbâs, Abu
Bakr, and Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
remained at the service of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) most of the time during his fatal illness. The Prophet of
Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) disliked anything to
be left with him at the time of his final departure. He, therefore, asked
Âishah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to give away in
charity five or six dinars remaining with her. He exhorted Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to take care of the prayers and
relatives. Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
led thirteen prayers in all during the Prophet's illness. On Monday, Rabi'
Al-Awwal 12, 11 AH, he came out with a bandage tied around his head when Abu
Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was leading the dawn
prayer. Following this he went back home and lay down with his head in the lap
of Âishah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) also left for home
happy and satisfied. Just at that moment Abdur Rahmân bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) entered the room
with a green toothstick (Siwâk—a natural toothbrush) in his hand. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) looked at it in a
way that she thought he wanted it. She then took the toothstick from her
brother, chewed it a little to make it soft and pliable, and then she gave it
to him. He rubbed his teeth with it, and then leaving it, he put his head
against Âishah's breast and stretched out his legs.
Death
A cup of water was kept near him. He
dipped his hand in it and wiped his face with it, saying, "O Allâh, help
me in the pangs of death." Âishah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had been keeping her eyes fixed on his face when his eyes
became glazed saying, "With the Highest Companionship in Jannah
(Paradise)." Thus the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) passed away from this mortal world. The news of the Prophet's
death fell like a thunderbolt on his Companions and they all were stunned.
The
Condition of Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
Umar (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was so terribly shocked that he temporarily lost his senses.
He got up with his sword drawn and said at the top of his voice: "Some of
the hypocrites have developed a notion that the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) has passed away.
But, in fact, he has not died. He has rather gone to his Lord as Moses had
done. He shall come back and cut their hands and legs." Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had gotten so
emotional that nobody had the courage to ask him to sheathe his sword. After a
short while Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
arrived and went straight into the room. He took the head of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) in his hands,
watched it and said, "May my mother and father be sacrificed for you,
verily you have tasted the death which Allâh the Almighty had decreed for you,
and never will you face any other death hereafter." He then came out
saying Inna lillâhi wa inna ilaihi râji'un (to Allâh do we belong and to Him do
we return) on his lips.
Firmness
of Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) asked Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
to keep quiet but he paid no heed. He then stood at a short distance from him
to address the people who now left Umar (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to cluster round Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). He praised Allâh and then said: "O men, if anyone of you
worships Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم),
let him know that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
is dead. But if anyone of you worships Allâh, then Allâh is alive and He does
not die." Then continuing his speech he recited the Quranic Verse:
"Muhammad
is no more than a Messenger, and indeed Messengers (the like of whom) have
passed away before him. Will it be that, when he dies or is slain, you will
turn back on your heels? He who turns back does no hurt to Allâh and Allâh will
reward the thankful." (3:144)
All those who were present on that
occasion felt pacified and their state of shock and bewilderment subsided
quickly. Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
says: "At first I paid no heed to the call of Abu Bakr. But when he
recited the Verse, it seemed as if it had just been revealed. I was taken aback
and fell down as if I had no legs. I felt as if I had just then come to know of
the Prophet's death."
Hall
of Banu Sâ'idah
Deliberations upon the new
developments were going on when the news came that the Anṣār had collected in
the hall of Banu Sâ'idah and were about to take the oath of allegiance at the
hand of Saad bin Ubâdah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).
Some of them disputed the idea of choosing two leaders, one from the Quraish
and another one from the Anṣār. Abu Bakr and Umar (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) accompanied by a group of Muhâjirin got up without losing a
moment and proceeded towards the trouble spot to put the matter right. However,
Ali, Abbâs, Usâmah, and Fadl bin Abbâs (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) the near relatives of the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) were left behind to look after the burial
affairs in conformity with the instructions of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) himself. Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
washed his body while Abbâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
and his two sons helped moving him from one side to the other, while Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was pouring water
over the body.
The
Funeral Prayer and Burial
The task of washing the body being
over, the Companions were divided over the place of burial. Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) then said, "I
have heard from the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) that every Prophet is being buried on the spot where he has
breathed his last." The Prophet's bedding was accordingly removed from the
place and a grave was dug for him at the same spot. The grave being completed,
the people came to perform the funeral prayer in groups one after another. The
women came in after the men and after them the children, all of whom prayed
over him. Nobody acted as an Imām for the funeral prayers of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).
On receiving the sad news of the
Prophet's illness and then of his final departure, Usâmah bin Zaid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and his men moved
back to Al-Madinah and the military standard was placed upright at the door of
the Prophet's room. The funeral prayer was performed in the room of Âishah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), where his burial
was to take place. Obviously, it was impossible for the men, women and children
of the entire city to perform the prayer together. Moreover, the prayer was not
to be led by an Imām. Thus it was natural that all took some time in performing
the prayers in separate small batches in the small room. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) passed away on
Monday and was buried the next day, on Tuesday.
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