Seerah of the Prophet - 2

Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.” (TMQ 33:21)[1].   This verse means that the only role model for a Muslim is the Messenger of Allah (SAWS[2]).  In the Seerah (the Prophet’s Biography) we can find everything we need in every aspect of our lives until the Day of Judgment.  The Prophet (SAWS) faced all kinds of situations and trials and everything was made available to him, so that he could set a real example for mankind in all aspects of life.  From the Seerah, we can learn how the Prophet (SAWS) dealt with his wives, companions and enemies etc.

The Prophet (SAWS) suffered a great deal in order to become a true role model for humanity.  He was deprived of a private life which he could not enjoy like everyone else. All details of his life, including his relationship with his wives while he was fasting (or, for instance, during their menstrual periods), are known to everyone.  He had to go through all this so that we could find in his way of life a good example to pursue.

Why do we need the Prophet (SAWS)?

A.     To  achieve happiness in this world:

Following the Sunnah (sayings and deeds of the Prophet that comprise his morals) leads us to felicity and happiness in this world.  The Prophet's S unnah  as, for instance, qiyam (night supererogatory prayer offered at any time after ‘Isha(night) prayer), augments the happiness of the married couples.  The Prophet (SAWS) said, “When a man awakes at night and awakens his wife and they pray two rak'ahs together, they are recorded among the men and women who remember Allah much.”[3]  It should be noted, however, that following the Sunnah is not limited to acts of worship; we should also emulate the Prophet's manners, such as smiling and having a cheerful mien.  The Prophet (SAWS) said, “Smiling in the face of your brother is an act of charity”[4].

B.     The Day of Judgment:

1) To intercede for us at the start of the Reckoning of accounts: 

Every person—whether a Muslim or a disbeliever—needs the Prophet's intercession for him with Allah on the Day of Judgment. On that day, mankind will stand up for 50,000 years and will eventually be extremely exhausted.  They will approach the other Prophets (AS) and ask them to intercede with Allah to start the reckoning of their accounts.  However, all the Prophets (AS) will refuse, saying, “Myself! Myself!”[5]  They will then approach Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) to intercede for them with Allah, and he will say, “I am the one for it! I am the one for it!”  He will prostrate under the throne and will praise Allah with words never used by any man before, and Allah will say, “O Muhammad, raise your head, ask and you will be given, intercede and you will be accepted.”  He will then intercede with Allah to start the reckoning.[6]

2) To interceding to increase the number of those entering Paradise without being called to account:

The Prophet (SAWS) says, “Allah will call me and tell me to bring out seventy thousands of my nation who will enter Paradise without reckoning their accounts. I will ask Allah (to save from hell) more. He (SAWS) will tell me that with each thousand of them another seventy thousand will enter Paradise without being called to account.”[7]

3) To drink from the Prophet's fountain on the Day of Judgment: 

After standing for such a long time on the Day of Judgment, when the sun will be close to people’s heads so they sweat, the fountain of the Prophet (SAWS) will be set up, and he will say, “My followers! My followers!” The water of the fountain sprouts from Al-Kawthar (a river in Paradise). It is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey.  Whoever drinks from it from the hand of the Prophet (SAWS) will never feel thirsty again.  The number of its drinking cups equals the number of the stars in the sky.

4) To enter Paradise: 

After passing over the Sirat (the bridge that will be put across hellfire for people to pass over on the Day of Judgment; it is sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair) the believers will proceed to enter Paradise, but its door will be closed.  The believers will say, “Who will intercede for us with our Lord to open the doors of Paradise?”  They will ask our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) again to intercede with Allah (SWT) to open the doors of Paradise.  Anas Ibn Malik reported that the Prophet (SAWS) said, “I will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Judgment, and will request its opening.  The gate-keeper of paradise will say, ‘Who art thou?’  I will say, ‘Muhammad.’ He will then say, ‘It is for you that I have been ordered to open it, and not for anyone before you.’”[8]

5) To enter al-Firdous al-Aala:

We need the Prophet‘s love to be able to enter al-Firdous al-Aala (the highest part in paradise).  A man asked the Prophet (SAWS), “When will the Hour be established, O Allah’s Messenger?”  The Prophet said, “What did you dispose for it?”  The man said, “I didn’t dispose for it many prayers or fast or alms, but I love Allah and His Messenger.”  The Prophet (SAWS) said, “You will be with the ones whom you love.”[9]

In another hadith, Abdullah Ibn Hisham said, “We were with the Prophet (SAWS) and he was holding the hand of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab.  Omar said to him, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! You are more endeared to me than everything except my own self.’  The Prophet (SAWS) said, ‘No, by Him in Whose Hand lies my soul, you will not have complete faith until I am dearer to you than your own self.’  Then Omar said to him, ‘However, now, by Allah, you are more endeared to me than my own self.’  The Prophet (SAWS) said, ‘Now, O Omar, (now you are a believer).’”[10] Abdullah

Ibn-Omar asked him, “Father! How were you able to make the Prophet (SAWS) dearer to you than your own self?”  Omar replied, “My son! I asked myself, ‘Who was it who guided me in this world, and showed me the right path to follow?’  ‘The Prophet’ was the answer.  Then I asked myself again, ‘Who would I need on the Day of Judgment, myself or the Prophet?’  I realized that the answer was ‘the Prophet’ (SAWS) again.  So, I said, ‘I have to love him more than my own self.’”

6)      To Intercede for Muslim sinners:

The Prophet (SAWS) will intercede for Muslim sinners who are in hell as he said, “When I see my Lord, I will fall down in prostration and He will let me remain in that state as long as He wishes and then I will be addressed.  ‘(O Muhammad) Raise your head. Ask, and your request will be granted; speak, and your words will be answered; intercede, and your intercession will be accepted.’  I will raise my head and praise Allah with words (i.e. invocations) He will teach me, and then I will intercede.  He will set a limit for my intercession for those I will admit to paradise.  Then I will come back again to Allah, and when I see my Lord, the same thing will happen. Then I will intercede and Allah will set a limit for my intercession (for those whom I will admit to paradise), then I will come back for the third time; and then I will come back for the fourth time, and will say, ‘None remains in Hell but those whom the Qur'an has imprisoned (in hell) and who have been destined to remain in hell.’”[11]

Meditations on the Life of the Prophet (SAWS):

Firstly:

When the Prophet (SAWS) was sent by Allah (SWT), the beginning was very difficult. It was as if Allah had willed to make our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) (and us) realize that strenuous efforts should be exerted for the sake of Islam.  The Prophet (SAWS) used to resort to the Cave of Hiraa to worship Allah. It was deserted and remote from Makkah and the Prophet (SAWS) used to go there to meditate on the universe.  Then one night Jibril (Gabriel) came to Hiraa and asked him to read.  The Prophet replied, “I do not know how to read.”  The Prophet (SAWS) related this incident as follows, “Jibril caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore.  He then released me and again asked me to read, and I replied, “I do not know how to read,” whereupon he caught me again and pressed me for the second time until I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and asked me again to read, but again I replied, “I do not know how to read (or, what shall I read?).”  Thereupon, he caught me for the third time and pressed me and then released me and said, “Read in the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has created man from a clot.  Read, and Your Lord is the Most Generous; Who has taught (the writing) by the pen; has taught man that which he knew not.” (TMQ 96:1-5)[12].  Then, Jibril left.  The Prophet (SAWS) returned to his wife with a trembling heart and started saying, “Wrap me up!  Wrap me up!”[13]

 Then, Surat Al-Muzammil was revealed, ayah one and two can be translated as,

(1)   "O you wrapped in garments (i.e. Prophet Muhammad)!

(2)   Stand (to pray) all night, except a little –"(TMQ 73:1-2)

Then Surat Al-Muddathir was revealed, the first two ayahs can be translated as,

(1)   O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments!

(2)   Arise and warn!" (TMQ 74:1-2)

These first ayahs had signaled the difficult starting-points of the Revelation, after which the Prophet (SAWS) bore the burden of proclaiming this great religion.  The Prophet (SAWS) used to call people to Islam during daytime and worship Allah in the dead of night.  His wife, Khadijah, being sympathetic for him (SAWS), said to him, “I see that you do not sleep.”   “The time for sleep has gone, Khadijah,” he (SAWS) would reply.

The Order to Proclaim the Da'wa (Call to Islam):

The Da'wa   had continued secretly for three years, during which a small number of people (not more than 40 individuals) believed in the Prophet (SAWS) and embraced Islam.  Then Allah revealed what can be translated as, “Therefore proclaim openly (Allah’s Message - Islamic Monotheism) that which you are commanded,” (TMQ 15:94): Narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA): When the Verse, “And warn your tribe of near-kindred”(TMQ 26:214), was revealed, the Prophet (SAWS) ascended the mountain of Safa and started calling, “O Bani Fihr! O Bani 'Adi!” (in addressing various tribes of Quraish until they were assembled). Those who could not come, themselves, sent their messengers to see what was there. Abu Lahab and other people from Quraish came and the Prophet (SAWS) then said, “Suppose I told you that there is an [enemy] cavalry in the valley intending to attack you, would you believe me?” They said, “Yes, for we have not found you saying anything but the truth.” He then said, “I am a warner sent to you in face of a terrific punishment.” [14]

After the proclamation of this call [to Islam], Muslims had been persecuted for ten years incessantly.

The Disbelievers' Persecution of the Prophet (SAWS):

1.     The Prophet (SAWS) was once praying near the Ka’ba.  He was 43 years old then, when a Qurayshi disbeliever called ‘Uqba Ibn Abi-Mu’ait took off his cloak, wrapped it around our Master Muhammad’s neck and choked him so violently that he (SAWS) fell to his knees.

2.     While the Prophet (SAWS) was prostrating in prayer near the Ka’ba, the same disbeliever threw the entrails of a dead camel on his head. The Prophet (SAWS) remained prostrating until his daughter Fatima came and removed the filth from his back, crying. The Prophet (SAWS) told her, “Don't cry my daughter.  Allah will support your father.” Narrated by Amr Ibn Maimun: Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud said, “While Allah’s Messenger was praying beside the Ka’ba, there were some people from Quraysh gathering. One of them said, ‘Don’t you see this (who does deeds just to show off)? Who among you can go and bring the dung, blood and the abdominal contents (intestines, etc.) of the slaughtered camels of the family of so and so and then wait until he prostrates and put that over his shoulders?’ The most unfortunate amongst them ('Uqba Ibn Abi-Mu’ait) went (and brought them) and when Allah’s Apostle prostrated, he put them over his shoulders. The Prophet (SAWS) remained in prostration and they laughed so much so that they fell on each other. A passerby went to Fatima, who was a young girl in those days. She came running as the Prophet was still in prostration. She removed them and cursed the Qurayshis. When Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) completed his prayer, he said, ‘O Allah! Take revenge on Quraysh.’ He said so thrice and added, ‘O Allah! Take revenge on ‘Amr Ibn Hisham, 'Utba Ibn Rabia, Shaiba Ibn Rabi’a, Al-Walid Ibn’Utba, Umaiya Ibn Khalaf, ‘Uqba Ibn Abi Mu’ait and Umar Ibn Al-Walid.”  Abdullah added, “By Allah! I saw all of them dead in the battlefield on the day of Badr and they were dragged and thrown in the Qalib (a well) at Badr: Allah's Messenger (SAWS) then said, Allah’s curse has descended upon the people of the Qalib (well). [15]

3.     While the Prophet (SAWS) was walking in the streets of Makkah, the disbelievers of Quraysh threw a handful of dust at his face.  The dust filled up his eyes and covered his head.  As he entered his house covered in dust, his daughters wept.  He told them, “Do not weep, Allah will uphold His religion and support His Prophet."

4.     The disbelievers of Makkah used to call the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) "Muzammam" (the slandered), but he told his companions, “Let them say what they would.  They are only cursing Muzammam.  I am Muhammad.”

5.     To harm the Messenger of Allah (SAWS), the disbelievers incited the sons of Abu Lahab, 'Utba and 'Utaiba to divorce the Prophet’s two daughters Ruqayya and Um Kulthoum.

6.     The Prophet (SAWS) went to call a tribe to embrace Islam. However, his call was rejected.  As he was riding his camel on his way back, a tribesman hit the camel in its belly. The camel went wild. The Prophet fell on his back and everyone laughed at him.

The Role of Women in the call for Islam:

1.      The first person ever to believe in the Prophet (SAWS) was Khadijah (RA).

2.      The first martyr in Islam was Sumaya.

Quraysh Holding Negotiations with the Prophet (SAWS):

Quraysh started negotiations with the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) after seeing that all methods of torture inflicted upon him and his companions had failed to stifle the call for this new religion.  Abu Al-Walid was the one who approached the Prophet (SAWS) and offered to make a deal with him.  The Prophet told him, “Say what you want, Abu Al-Walid.  I am listening.”  First, Abu Al-Walid offered him money, then he offered him kingship, and finally he offered to give him in marriage the most exquisite woman.

“Have you said all you have to say, Abu Al-Walid?” asked the Prophet (SAWS).  “Yes,” he answered. The Prophet then told him, “Listen to me!”  He began to recite Surat Fussilat, “Ha, Mîm. (These are the names of letters of the Arabic alphabet, and only Allah knows their meaning). A successive sending down from The All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. A Book whose ayat (Verses, signs) have been expounded, an Arabic Qur’an for a people who know, bearing) good tidings and a warning); yet most of them veered away, so they do not hear. And they have said, “Our hearts are under lids (literally: into lids) from what you call us to, and in our ears is an obstruction, and between us and you (The Prophet) is a curtain; so do (according to your belief); surely we are doing (according to ours).” Say, “Surely I am only a mortal like you. To me it is revealed that your God is only One God; so go straight to Him, and ask for His forgiveness; and woe to the associators, who do not bring the Zakat (i.e., pay the poor-dues) and they are the ones (who are) disbelievers in the Hereafter. Surely the ones who have believed and done deeds of righteousness will have a reward bountifully unfailing.” Say, “Is it true that indeed you surely disbelieve in (The One) Who created the earth in two days, and do you set up compeers to Him?” That is The Lord of the worlds. And He made therein anchorages (i.e., mountains) from above it, and He blessed it, and determined therein its nourishments in four days, equal to the questioners. Thereafter He leveled Himself (How He did so is beyond human understanding) to the heaven (while) it was smoke, then said to it and to the earth, “Come up (you two) willingly (Or: in obedience) or unwillingly!” They (both) said, “We come up willingly.” So He decreed them as seven heavens in two days, and He revealed in every heaven its Command. And We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and (set Angels) preserving them. That is the determining of The Ever-Mighty, the Ever-Knowing. Yet in case they veer away, then say, “I warn you of a (stunning) thunderbolt like to the (stunning) thunderbolt of cهd and Thamû‍d.”(TMQ 41:13).  Abu Al-Walid stood up panicked and put his hand on the Prophet's mouth beseeching him, “I beg you in the name of kinship ties to keep silent!” He then hurried away.

Finally, the people of Quraysh went to Abu-Taleb and asked him to convince the Messenger of Allah to abandon the call.  They even threatened to kill the Prophet. Abu-Taleb told the Prophet that he was not able to protect him anymore.  On hearing this, the Prophet (SAWS) cried and said, “O my uncle! By Allah if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand to persuade me to abandon this cause, I would not abandon it, until Allah proclaims the Call (to Islam), or I perish for its sake.” [16]

The Blockade at Shi'b Abu-Taleb:

The disbelievers of Quraysh had blockaded the Prophet (SAWS) and the Muslims in an area called Shi'b (i.e. a mountain pass) Abu-Taleb which was a narrow pass with no vegetation or water for three years. Meantime, the Muslims had to eat the leaves of trees, and their excrement became like that of camels. Sa'ad Ibn Abu Waqqas (who conquered Al-Mada'in) related the following incident, “While I was urinating, I heard a cracking sound. I looked down (to my astonishment) I found a piece of sheep skin. I put it on fire until it ened; and then chewed it. I had eaten nothing else for three days.”

The Prophet’s wife and uncle passed away in the same year.  It was as if Allah had predestined that His Prophet would realize that he had no one to resort to except His Lord.  These two painful events did not diminish the Prophet’s efforts to proclaim the Call.  On the contrary, his strenuous efforts augmented.  He set out for Al-Taif on foot, crossing a distance of roughly100 km of rough terrain to meet the three leaders of Al-Taif and invite them to embrace Islam.  However, they impudently jeered at him and refused his invitation.  The first one said, “Didn’t Allah find anyone better than you to send (as a prophet)?”  The second one said, “Even if I saw you hanging to the curtains of the Ka’ba swearing that you were a prophet, still I would not believe you!”  The third one said, “Either you are truly a prophet, and if so, you would be too great for me to talk to, or you are a liar, and if so, you would be too common for me to talk to.” 

The Prophet (SAWS) then asked them not to tell Quraysh that he came to them. However, they replied, “By Allah, we will tell Quraysh!”  They sent a man to tell Quraysh that Muhammad had come to them asking for support.  As if that were not enough, they also gathered their insolents, children, youth and slaves to pelt the Prophet (SAWS) with stones and pebbles and call him names.  Zaid, who was with the Prophet then, was trying to shield him and was wounded in the head.

When the Prophet (SAWS) escaped from them, he sought refuge in an orchard.  He raised his hands to the sky and said in supplication, “O my Lord! I do complain to You of my feebleness, and my limited power, and people’s humiliating treatment (to me). Verily, You are the Lord of the oppressed, and, verily, You are my Lord. To whose care are You leaving me? a stranger who will oppress me? or an enemy You have made him hold sway over my affairs?  If You are not angry with me, I will not be grieved! However, Your blessings are more compassionate to me.  I seek refuge in the Light of Your Face by (the glimmer of) which all darkness has radiated and the affairs of heavens and earth have been reformed, that Your anger will never befall me nor Your displeasure descend upon me. Your forgiveness I do seek and supplicate until You are pleased (with me). There is no might and no power save in You.” [17]

Then, the angel of the mountains came to our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) and told him, “O Muhammad, Allah has listened to what your people have said to you.  I am the angel in charge of the mountains.  Your Lord has sent me to you so that you may order me (to do) what you would.  If you want me to bring together the two mountains that stand opposite each other at the extremities of Makkah to crush them in between, I will do that.”  The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) told him, “I rather hope that Allah will ordain that their progeny worship Allah, the One, and join no partners with Him.”[18]

Consecutive events then happened to relieve the Prophet (SAWS) and make him realize that Allah was pleased with him. The first of these events was when a lad was converted to Islam after a conversation had taken place between him and the Prophet (SAWS) in an orchard. Secondly, a group of jinn embraced Islam, after listening to the Prophet (SAWS) during his night prayer. Finally, there was the event of Al-Israa and Al-Mi’raj (the nocturnal journey of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) from Makkah to Jerusalem and his ascension to the seventh heaven).

The Prophet (SAWS) had continued proclaiming his Call to Allah for two more years, until he met six youths from the Ansar whom he called to embrace Islam.  Upon hearing his call, they said, “This is the Prophet with whom the Jews have been threatening us!” One year later, the six youths returned with another six youths.  They vowed not to join partners with Allah and not to commit adultery, and to administer Allah’s Hudud (the boundary limits for Halal (the lawful) and Haram (the unlawful)). In the next year, 72 men and two women came to the Prophet (SAWS) to embrace Islam.

The permission to migrate to Madinah:

The Muslims had been persecuted for 13 years in Makkah Allah (SAW) gave His Prophet the permission to migrate.  When the Islamic state was established in Madinah, the Prophet (SAWS) commenced his contention for the sake of Islam, which had continued for 13 years.  The first battle in Islam was the Battle of Badr.  In this battle, the Muslims had very few camels so that they had to take turns in riding them.  The Prophet (SAWS) himself, Ali Ibn Abu-Taleb and Murthid Ibn Abul-Murthid had only one camel, which they rode alternatively to reach the well of Badr.  Ali Ibn Abu-Taleb and Murthid Ibn Abul-Murthid wanted to walk and let the Prophet (SAWS) ride the camel.  However, the Prophet's face turned red with anger on knowing this. He said, “No! By Allah, you are not more capable of walking than me, nor am I less in need of rewards than you.”

A year later, the Battle of Uhud took place.  In this battle, 70 Muslims were martyred among whom was Hamza, the Prophet's uncle.  All the Muslims retreated except for 20 men who stood firm and surrounded the Prophet (SAWS).  During the fight, the Prophet (SAWS) fell on his face into a hole, which Ibn Qumai'a had dug.  While falling, his face was hit by a rock and his lower right incisor Ruba‘iya (i.e. the tooth that is between the canine and front tooth) was broken and soon his mouth and face were stained with blood.  He was 56 years old then and as he tried to get out of the hole, Ibn Qumai'a struck him on his helmet.  The stroke was so strong that the iron rings of the helmet penetrated the bones of the Prophet’s face.  His companions tried, one after the other, to take the metal rings out of his face but to no avail.  Abu-Bakr tried first, but could not do it.  Then Abu-Ubaida Amir Ibnul-Jarrah held the Prophet’s head and pulled the helmet with his teeth until his teeth were broken.  The metal rings finally came out and the Prophet’s face was covered in blood, yet he raised his hands and said, “O My Lord, guide my people, for they know not.”

The approaching death of the Prophet (SAWS):

The Prophet (SAWS) was 63 years old when signs of old age overcame him; he started to pray the non-obligatory (supererogatory) prayers in the sitting posture, and part of his hair turned grey.  He used to say, “Surat Hud made me grey-haired.”  “So stand (ask Allâh to make) you (Muhammad) firm and straight (on the religion of Islamic Monotheism) as you are commanded "(TMQ 11:112).

The Prophet (SAWS) then went to perform Hajjat-ul-Wada’(the last Hajj –pilgrimage- of the Prophet the year before he died, i.e. Farewell Hajj).  The last verses of the Qur’an were revealed to him, “O you who have believed, fulfill your contracts. The brute of cattle (Anaam = cattle, camels, sheep and goats) has been made lawful to you, except whatever is (now) recited to you without violating the prohibition against (game) hunting (Literally: making hunting lawful) when you are in pilgrim sanctity (i.e. whether in the Inviolable precincts or in the special garment). Surely Allah judges (according to) whatever He wills. O you who have believed, do not violate the way marks of Allah, nor the Inviolable Month, nor the offering, nor the garlands, nor the ones repairing to the Inviolable Home seeking from their Lord Grace and all-blessed Satisfaction; and when you are not on pilgrimage, (Literally: when you have become legally permissible, i.e., no longer in the sanctified state of a pilgrim) then (go game) hunting. And do not let antagonism of a people who barred you from the Inviolable Mosque provoke you to transgress. And help one another to benignancy and piety, and do not help one another to vice and hostility, and be pious to Allah; surely Allah is strict in punishment. Prohibited to you are carrion, (i.e. dead meat) and blood, and the flesh of swine, and what has been acclaimed to other than Allah, and the strangled, and the beaten (to death), and the toppled (to death), and the gored (to death), and that eaten by wild beasts of prey-excepting what you have immolated-and whatever has been slain on the altars (for the idols), and that you adjure division (i.e. by gambling with arrows or in any similar way) by divining: that is immorality. Today the ones who have disbelieved have despaired of your religion, so do not be apprehensive of them and be apprehensive of Me. Today I have completed your religion for you, and I have perfected My favor on you, and I am satisfied with Islam as a religion for you. And whoever is constrained in scantiness, (i.e., compelled by need) without unfairly (inclining) to vice, then surely Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.”(TMQ 5:1-3).  Upon hearing this verse, Abu-Bakr cried and said, “This is the obituary of the Messenger of Allah.”  The Prophet (SAWS) then gave a speech.  Among the things he said was, “Learn your rituals from me, I may not meet you again after this year.”

When the Prophet (SAWS) returned from Hajj, he got very ill.  Nine days before his death, this verse descended on him, “And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allâh. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.” (TMQ 2:281).  Then the Prophet (SAWS) gathered his wives and took their permission to be nursed in Aisha's abode.  His companions carried him to her abode.  He (SAWS) told her, “There is no god but Allah! Indeed death has its agonies!”  Then he became feverish and his wife, Lady Aisha, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his own hand, saying that his hand is nobler than hers.  The Prophet then said, “By Allah, I find the taste of the poisoned sheep in my mouth.” (He was referring to the poisoned sheep which he had eaten at the hands of the Jews ).

Two days before his death, he went to visit the graves of Uhud’s martyrs and said, “Peace be upon you, O martyrs of Uhud.  You preceded us (i.e. to the Hereafter) and we, if it pleases Allah, will succeed you.”  On his way home, the Prophet (SAWS) shed tears and when his companions asked him, “Why are you crying, O Messenger of Allah?”  He said, “I miss my brothers.”  They asked him, “Are we not your brothers?”  He answered, “Rather, you are my companions. My brothers are the people who will come after me and believe in me without ever seeing me.”[19]

His physical condition got worse and his companions gathered in the Prophet’s Mosque to know his physical condition.  Their voices became loud.  The Prophet (SAWS) heard them and requested to be carried to them.  He climbed the pulpit and delivered his last sermon saying, “O People! Verily we will meet not in this world; we will meet there at the Cistern. By Allah, it is as if I see it from my place; and it is as wide as the distance between Aila and Juhfa (Aila is at the top of the Gulf of Aqaba).  I am not afraid that you would associate anything with Allah after me, but I am afraid that you may be (allured) by the world and (vie) with one another (in possessing material wealth) and begin killing one another, so that you would be annihilated as were annihilated those who had gone before you.[20]

“O People! Allah gave a choice to one of His worshippers either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Hereafter. He chose the latter.”[21]  Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr (RA) wept as he realized that the Prophet (SAWS) was talking about himself and that the choice meant his imminent death.  Abu Bakr sobbed so that all those in the mosque heard his crying. Then he stood up and said, “We sacrifice our fathers and mothers for you!”  The companions resented his attitude.  However, the Prophet (SAWS) said, “O Abu Bakr! Don’t weep.”  The Prophet (SAWS) added, “Abu- Bakr has favored us much.  If I were to take a Khalil (a bosom friend) from mankind, I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr but the Islamic brotherhood suffices. Close all the gates in the mosque except that of Abu Bakr.”[22]  

The Prophet (SAWS) then returned to Aisha’s room.  On the eve of his death, Abd El-Rahman Ibn Abu- Bakr came to visit him.  He was holding a siwak (the bark of a desert plant used for brushing teeth) in his hand so the Prophet (SAWS) looked at it. Aisha knew that he wanted to brush his teeth so she took the siwak and put it in his mouth, but it was too hard for him. Aisha took the siwak, softened it with her saliva and passed it on to him. Aisha used to say, “It was Allah’s bounty that He had ordained that my saliva was the last thing to enter the inside of the Prophet” (i.e. the last thing the Prophet tasted in his life.)

When Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter, came to visit him, she wept. Whenever she visited him, he used to greet her and kiss her between the eyes, but now he could not. She said, “What an agony are you suffering from, my father!”  The Prophet (SAWS) looked at her and said, “Your father will not suffer anymore after this day!”  He told her, “Come closer to me, Fatima. O Fatima, I will die tonight.” On hearing this, she wept. Then again he said “Come closer to me.” and told her, “You are the first one of my family to follow me (in death).” so she laughed.[23]

The morning of his death:

On the twelfth of Rabi’e Al-Awal, 11 A.H. at dawn the Prophet (SAWS) opened the door of his room and looked at the Muslims while they were performing dawn prayer and smiled.  The Muslims could feel his presence.  However, he made a gesture to them to stay still.  He watched them and then lowered the curtains of his room.

 Aisha recalled the last moments of his life by saying, “When the Prophet (SAWS) was healthy, he used to say, “Verily, no prophet passed away until he was shown his place in paradise and then he is given the option.”  When death approached him while his head was on my thigh, he became unconscious and then recovered his consciousness.  He then looked at the ceiling of the house and said, “O Allah! Rather (with) the Highest Companion!”  I said (to myself), ‘Hence, he is not going to choose us.’  Then I realized that what he had said was the epitome of the narration, which he used to mention to us when he was healthy.  The last words he said were, “O Allah! Rather, (with) the Highest Companion!”” [24]   The hand of the Prophet (SAWS) then fell, and his head became heavier on Aisha's bosom.  She knew that he had passed away.  Therefore, she went out to the Prophet’s companions in the Mosque and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah is dead!’”

The attitude of the companions upon hearing the sad news:

All Muslims burst into tears.  Ali was unable to get up, and Othman was like a child unable to speak.  As for Omar Ibn El-Khattab, he drew out his sword and said, “Some of the hypocrites claim that the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) died. The Messenger of Allah did not die.  He went to his Lord as Musa (Moses) had gone to meet his Lord, and he will come back!”  Fatima said, “O father! Verily you have answered his Lord Who summoned him. O father, whose abode is Janat Al-Firdous (the highest place in paradise).  O father, whose death I announce to Jibril.”

As for Abu-Bakr, he entered Aisha’s room, where the Prophet (SAWS) was, he hugged him and kissed him between his eyes saying, “How good you are in life and in death!” He went on saying, “O my best friend! O my prophet!”  Then he went out to the Muslims and said, “O people, if anyone amongst you worships Muhammad, then (he should know that) Muhammad is dead, but if anyone of you worships Allah, then he should know that Allah is Ever-Living and never dies.”  He then recited the following verse, “Muhammad is no more than a Messenger and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allâh; and Allâh will give reward to those who are grateful." (TMQ 3:144)

When our Omar Ibn El-Khattab heard that verse, his sword fell from his hand and went out of the mosque looking for a place to weep in.  He said, “Whenever a calamity befalls me and then I remember my calamity in losing the Prophet, all my calamities became tolerable for me.”

Anas Ibn Malik said, “The Prophet (SAWS) entered Madinah one Monday and everything in it shone; and he died in it one Monday, and everything in it was darkened.”

Al-Abbas, Ali Ibn Abu-Taleb, Osama Ibn Zaid and Al-Fadhl, the Prophet's uncle, cleansed the Prophet’s body (i.e. to prepare it for burial) while he was clad in his clothes. Then, all Muslims, ten by ten prayed for him. He was buried in Aisha’s room.  It is narrated that Fatima said after his burial, “How could you cover the face of the Prophet with dust (i.e. when burying his body)?”

On Monday, 12^th Rabi’e Al-Awal, 11 A.H., Bilal (RA) called to the noon prayer and said, “Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest! I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.”  Then on saying, “and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” he cried, his voice was well-nigh choked with tears and he started crying, and all those in the Mosque burst into tears.

The Messenger (SAWS) died, just like all human beings, and was buried; and it is incumbent upon us to perform four deeds to inundate our hearts with the Prophet’s love:

1.            To ask Allah repeatedly to endow him with His prayers and peace by reiterating, “Allahuma Salli wa Sallim ala Sayidina Muhammad”(i.e. O Allah! Endow Prophet Muhammad with Your prayers and peace'.

2.            To study his Seerah (i.e. the Prophet’s Biography)

3.            To follow his Sunnah (his moral excellence and deeds).

4.            To visit his city, Madinah.

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