The Life of Muhammad The Prophet
Death and Burial
In Sahih Muslim, there is a famous tradition narrated by Ibn 'Abbas
saying:
Three days before the Prophet's death, 'Umar ibn alKhattab and other
companions were present by his side. The Prophet said, "Now let me write
something for you whereby you shall not go astray after me." 'Umar said,
"The Prophet is overcome by illness; you have the Qur'an, the Book of
Allah, which is sufficient for us."
'Umar's statement caused a furor among those present. Some were saying
that the Prophet's command should be obeyed so that he might write
whatever he desired to write for their guidance. Others sided with'Umar.
When the tension and uproar intensified, the Prophet said, "Get away
from me!" Therefore, Ibn 'Abbas used to say, "It was a miserable,
absolutely miserable, occurrence that the conflict of opinion and noise
made by the people came in the way of the Prophet's writing a will and,
because of it, the Prophet could not leave behind what he wanted to put
on paper."
Sa'eed ibn Jubayr's narrative is thus recorded in Sahih Bukhari:
Ibn 'Abbas said, "What a miserable day it was that Thursday!," and he
wept so bitterly that the pebbles lying there became wet with his tears.
Then he continued, When on a Thursday, the Prophet's sickness
intensified, he said, 'Get me the things to write with so that I may
write something by which you may never be misguided after me.' People
differed and quarreled over the matter, although quarreling in the
presence of the Prophet was unseemly. People said that the Prophet was
talking in delirium. The Prophet cried out, 'Go away from me! I am more
sound than you are."'
It is stated in Rawdatul-ahbab that the Prophet said to Fatimah,
"Bring your sons to me." Fatimah brought Hasan and Husain to the
Prophet. Both of them greeted the Prophet, sat by his side and wept at
witnessing the agony of the Prophet in such a manner that the people who
saw them weeping could not hold their tears. Hasan rested his face upon
the Prophet's face and Husain rested his head upon the Prophet's chest.
The Prophet opened his eyes and kissed his grandsons lovingly, enjoining
the people to love and respect them. In another tradition, it is stated
that the companions who were present there, having seen Hasan and Husain
weep, wept so loudly that the Prophet himself could not hold his tears
at their grief. Then he said, "Call my beloved brother 'Ali to me." 'Ali
came in and sat near the head of the Prophet. When the Prophet lifted
his head, 'Ali moved to the side and, holding the Prophet's head, he
rested it, on his own lap. The Prophet then said:
"O 'Ali! I have taken a certain amount from so and so Jew for the
expenditure on Usamah's army. See that you repay it. And, O 'Ali! You
will be the first person to reach me at the heavenly reservoir of
al-Kawthar. You will also be given a lot of trouble after my death. You
should bear it patiently and when you see that the people prefer the
lust of this world, you should prefer the hereafter."
The following is quoted in Khasa' is of Nasa' i from Ummu Salamah:
"By Allah, the closest person [to the Prophet] at the time of the
Prophet's death was 'Ali. Early on the morning of the day when he was
going to die, the Prophet called 'Ali who had been sent out on some
errand. He asked for 'Ali three times before his return. However, 'Ali
came before sunrise. So, thinking that the Prophet needed some privacy
with 'Ali, we came out. I was the last to be out; therefore, I sat
closer to the door than the other women. I saw that 'Ali lowered his
head towards the Prophet and the Prophet kept whispering into his ears
(for sometime). Therefore, 'Ali is the only person who was near the
Prophet till the last."
Al-Hakim, moreover, remarks in his Mustadrak that:
"the Prophet kept confiding in 'Ali till the time of his death. Then he
breathed his last."
Ibn al-Wardi points out that the persons who were responsible for
giving the Prophet his funeral bath were:
"Ali, Abbas, Fadhl Qutham, Usamah and Shaqran. Abbas, Fadhl and Qutham
turned the body. Usamah and Shaqran poured water, and Ali washed the
body."
Tarikh al-Khamis adds the following:
"Abbas, Fadhl and Qutham turned the body from one side to the other as
Usamah and Shaqran poured water over it. All of them were
blind-folded."
Ibn Sa'd narrates the following in his Tabaqat:
"Ali narrated that the Prophet had so enjoined that if anyone except
himself (Ali) had given him the funeral bath, he would have gone
blind."
'Abdul-Barr, in his book Al-Isti'ab, quotes 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas as
saying: "Ali had four such exceptional honors to his credit as none of
us had:
• Of all the Arabs and non-Arabs, he was the first to have the
distinction of saying prayers with the Prophet.
• In all the battles in which he participated, he alone held the Prophet's banner in his hand.
• When people fled from the battle-fields leaving the Prophet alone, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib stood firmly by the Prophet's side.
• Ali is the only person who gave the Prophet his funeral bath and lowered him in his grave."
Both Abul-Fida' and Ibn al-Wardi indicate that the Prophet died on
Monday and was buried the next day, i.e. Tuesday. And in one tradition,
it is said that he was buried in the night between Tuesday and
Wednesday. This appears to be more factual. But according to some
others, he was not buried for three days after his death.
In Tarikh-al-Khamis, however, it is mentioned that Muhammad ikn Ishaq
stated the following:
"The Prophet died on Monday and was buried on the night of
Wednesday."
Estimating his age, Abul-Fida' writes:
"Although there is a difference of opinion about the Prophet's age, yet
calculated from famous traditions, he appears to have lived for 63
years."
The Holy Prophet departed from this world on the 28th of Safar, 11 A.H.
Thus ended the life of the Final Prophet sent.
as a witness and a bringer ofglad tidings, a warner and a summoner
unto Allah by His permission, and a lamp that gives light (Qur'an,
33:45-46)
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the one who was sent as a mercy and blessing to mankind (Qur'an,
21:10)
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He left the temporal world, but the message he brought to mankind is
eternal.
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Now has come unto you light from Allah and a clear book whereby Allah
guides him who seeks His pleasure unto the paths ofpeace. He brings them
out of the darkness into the light by His decree and guides them unto a
straight path. (Qur'an, 5:16)
** **
A Book which We have revealed to you (O Muhammad!) so that you may
thereby bring forth mankind from darkness unto the light, by the
permission of their Lord, unto the path of Him, the Exalted in power,
the One worthy of all praise. (Qur'an, 14:2)
** **
O people! There has come to you an admonition from your Lord which is
a healing for what is in the breasts, and a guidance and mercy for the
believers. (Qur'an, 10:57)
** **
Accept what the Messenger gives you and stay away from whatever he
forbids you. (Qur'an, 59:7)