The illness and death of the Prophet ﷺ

The illness Back in Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ fell ill, at the end of the month of Ṣafar or the beginning of Rabii' al-Awwal in year 11 [À VÉRIFIER : date]. He suffered from fever and headaches. He asked his wives for permission to be nursed in 'Aa'isha's room, and they agreed [À VÉRIFIER : numéro, rapporté par Bukhari]. Despite his illness, he kept urging prayer and the good treatment of the weak; among his last recommendations: "The prayer, the prayer, and those under your authority" (reported by Abu Daawud and Ibn Maaja) [À VÉRIFIER : numéro].

Abu Bakr leading the prayer When he could no longer go out, he said: "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." 'Aa'isha objected that Abu Bakr was a tender-hearted man who wept when he recited; he repeated his order (Bukhari 664, Muslim 418). The companions later saw in this a sign of Abu Bakr's standing.

Faaṭima He called his daughter Faaṭima and spoke into her ear; she wept. Then he spoke to her again; she laughed. After his death she explained: he had told her that he would die of this illness, then that she would be the first of his family to join him (Bukhari 3623 and 3624, Muslim 2450). She died a few months after him.

The last look On the Monday, at dawn, while the Muslims were praying behind Abu Bakr, the Prophet ﷺ lifted the curtain of his room, looked at them in their rows and smiled. They thought he was going to come out; he signalled to them to complete their prayer, and let the curtain fall (Bukhari 680, Muslim 419).

The last moments He was leaning against 'Aa'isha. He used a siwaak she had softened for him. He would dip his hand into a vessel of water and wipe his face, saying: "There is no god but Allah; death has its agonies." Then he raised his eyes and said: "With the Highest Companion" (ar-rafiiq al-a'laa), and his soul was taken (Bukhari 4449 and 4463, Muslim 2444) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros]. It was a Monday in Rabii' al-Awwal of year 11 (June 632); the day of the month (often the 12th) is disputed [À VÉRIFIER : jour]. He was sixty-three years old (reported by Bukhari and Muslim) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros].

Abu Bakr's steadfastness The news shook Madinah. 'Umar, in shock, refused to believe it. Abu Bakr arrived, went in to the Prophet ﷺ, uncovered his face and kissed him, saying: "You are good in life and in death." Then he went out and said to the people: "Whoever among you worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad has died; whoever worships Allah, Allah is Living and does not die", and he recited verse 3:144 (below). People felt as if they were hearing it for the first time (reported by Bukhari) [À VÉRIFIER : numéro].

What he left He left neither gold nor silver: he had said: "We prophets leave no inheritance; what we leave is charity" (Bukhari 6727, Muslim 1759). At his death, his armour was even pledged to a Jewish man in exchange for barley for his family (Bukhari 2916, Muslim 1603). He was buried in 'Aa'isha's room, at the place where he died, which is today inside the Prophet's ﷺ Mosque.

Exercise: the Prophet ﷺ departed leaving almost nothing of this world, but a complete religion. Ask yourself: what would I like to leave behind? Write down one lasting good deed you can begin (an ongoing charity, knowledge passed on, a child brought up well).

The text: Surah Aal 'Imraan (3), verse 144 وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ ۚ أَفَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ ۚ وَمَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا ۗ وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ ﴿١٤٤﴾

The text: Surah Az-Zumar (39), verse 30 إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ مَيِّتُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾

Meaning of 3:144: "Muhammad is only a messenger; messengers have passed away before him. If he were to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his heels will not harm Allah in the least, and Allah will reward the grateful." This verse had been revealed after Uḥud, when the Prophet ﷺ was thought to have been killed. Meaning of 39:30: "You will die, and they will die."

Arabic text: Tanzil Quran Text (Simple, version 1.0.2), © 2008-2010 Tanzil.net, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence, reproduced without any change (http://tanzil.net). Each verse is on its own line, followed by its number; the basmala, which the Tanzil file places at the start of the first verse, is written on its own line.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation The death of the Prophet ﷺ was the greatest trial the community ever knew. It teaches first that he too was a mortal human being (39:30). Loving him does not mean worshipping him: Abu Bakr recalled this forcefully, and verse 3:144 ties faith to Allah, the Living who does not die, and not to a person. His last days are full of his character: he asks his wives' permission, he thinks of prayer and of the weak until the end, he smiles on seeing his community in rows behind Abu Bakr. His last look at this world was at people praying: it was the proof that his mission had been accomplished. The choice of Abu Bakr for the prayer, and his steadfastness at the moment of shock, show how the community had been prepared to continue without him. And his chosen poverty, with his armour in pledge, recalls that he could have been the richest of men and chose the Hereafter.

Lessons to draw from it • Remember that everyone will die, and prepare what one will leave behind. • Tie one's faith to Allah, the Living, and love the Prophet ﷺ by following him. • Keep up prayer and the good treatment of the weak until the last day. • Stay firm and clear-headed in shock, like Abu Bakr. • Prefer to leave a living religion rather than possessions.

Key points to remember • Illness and death: Rabii' al-Awwal of year 11 (632), at 63, on a Monday. • Abu Bakr leads the prayer (Bukhari 664, Muslim 418). • Faaṭima (Bukhari 3623-3624, Muslim 2450); the last look (Bukhari 680, Muslim 419). • "With the Highest Companion". • 3:144 and 39:30; "the prophets leave no inheritance" (Bukhari 6727, Muslim 1759).

The main message The Prophet ﷺ has died, but Allah is Living and His message remains: love him by following what he left, and prepare your own return to Allah.