" HAIDER - AE - KARRAR "

Death of Prophet Muhammad (saw) [ L17 ]

The aims of the life of Muhammad Mustafa, as the Last Messenger of God on this earth, were:

to destroy idolatry and polytheism;
to proclaim the absolute Oneness of the Creator;
to deliver the Creator's Message to mankind;
to complete the system of religion and law;
to purify the souls of men and women;
to eradicate injustice, iniquity and ignorance;
to establish a system of peace with justice;
to create an apparatus in the form of a political state for the realization of all the foregoing aims, and one which would also maintain the momentum of his work.

Within the 23-years of his ministry as God's Messenger, Muhammad had achieved all these aims, and then it began to look as if like all other mortals, he too had to depart from this world. As noted before, he received this intimation for the first time when Surah Nasr (Help), the 110th chapter of Al-Qur'an al-Majid, quoted earlier in this book, was revealed to him.

Muhammad Mustafa had spent his whole life in prayer and devotions but after the revelation of Nasr, his absorption in worshipping his Creator became much greater than before, in preparation to meet Him.
The Prophet himself hinted, at least on the following two occasions that his death was not too distant from him:

1. In his address of the Farewell Pilgrimage in Arafat on Friday, the 9th of Dhil-Hajj, 10 A..H., he said: "Perhaps, this is my last Hajj."
In concluding his speech, he posed a question to the pilgrims,., "When you are questioned by your Lord about my work, what will be your answer?"

The pilgrims shouted with one voice: "You delivered the message of God to us, and you performed your duty."
When he heard this answer, he lifted his gaze toward Heaven, and said: "O God! Be Thou a Witness that I have done my duty."

2. At the "coronation" of Ali ibn Abi Talib at Ghadeer-Khumm, on 18th of Dhil-Hajj, 10 A.H., Muhammad, the Messenger of God, referred once again to his impending death by stating: "I am also a mortal, and I may be summoned into the presence of my Lord any moment."
Tens of thousands of Muslims heard these declarations of their Prophet, and they all knew that he would not be with them much longer. He himself knew that he had accomplished the mission with which his Lord had entrusted him, and he was, therefore, eager to meet Him.

At night, he paid a visit to the cemetery of Al-Baqi in the company of his servant, Abu Muwayhibah, who later reported that:
"The Apostle stood between the graves and addressed them in the following words: 'Peace be upon you who are in these graves. Blessed are you in your present state to which you have emerged from the state in which the people live on earth. Subversive attacks are falling one after another like waves of darkness, each worse than the previous ones.'"

Muhammad Husayn Haykal says that the (fatal) sickness of the Prophet began on the morning following the night on which he had visited the cemetery.
But notwithstanding his fever and weakness, the Apostle went into the mosque as often as he could, and led the Muslims in prayer. On the 26th of Safar, he is said to have felt slightly better, and went into the mosque supported by Imam Ali (as) He led the zuhr (midday) prayer, and after the prayer, addressed the congregation.

The Prophet warned the Muslims not to relapse into idolatry, and to remember that they were monotheists, and he added:

"One thing you must never do, is to worship my grave. Those nations of the past which worshipped the graves of their prophets, earned the wrath of the Lord, and were destroyed. Beware, lest you imitate them."

Earlier in the day, it was reported to the Prophet that the Ansar were extremely sad because of his illness. It was, therefore, an opportune moment to tell the Muhajireen about the Ansar and their great services to Islam. He said:

"Do not ever for a moment forget what the Ansar have done for you. They gave you shelter and sanctuary. They shared their homes and their bread with you. Though they were not rich, they put your needs ahead of their own needs. They are my 'legacy' to you. Other people will grow in number but they will only diminish. Whatever were the obligations of the Ansar, they have faithfully fulfilled them, and now it is your turn to fulfill your obligations toward them."

The Ansar were also present in the mosque, and they were trying to stifle their sobs. Addressing them, the Prophet said:
"O Ansar! After my death you will be confronted with many sorrows and troubles."
They asked him: "Messenger of God! what is your advice to us? How should we conduct ourselves when those bad times come?"
He said: "Do not abandon your forbearance, and keep your trust in God at all times."

"Prophet had declared, not once, but many time that Imam Ali (as) was his successor and the sovereign of all Muslims."
In the afternoon, Muhammad Mustafa summoned Imam Ali (as) , and said to him: "For me it's the journey's end. When I die, you wash my body, cover it in a shroud, and lower it in the grave. I owe money to such and such people, among them a Jew who gave me a loan to equip the expedition of Usama.

Pay these debts to all of them including the Jew." He then removed the ring he was wearing, gave it to Imam Ali (as) , and asked him to wear it which he did. He also gave him (Imam Ali [as] ) his sword, spear, armor, and other weapons. Prophet Muhammad (saw) said to Imam Ali (as) : Use your Sword against those who will be Against of ALLAH not against of those who will be against of your family .

As the day crept up toward noon, Fatima Zahra (sa) , the daughter of the Messenger of God, came to see him.
He treated her always with respectful tenderness. When she came to him, he used to rise up, go towards her, take her by the hand, and kiss it, and would seat her in his own place .
Then he said something to her which Others could not hear but she began to weep. Noticing the tears of his daughter, he said something else to her which again Others could not hear but she began to smile. She was so much like her father in temperament, character and appearance."
Sometime after the death of the Apostle, Someone asked Fatima (sa) what was it that her father said to her which first made her weep and then made her smile.

Fatima (sa) said: "First my father told me that he was going to die. When I heard this, I began to cry. Then he informed me that I would be the very first to meet him in heaven, and that too, very soon. When I heard this, I was very happy, and I smiled."

" & we have sent you ( O Muhammad [saw] ) , except as a mercy to the worlds "
( Al- QURAN 21:107 )

Lailaha Illallahumuhammadurrasoolallah
" There is none worthy of worship except ALLAH & Muhammad (saw) is the messenger of ALLAH " .