Bismillah.
Imagine for a few minutes how it'd be like to live at the time of the Prophet (SAW), to see him often and to be near him. Imagine listening to his speeches, and watching him walk the streets of Madinah. Imagine being able to witness his smile and tearing up for his tears. Imagine spending time with him, his family and his friends. Imagine going to battle with him, supporting him and being there for him. Imagine putting your own life at risk just to save his. Imagine him growing old in front of you and wishing he'd never leave you. Imagine him talking about his death and not wanting to believe that it might actually happen one day. Imagine doing Hajj with him and hearing his sermon, not knowing that it'll be his last. Imagine him falling sick, and not being able to lead prayers in the mosque. Imagine missing seeing him and praying to Allah for his quick recovery. Imagine him being very happy one day seeing you pray together in congregation behind Abu Bakr (RA). So happy that you might've just cut your prayer short to see his glistening face had he not let the curtain fall. Then imagine hearing the news of his death one day and feeling shocked, horrified, devastated. Imagine not seeing his beautiful face ever again, not listening to his voice ever again. Imagine going through the streets of Madinah that day. So dull and dark, as if the earth, air and water felt sad too. Imagine life moving on. Imagine living through it all.
We can only imagine. How it really felt to lose Prophet (SAW) is beyond us. The Companions had experienced it. Go through the history books to know how their reaction was, how they lived through this loss and suffering. Most importantly the wives of the Prophet (SAW). And among them, Aishah (RA). Sigh.
Brief account of the last moments:
When the pangs of death started, ‘Aishah leant him against her. She used to say: One of Allâh’s bounties upon me is that the Messenger of Allâh died in my house, while I was still alive. He died between my chest and neck while he was leaning against me. Allâh had mixed his saliva with mine at his death. For ‘Abdur Rahman — the son of Abu Bakr — came in with a Siwak (i.e. the root of a desert plant used for brushing teeth) in his hand, while I was leaning the Messenger of Allâh against me. I noticed that he was looking at the Siwak, so I asked him — for I knew that he wanted it — "Would you like me to take it for you?" He nodded in agreement. I took it and gave it to him. As it was too hard for him, I asked him "Shall I soften it for you?" He nodded in agreement. So I softened it with my saliva and he passed it (on his teeth).
In another version it is said: "So he brushed (Istanna) his teeth as nice as he could." There was a water container (Rakwa) available at his hand with some water in. He put his hand in it and wiped his face with it and said:
There is no god but Allâh. Death is full of agonies.
As soon as he had finished his Siwak brushing, he raised his hand or his finger up, looked upwards to the ceiling and moved his lips. So ‘Aishah listened to him. She heard him say:
With those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace with the Prophets and the Truthful ones (As-Siddeeqeen), the martyrs and the good doers. O Allâh, forgive me and have mercy upon me and join me to the Companionship on high.
Then at intervals he uttered these words:
The most exalted Companionship on high. To Allâh we turn and to Him we turn back for help and last abode.
This event took place at high morning time on Monday, the twelfth of Rabi‘ Al-Awwal, in the eleventh year of Al-Hijrah. He was sixty-three years and four days old when he died.
More on the facts & figures regarding his death here.
More on the facts & figures regarding his death here.
Narrated 'Aisha:
Abu Bakr came riding his horse from his dwelling place in As-Sunh. He got down from it, entered the Mosque and did not speak with anybody till he came to me and went direct to the Prophet, who was covered with a marked blanket. Abu Bakr uncovered his face. He knelt down and kissed him and then started weeping and said, "My father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Prophet! Allah will not combine two deaths on you. You have died the death which was written for you."
Narrated Abu Salama from Ibn Abbas : Abu Bakr came out and 'Umar , was addressing the people, and Abu Bakr told him to sit down but 'Umar refused. Abu Bakr again told him to sit down but 'Umar again refused. Then Abu Bakr recited the Tashah-hud (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's Apostle) and the people attended to Abu Bakr and left 'Umar. Abu Bakr said, "Amma ba'du, whoever amongst you worshipped Muhammad, then Muhammad is dead, but whoever worshipped Allah, Allah is alive and will never die. Allah said: 'Muhammad is no more than an Apostle and indeed (many) Apostles have passed away before him ..(up to the) grateful.' " (3.144) (The narrator added, "By Allah, it was as if the people never knew that Allah had revealed this verse before till Abu Bakr recited it and then whoever heard it, started reciting it ")
Professor Nazeer Ahmed:
The first reaction to the death of the Prophet was shock, disbelief and denial. So great was the love of the Companions for the Prophet that they could not part with their love. So central was he to the life of the community that they could not imagine a life without his presence. When Omar ibn al Khattab (r) heard that the Prophet had passed away, he was so distraught that he drew his sword and declared: “Some hypocrites are pretending that the Prophet of God-may God’s peace and blessing be upon him—has died. By God I swear that he did not die; that he has gone to join his Lord, just as other Prophets went before. Moses was absent from his people for forty nights and returned to them after they had declared him dead. By God, the Prophet of God will return just as Moses returned. Any man who dares to perpetrate a false rumor such as Muhammed’s death shall have his arms and legs cut off by this hand.” People listened to Omar (r), too stupefied to believe that the man who had transformed Arabia from the backwaters of history to the forefront of the historical process was dead. The situation was grave indeed.
The resilience of Islam showed itself in the person of Abu Bakr (r). After confirming that the Prophet had indeed passed away, he entered the mosque where Omar (r) was speaking to the people and recited the following passage from the Qur’an: “Muhammed is but a Prophet before whom many prophets have come and gone. Should he die or be killed, will you give up your faith? Know that whoever gives up his faith will cause no harm to God, but God will surely reward those who are grateful to Him” (Qur’an, 3:144). It was as if the people had heard this passage for the first time; it struck them like a bolt of lighting. Omar (r) related later that when he heard it, his legs shook as he realized that the Messenger of God had indeed departed from this world. The mortality of the Prophet was established, while the transcendence of God was reaffirmed. The civilization of Islam was to be God-centered, not man-centered. Islam was to have its anchor in God and His Word. The Prophet, as the man who had brought the Divine Word and fulfilled his historical mission, had departed, but the light that had shone through him was to show the way to succeeding generations. Islam retained its transcendent character. It was to survive the physical absence of the Prophet and was to hurl itself as a dynamic force into the historical process.
They had to get over it. Life could not stop there. No matter how sad they felt, they had to continue living, working for Allah's cause. The mission that he had started, they had to fulfill.
It's obvious that I now want to talk about how that mission is ours now, and how important it is for us t understand our purpose of life and not get lost in the deceptive pomp and glitter of this world. You know how it is. :) #WaysToRuinAGreatPost
Wassalam.
