The Journey to the Hereafter

When the condition of the Noble Messenger ﷺ became more serious, he began placing his blessed hand in water and wiping it over his blessed face.

At that time, he ﷺ was saying:

“O Allah! Help me through the difficulties of death.”

“Alas, the distress of my father!”

Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“After today, your father will never experience any more distress.”

The fact that such severe pain and distress appeared upon the Noble Messenger ﷺ at the time of his death also contains a wisdom from Allah Almighty.

If a Muslim experiences such pain and distress at the time of death, he can console himself by remembering the suffering of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

He can say to himself: “If the Messenger of Allah ﷺ experienced so much difficulty at the time of death, then what is my status?”

Moreover, the severity of death can also become a means of raising the ranks of a believer.

Sayyidah ‘Aishah as-Siddiqah رضي الله عنها says:

“After witnessing the suffering of death experienced by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I no longer find the severity experienced by anyone at the time of death unpleasant.”

Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ experienced pain, he would say:

“O Lord of all people! Remove this suffering and grant healing, for You alone are the One who grants healing. The healing granted by You is the true healing, in which no trace of illness remains.”

Sayyidah ‘Aishah as-Siddiqah رضي الله عنها says that when the distress of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ increased, she took his right hand in her hand and began reciting these words of supplication and blowing upon him.

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ withdrew his blessed hand and recited this supplication:

“O Allah! Forgive me and grant me a place among the Exalted Companions.”

Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ experienced any difficulty, he would pray for well-being and healing.

But when his final illness came, he did not pray for healing.

Sayyidah ‘Aishah as-Siddiqah رضي الله عنها says that during this condition, her brother ‘Abdur-Rahman رضي الله عنه came in, and he had a miswak in his hand.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ began looking at the miswak.

I understood that he was feeling the desire to use the miswak, because he ﷺ greatly loved using the miswak.

So I asked:

“Shall I give you the miswak?”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ indicated with his blessed head that he wanted it.

I softened the miswak with my teeth and gave it to him.

At that time, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was leaning against me.

Umm al-Mu’minin ‘Aishah as-Siddiqah رضي الله عنها says:

“Among the special blessings of Allah upon me is also the fact that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away in my house. At that time, his blessed body was supported against my body.

At the time of his death, Allah Almighty caused my saliva to meet his saliva, because I had chewed the miswak to soften it, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used it to rub his teeth.”

When unconsciousness came over the Noble Messenger ﷺ, all his blessed wives gathered around him.

During his illness, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ freed forty slaves.

At that time, there were six or seven dinars in the house.

The Noble Messenger ﷺ instructed Sayyidah ‘Aishah رضي الله عنها to give those dinars in charity.

Along with this, he ﷺ said:

“What will Muhammad think when he goes to his Lord, that he meets Allah Almighty while this wealth is still with him?”

Sayyidah ‘Aishah رضي الله عنها immediately gave those dinars in charity.

A few days before the illness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Hazrat ‘Abbas رضي الله عنه had seen a dream in which the moon rose from the earth and went toward the sky.

He narrated the dream to the Noble Messenger ﷺ.

After hearing the dream, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“O ‘Abbas! It is your nephew.”

That is, this was an indication toward the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had immense love for his beloved daughter, Sayyidah Fatimah رضي الله عنها.

During his illness, he ﷺ sent for her.

When she came, he ﷺ whispered something into her ear. Upon hearing it, she began to cry.

Then he ﷺ said something else into her ear, and she began to laugh.

Later, she told ‘Aishah as-Siddiqah رضي الله عنها:

“First, he ﷺ told me that he would pass away during this very illness. When I heard this, I began to cry.

The second time, he ﷺ told me that I would be the first person among his family to meet him. When I heard this, I laughed.”

And so it happened.

Some time after the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the first person from his household to pass away was Hazrat Fatimah رضي الله عنها.

One or two days before his death, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the people:

“May Allah’s curse be upon the Jews and Christians. They turned the graves of their prophets into places of worship.”

He ﷺ also instructed that the Jews be expelled from the Arabian Peninsula.

And he ﷺ said:

“People! Fear Allah regarding the prayer… the prayer… the prayer, and take care of your slaves.”

Before his death, Jibril عليه السلام came together with the Angel of Death.

He said:

“O Muhammad ﷺ, Allah Almighty longs to meet you.”

Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Then take my soul according to the command.”

According to another narration, Jibril عليه السلام came with the Angel of Death and said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:

“O Messenger of Allah! This is the Angel of Death, and he seeks your permission. He has never sought permission from anyone before you, nor will he seek permission from anyone after you. Do you give him permission?”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave him permission.

Then ‘Azra’il عليه السلام entered.

He greeted him and said:

“O Messenger of Allah! Allah Almighty has sent me to you. If you command me to take your soul, I will do so, and if you command me to leave you, I will do so.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him:

“Can you leave without taking the soul?”

He replied:

“Yes. I have been commanded to do exactly this.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ looked toward Jibril عليه السلام.

Jibril عليه السلام said:

“O Messenger of Allah! Allah Almighty longs to meet you.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“I also long to meet my Lord.”

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Hazrat ‘Azra’il عليه السلام:

“Fulfill what you have been commanded to do.”

Thus, the Angel of Death took the soul of the Final Prophet ﷺ.

Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we shall return.

It was Monday, and it was around midday.

There is a difference of opinion regarding the exact date of his death. According to the reliable opinion, it was the 9th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal.

Immediately after his death, Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه was informed.

He came immediately.

Tears were flowing from his eyes.

As soon as he arrived, he kissed the blessed face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said:

“May my parents be sacrificed for you. You were pure and blessed during your life, and you are pure and blessed even in the state of death.

The death that was destined for you has come to you. After this, Allah Almighty will never cause you to die again.”