Everyone Will Return to Him
Outside, the Companions had lost their senses due to the intensity of grief. The condition of ‘Umar رضي الله عنه was so distressing that he stood in one corner of Masjid al-Nabawi and addressed the people, saying:
«“By Allah! The Messenger of Allah has not passed away… The Messenger of Allah ﷺ will not die until he has cut off the hands and feet of the hypocrites. And if anyone says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has passed away, I will strike off his neck… Some hypocrites are saying that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has passed away, whereas he has not died. Rather, he has gone to his Lord just as Musa عليه السلام went, and then returned to his people after forty nights, while people had begun saying about him that he had died. By Allah! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ will also return just as Musa عليه السلام returned… and then he will have the hands and feet of those people cut off.”»
Due to the intensity of his grief, ‘Umar رضي الله عنه was still saying these things when Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه arrived and climbed onto the pulpit. He addressed the people in a loud voice and said:
«“People! Whoever used to worship Muhammad ﷺ should know that Muhammad ﷺ has passed away.”»
Having said this, he recited Verse 144 of Surah Aal ‘Imran. Its meaning is:
«“And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Many Messengers passed away before him. So, if he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels?… And whoever turns back on his heels will not harm Allah in the least, and Allah will soon reward those who are grateful.”»
‘Umar رضي الله عنه says:
«“When I heard this verse, it seemed to me as though I had never heard this verse before today.”»
After this, ‘Umar رضي الله عنه said:
«“Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we shall return. Blessings and peace be upon His Messenger ﷺ.”»
Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه established the truth of death for everyone through this verse of the Holy Qur’an and said:
«“Allah Almighty has said to the Noble Prophet ﷺ in the Holy Qur’an:
‘Indeed, you will die, and indeed, they too will die.’”
(Surah az-Zumar: Verse 30)»
Then all the Muslims pledged allegiance at the hand of Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه. After that, the people turned their attention toward the preparation and shrouding of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
(And what an astonishing coincidence it is that this episode is being published during these very dates of Rabi‘ al-Awwal in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away… This natural sequence came about on its own; otherwise, I had no such deliberate plan.)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was given the ritual bath. ‘Ali, ‘Abbas, and his sons Fadl and Qutham رضي الله عنهم gave him the ritual bath. Fadl and Usamah رضي الله عنهما were providing water to those who were giving the ritual bath. The blessed shirt of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was not removed during the bathing.
After the bath, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was shrouded in three white pieces of cloth, and incense such as ‘oud was burned. After this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was placed on a bed and covered.
No one led the funeral prayer as an imam. Everyone prayed separately. In other words, as many people as could enter the blessed chamber would enter, offer the prayer, and then come outside. Then other Companions would enter and offer the funeral prayer.
When Abu Bakr Siddiq and ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما entered the chamber along with several other noble Companions, they offered greetings with these words.
Then all the Muhajirun and Ansar also offered greetings in the same manner. In the funeral prayer, everyone recited four takbirs.
The Ansari Companions were gathering at Saqifah Bani Sa‘idah (the name of a place) so that the matter of the caliphate could be decided. Someone informed Abu Bakr Siddiq and ‘Umar Farooq رضي الله عنهما about this. Both of them immediately went there and conveyed the words of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the caliphate.
Once the matter of the caliphate had been settled, the question of burying the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arose… The question was asked: Where should he be buried?
On this occasion as well, Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه came forward and said:
«“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ will be buried at the very place where he passed away…
I have a hadith with me… I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying that the soul of a Prophet is taken at the place that is most beloved to him.”»
Thus, it was decided that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ should be buried at that very place.
Now the question arose as to what type of grave should be made: a lahd (a side niche) or a shaqq (a straight trench).
At that time in Madinah Munawwarah, Abu Talhah ibn Zayd ibn Sahl رضي الله عنه used to dig lahd graves, while Abu ‘Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah رضي الله عنه used to dig shaqq graves.
‘Umar رضي الله عنه said:
«“Call both of them. Whichever of the two arrives first, the grave will be prepared by him.”»
As soon as a person was sent to call them, ‘Umar رضي الله عنه prayed:
«“O Allah! Bring forth what is best for Your Messenger.”»
Abu Talhah رضي الله عنه arrived first, and therefore a lahd grave was prepared. According to a hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had also instructed that a lahd grave should be made.
‘Abbas, ‘Ali, Fadl, Qutham, and Shaqran رضي الله عنهم lowered the Messenger of Allah ﷺ into the blessed grave.
Shaqran رضي الله عنه spread a red-colored cloth inside the grave. This was the same red cloth that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to spread over the saddle of his camel when traveling. This cloth was spread because there was moisture there.
At that time, Shaqran رضي الله عنه said:
«“By Allah! No one will ever wear this cloth after you.”»
The burial of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took place during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها narrated that on that day all of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ gathered together in one place and were weeping. None of us could sleep.
Then Bilal رضي الله عنه called the Adhan for Fajr. When the blessed name of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was mentioned in the Adhan, the entire city of Madinah began to weep. The people wept so intensely that they were overcome with sobs.
They had never experienced a greater grief, nor would anyone ever experience such a grief again.
Fatimah رضي الله عنها said to ‘Ali رضي الله عنه:
«“How did your hearts bear placing soil over the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?”»
Upon this, ‘Ali رضي الله عنه said:
«“Yes! But there is no one who can turn away the commands of Allah Almighty.”»
A hadith states that a person is buried in the soil from which his creation was brought forth. From this, it was also established that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, ‘Isa عليه السلام, Abu Bakr Siddiq, and ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما were created from the soil of the same place.
After the passing of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his she-camel stopped eating and drinking and died hungry and thirsty.
The scholars of Islam are in consensus that the place where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is buried is more virtuous than all places on the face of the earth.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was born in the Year of the Elephant—the year in which King Abraha attacked the Kaaba. His blessed birth took place forty or fifty days after that event, at the time when dawn was breaking. It was a Monday, and it was the month of Rabi‘ al-Awwal.
There is a difference of opinion regarding the exact date of his birth; however, according to the reliable view, it was the 9th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also passed away in the month of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, and on that occasion as well, the date was either the 9th or the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal.
O Allah! Send blessings and peace upon that being who kindled the lamp of guidance in the darkness of disbelief and polytheism, after whom no one will receive prophethood.
He is Your servant and Messenger, and our master, Muhammad ﷺ, whose being is perfect.
Include us among his group on the Day of Resurrection, and include us among those who serve his Sunnah and Hadith. Ameen.
No one possesses everlasting existence except the Great Being of Allah, the Lord of Majesty and Honor.
And may Allah send blessings upon the unlettered Prophet and upon all his family and Companions.
Praise be to Allah! With this episode, the series “Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ Step by Step” has reached its conclusion.
The amount of appreciation this series received is such that however much Allah is thanked for it, it is still not enough. It took approximately two years to complete…
Even then, countless aspects of the blessed life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ could not be included in it—and indeed, this could not have been possible.
Even if all the people of the world continued writing about the blessed life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ throughout their entire lives, they still could not fulfill its right.
The circumstances of the present time demand that the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ be spread far and wide. Whether through words, through actions, or in whatever way one is able, this work must certainly be carried out.
At this time, humanity is searching for an ideal, and that ideal can only be the blessed person of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
As Zaki Kaifi says:
«“The world itself will become weary of its own ways;
One day, humanity will learn your ways from you.”»