The Departure - 11 AH

After completing the Farewell Hajj (Hajjat al-Wadaʿ), the Prophet ﷺ arrived back in Madinah during the month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the 10th year of Hijrah and never left the city again until his passing.

Expedition to Roman Lands (al-Sham)

In Safar of the 11th year after Hijrah, just weeks before his passing, the Prophet ﷺ prepared a military expedition to Byzantine territory in al-Sham, specifically towards Palestine. He ﷺ  appointed the young Usama ibn Zayd رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, only 17 or 18 years old, as the commander, which drew criticism due to his youth and his background. The Prophet ﷺ addressed this by reminding the companions of how they had previously questioned Usama’s father, Zayd رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, who had proven himself worthy. He ﷺ affirmed Usama's رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ leadership and said he was beloved and capable.

Usama رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ set out on the last day of Safar, but before he could leave Madinah, a messenger stopped him with news that the Prophet ﷺ had fallen ill. Usama رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ set up camp just outside the city and later returned to visit the Prophet ﷺ on the day of his death. Eventually, Usama رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ would lead that same expedition, becoming the first to defeat the Romans and paving the way for future Islamic conquests, including Jerusalem during the caliphate of Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ. This plan reflected the Prophet’s ﷺ vision for Islam’s global expansion, particularly to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem).

Indications of His Passing and Final Sickness

In late Safar or early Rabiʿ al-Awwal, the Prophet ﷺ began giving indications of his approaching death. He ﷺ visited the martyrs of Uhud, prayed for them, and said, “Wait for me at the Hawd.” One night, he ﷺ woke up and visited the Baqi graveyard with his freed slave Abu Muwayhiba رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, praying for the deceased. He ﷺ shared with Abu Muwayhiba رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ that Jibril عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ had given him the choice between this life and meeting Allah, and he had already chosen to meet Allah.

Around the 1st or 2nd of Rabiʿ al-Awwal, the Prophet ﷺ began to feel ill while staying in the house of Maymuna رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا. Initially, he ﷺ continued rotating among his wives’ homes to be fair, but as his condition worsened, he ﷺ requested to stay permanently in the house of Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا, with all his wives agreeing.

While he ﷺ was bedridden, Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا cared for him diligently. She performed ruqyah (spiritual healing) using Surahs al-Falaq and al-Nas and the duʿas he ﷺ had taught her. She also poured water over him to relieve his fever. Once, while she herself was unwell, she said, “Oh, my head!” The Prophet ﷺ, despite his pain, jokingly replied, “No, O Aisha, rather my head!” He ﷺ teased that if she died first, he ﷺ would wash and bury her himself. She responded with light-hearted jealousy, saying, “You would like that so you could spend time with your other wives.”

As his illness progressed, he ﷺ asked for water from a specific well to be poured over his head to relieve the pain. He ﷺ wrapped his head tightly with a turban to ease the throbbing. Though he ﷺ still came to the masjid for prayers, he ﷺ kept them short and quickly returned home, worrying the people of Madinah, who had never seen him so weak. Out of concern, companions like Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ began staying in the masjid.

At one point, the Prophet ﷺ was carried into the masjid by Abbas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ and Ali رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ and sat on the minbar to give what would be one of his final public messages. He ﷺ warned against taking graves as places of worship, cursed the Jews and Christians for this, and instructed his followers not to do so with his own grave. He ﷺ invited anyone he may have wronged to come forward, and a man did, saying the Prophet ﷺ owed him three dinars for money given to a beggar on his behalf. The Prophet ﷺ instructed that it be paid. Then, he ﷺ made a subtle reference to his approaching death, saying that a servant of Allah was given the choice between this world and meeting his Lord, and he chose the latter. The companions didn’t realize he ﷺ was speaking about himself, but Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ understood and began weeping. The Prophet ﷺ said that if he ﷺ were to take a khalil (intimate companion), it would be Abu Bakr, but Allah had taken him as His khalil. He ﷺ emphasized that Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ held a unique status and ordered that all private doors opening into the masjid be sealed, except for Abu Bakr’s رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ. This event likely occurred on a Wednesday.

Transfer of Salah to Abu Bakr

Later, as his health declined, the Prophet ﷺ attempted to lead the prayer but was too weak. He ﷺ tried several times to rise for the Isha prayer on Friday, fainting repeatedly, until he ﷺ finally instructed Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا to have Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ lead the people in prayer. This was a significant and unprecedented act, as no one had ever led prayer in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah. Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا hesitated, saying her father would cry during salah and might not be understood by the people, but the Prophet ﷺ insisted. When Abu Bakr wasn’t immediately available, Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا asked Hafsah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا to suggest Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ  instead, but the Prophet ﷺ sensed their plot and firmly said, “You are like the women who plotted against Yusuf!” According to one of the reports, despite Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ briefly leading a prayer, when the Prophet ﷺ heard his voice, he ﷺ insisted, “Allah and His Messenger will not accept anyone other than Abu Bakr.” Once found, Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ then led the prayers until the Prophet’s ﷺ passing, a clear, though indirect, sign of his succession.

On a Saturday or Sunday, the Prophet ﷺ joined the congregation for Zuhr prayer one last time. Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ was leading, but when he saw the Prophet ﷺ, he stepped back. The Prophet ﷺ motioned for him to stay and sat beside him to lead the prayer while seated, with Abu Bakr standing. This moment symbolized that Abu Bakr was following the Prophet ﷺ, and by following Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, the ummah would be following the Sunnah.

After Zuhr, the Prophet ﷺ gave his last public sermon. He ﷺ praised the Ansar, saying they had fulfilled their duty and advised the ummah to care for them. He ﷺ commanded that Arabia be purified of idol worship and instructed that future delegations and converts be treated just as he ﷺ treated them. He reminded everyone that no one should die except with good thoughts of Allah. His final public message concluded with, “Al-salah, al-salah. And fear Allah regarding the weak and oppressed.” His last public words emphasized prayer and justice.

Material Possessions of Prophet ﷺ and the Last Day

The day before his death, the Prophet ﷺ asked Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا how much money he had. She brought seven silver coins. He ﷺ said, “What will I say to Allah if I meet Him with these?” He ﷺ ordered them to be distributed to the poor and kept asking if they had been given away, even while drifting in and out of consciousness. Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا made sure they were distributed before he ﷺ passed. He ﷺ left no gold or silver behind, only a small amount of barley, a mule, armor held as collateral, and a piece of land designated for charity. The night of his death, Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا had to borrow oil from a neighbor, as they had nothing left.

On the morning of Monday, 12th Rabiʿ al-Awwal, the Prophet ﷺ was too weak to lead the Fajr prayer. Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ led it. The Prophet ﷺ asked to be helped up and lifted the curtain between his home and the masjid. He ﷺ saw the companions praying together, a moment that brought a radiant smile to his face. The companions nearly broke their prayer out of joy. Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ began to step back, but the Prophet ﷺ motioned for him to stay. This was the last time the companions saw his blessed face.

That morning, his daughter Fatima رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا came to visit. She was his last surviving immediate family member, and he ﷺ always honored her deeply. Seeing his suffering, she wept and said, “O my father, how painful is your suffering...” He ﷺ replied, “O Fatimah, your father will not suffer after today.” He ﷺ then whispered something to her, and she cried. He ﷺ whispered again, and she smiled. When Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا first asked, Fatimah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا  didn’t reveal what the Prophet ﷺ had whispered to her. But after his ﷺ passing, she told Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ that he ﷺ had informed her that Jibril عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ had visited him twice that Ramadan, a sign that his time had come. He ﷺ also said she would be the first of his family to join him and that she would be the leader of the women of Paradise. Fatimah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا  passed away six months later.

As the pangs of death intensified, the Prophet ﷺ was in Aisha’s رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا lap, wiping his forehead with water. He ﷺ repeatedly said, “Lā ilāha illa Allah, verily, death has its pangs,” and prayed, “O Allah, help me overcome the pangs of death.” Usamah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, whom he had appointed to lead the army, visited and found the Prophet ﷺ too weak to speak. The Prophet ﷺ gestured toward the heavens and then to Usamah, blessing him and reaffirming the expedition.

At one point, Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ entered with a miswak. The Prophet ﷺ looked at it, and Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا  softened it with her mouth and gave it to him. He ﷺ used it vigorously, a final act of cleanliness and dignity before meeting Allah. Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا later said she had never seen him use the miswak so strongly.

Slowly but surely, the fever increased, and the Prophet ﷺ drifted in and out of consciousness. At one point, he ﷺ lifted his gaze and softly moved his lips as if saying something. Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا, eager to hear, leaned in closely and later narrated:

"I heard the Prophet ﷺ say, '[I want to be] with al-nabiyyin, al-siddiqin, al-shuhada, and al-salihin. O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, and allow me to be with al-Rafiq al-A'la. O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, and allow me to be with al-Rafiq al-A'la. O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, and allow me to be with al-Rafiq al-A'la.'"

Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا said the last words he ﷺ uttered were "al-Rafiq al-A'la." That was when the Prophet ﷺ left this world. She later reflected that he ﷺ had once said a prophet's soul is not taken until he chooses, and she realized he had chosen to return to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ passed away after Zuhr on Monday, 12th Rabi al-Awwal, 11 AH.

The Reaction to the Passing of the Prophet ﷺ

When the Prophet ﷺ passed away, his family and companions were struck with immense grief. Fatimah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ rushed into the room in tears, her heart shattered. She cried out, “O my father, you have answered the call of your Lord. O my father, you will be in Jannat al-Firdaws. O my father, we give the news of your death to Jibril.” Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, who held him in his final moments, later reflected: “One of the greatest blessings of Allah upon me was that the Prophet ﷺ died in my house, on my day, between my neck and chest, with my saliva in his mouth.” 

As news of his passing spread, Madinah was overwhelmed with chaos and disbelief. The companions were in a state of shock. Some sat silently, unable to move; others walked aimlessly, not knowing what to do. Among them, Umar ibn al-Khattab رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ was especially distraught. In a state of denial and emotional turmoil, he declared, “It is the hypocrites spreading lies! Whoever says the Prophet ﷺ has died, I will strike him down! He ﷺ has gone to Allah, like Musa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ went for forty days!”

Then came Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ , who had been outside Madinah in his home at al-Awali. Upon hearing the news, he rushed back. Without speaking to anyone, he entered Aisha’s رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا room, uncovered the Prophet’s ﷺ blessed face, kissed him, and said, “O my Prophet, how beautiful you are in life and in death. You shall only taste death once, and this is it.” He composed himself and then made his way to the masjid.

Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ stood up and addressed the people, saying, “O people! Whoever used to worship Muhammad ﷺ, know that Muhammad ﷺ is dead. But whoever worships Allah, then know that Allah is al-Ḥayy who never dies.” He then recited the powerful verse from Surah Al-Imran (3:144):
“Muhammad is no more than a Messenger. Many Messengers passed away before him. So if he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels?”

Upon hearing this verse, Umar رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ collapsed in realization and later admitted, “It was as if I had never heard this verse before.”

The Funeral Rites of the Prophet ﷺ

On Tuesday, the family of the Prophet ﷺ gathered to prepare his body for burial. Among those present were his uncle al-Abbas, al-Fadl and Qutham (the sons of al-Abbas), Ali ibn Abi Talib رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ, and possibly his freed slave, Safinah. They hesitated at first, unsure of how to wash the Prophet ﷺ. In that moment of uncertainty, they all dozed off and heard a voice saying, “Wash him with his clothes on.” When they awoke, each person confirmed hearing the same voice, so they washed his body with his clothes on, just as instructed.

The Prophet ﷺ was then shrouded in three white Yemeni garments from al-Suhul. No shirt (qamis) or turban was added. As they considered where to bury him, some suggested Jannat al-Baqi, others proposed the minbar, or the place where he ﷺ used to pray. Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ then recalled that the Prophet ﷺ had told him that Allah never takes the soul of a prophet except at the place where He intends for him to be buried. So, they dug his grave in Aisha’s رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا room, the very spot where he ﷺ had breathed his last.

Since there was no khalifa or leader appointed yet, the janazah was conducted without an imam. People entered the room in groups, first the men, then the women, and then the children, each group offering the janazah prayer individually. This process continued throughout Tuesday and Wednesday. The burial was completed by Wednesday evening.

The Emptiness After His Passing

The pain of his absence was almost unbearable. When Fatimah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْھَا returned to the room and saw the grave where her father’s bed used to be, she was overwhelmed with sorrow. Spotting Anas ibn Malik رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ nearby, she cried out, “How could your souls have allowed you to throw sand upon the Prophet ﷺ?” Though her words were steeped in pain, they reflected the deep love and reverence she held for him ﷺ.

Anas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ himself later reflected, “The day the Prophet ﷺ entered Madinah was the brightest day of our lives, and the day he ﷺ was buried was the darkest.” In another narration, he said, “After we buried the Prophet ﷺ, Madinah became dark for us. It was as if we could not see one another. And by the time we finished burying him, we could not recognize ourselves.” Their light had left them, and the city itself felt changed.

The Greatest Calamity

The Prophet ﷺ had once prepared his ummah for this moment. In a hadith reported by Aisha رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ and recorded in Ibn Majah, he ﷺ said,
“O people, whoever among my ummah suffers a calamity, let him find comfort in the calamity of losing me. For no calamity will ever be greater than the one suffered due to my death.”

His death was indeed the greatest loss the ummah would face. While his presence brought divine guidance and reassurance, his absence left the companions grappling with uncertainty: Who would lead them now? Who would guide them? Yet, Allah preserved the ummah and the din, and Islam not only survived, it thrived.

This hadith offers comfort in our own hardships. Whenever we feel broken by life’s trials, we should remember the supreme musibah of his passing, and find perspective and strength in it.

The Prophet’s Longing for His Ikhwan

In one poignant hadith, the Prophet ﷺ once expressed a heartfelt wish:

“How I wish I could meet my ikhwan.”

The companions, surprised, asked, “Aren’t we your brethren?” He replied,

“No, you are my companions (ashab). My ikhwan are those who come after you — they have never seen me, yet they believe in me. One of them would give up all his wealth and family just to see me once.”

This hadith gives hope to all of us who came after. Though we were not granted the honor of seeing him ﷺ in this life, we can still be among those he ﷺ longed to meet, his Ikhwan. But this honor comes with a challenge: would we truly be willing to give up everything just to see him ﷺ? Do we love him ﷺ enough to transform our lives for him ﷺ?

It calls us to reflect and to act. If we truly love the Prophet ﷺ, we should:

• Love him ﷺ genuinely with our hearts

• Follow his ﷺ sunnah in our lives

• Study his ﷺ seerah to know him ﷺ better

• Embody his ﷺ character of mercy, patience, and humility

Let our dua be:

“Ya Rasūl Allah, we love you though we’ve never seen you. You are our example, our imam, our guide. Without you, we are nothing.”

May Allah make us among those he ﷺ called his Ikhwan, those whom he yearned to meet, those whose love for him ﷺ shines brightly despite never having seen him ﷺ.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ،

 كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ،

 إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ،

 اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ،

 كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ،

 إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ