Allah sent him the Angel

When the Prophet (a.s) was about to die, Allah sent him the Angel of Death to raise his pure soul to the Garden and to the farthest nabk-tree. The Angel of Death came and asked permission from the Household of the Revelation to come in to Allah’s Apostle (a.s). However, Fatima al-Zahra’ told him that the Prophet (a.s) was distracted from him because he had fainted due to his intense illness. After a while, he repeated his request, so Allah’s Apostle (a.s) recovered consciousness and said to his daughter: “Do you know him?” “No, O Allah’s Apostle,” replied Fatima. “He is the one who builds graves, destroys houses, and makes people separate from each other,” he retorted.

Fatima’s entity collapsed; perplexity surrounded her. She wept with bitter tears. She said in a weak voice with sad tones: “Woe! The last of the prophets has died! What a misfortune! The best of the pious has died! The master of the chosen ones has been separated (from us)! Alas! The Revelation has ceased from the Heaven! Indeed, today, I have been deprived of speaking with you!”

Allah’s Apostle (a.s) had mercy on his daughter, so he sent her words of comfort, saying: “Do not weep, for most surely you will be the first of my family to follow me.”[1]

The Prophet (a.s) permitted the Angel of Death to enter. When he stood before him, he said: “O Allah’s Apostle (a.s) most surely Allah has sent me to you and ordered me to obey you in all that which you command me. If you command me to take your soul, I will take it, and if you command me to leave it, I will leave it.”

“Will you do that, O Angel of Death?” asked the Prophet (a.s).

“I have been commanded to obey you in all that which you command me of.”

Then Gabriel entered and said “O Ahmed, indeed Allah has yearned for you!”[2]

When the household of the Prophet (a.s) came to know that the Prophet would leave them in those moments, the misfortune astounded them, and they became very sad. Al-Hasan and al-Husayn came and bent down to the Prophet to bid farewell to him. They shed tears. They kissed him, and he kissed them. Imam Ali (a.s) tried to put them aside, but the Prophet (a.s) said to him: “Let them enjoy me, and let me enjoy them, for they will face a misfortune after me.”

[1] Durrat al-Nasiheen, p. 66.

[2] Ibn Sa‘d, Tabaqat, vol. 2, p. 48.

Then the Prophet turned to those who came to visit him and said to them: “Indeed I have left with you Allah’s Book and my family, my household. Whoever loses Allah’s Book is like one who loses my Sunna (my sayings and practices), and whoever loses my Sunna is like one who loses my family; most surely they shall never separate from each other until they reach me by the Pool.”[1]

Then he summoned his guardian and successor and said to him: “Ali, put my head in your lap, for the order of Allah (of my death) has come. When my soul departs, take it with your hand and rub your face with it. Then turn me toward the qibla. Carry out my command and pray over me as the first of the people. Do not leave me until you have buried me in my grave. Seek the help of Allah, the Great and Almighty.”

Imam Ali (a.s) took the head of the Prophet (a.s) and put it in his lap and put his right hand under his jaw. The Prophet (a.s) permitted the Angel of Death to receive his Holy Soul. When the Prophet’s soul was going out, the Imam took it with his hand and rubbed his face with it.[2] He announced the Prophet’s death to those present.

On that day immortal in the world of sadness, the standards of justice were folded, the lamps of perfection and virtue were extinguished, and the humanity was not afflicted with a disaster like that one before. The great Savior died; the Light that enlightened the way to man and guided him to the straight path was veiled.

The dreams of the Muslims dispersed before that terrible misfortune, for the people had no comfort after Allah’s Apostle (a.s), and sorrow had neither limit nor end due to missing him. Muhammad went away from this world, and the light of his face departed too. So the tongues set out to lament over him, the eyes wept for him; the crying and lamentation from the house of the Prophet (a.s) became loud. The greatest of his household in agony and

[1] Al-Khawarizmi, Maqtal al-Husayn, vol. 1, p. 144.

[2] Al-Manaqib, vol. 1, p. 29. Traditions ensured by many lines of transmission have been reported on that Allah’s Apostle (a.s.) died in the lap of Ali, peace be on him. It has been mentioned in the book Kanz al-‘Ummal, vol. 4, p. 55, that Abu Ghatafan said: “I asked Ibn Abbas: In whose lap did the Prophet (a.s.) die? And he answered: ‘He died while he was leaning on Ali’s chest.’ Then I said to him that ‘Urwa related to me on the authority of Aa’isha, who said that Allah’s Apostle (a.s.) died (while his head) was between her chest and her neck. ‘Do you believe that?,’ he asked me, ‘by Allah, Allah’s Apostle, died (while he was leaning) on Ali’s chest. It was he (Ali) who washed him.’” This narration has also been mentioned by Ibn Sa‘d, in his Tabaqat, vol. 2, p. 51.

misfortune was his daughter Fatima al-Zahra. She came down to his body. She was astonished-minded due to the intense sorrow and sadness. She wept bitterly and said: “O father! I am announcing your death to Gabriel! O father! Paradise is your shelter! O father! You have responded to your Lord’s invitation!”[1]

The tragic news spread all over the City of Allah’s Apostle (a.s) and made it move from side to side in sadness. The Muslims gathered and were perplexed. The misfortune silenced them, and the terrible event befell them. They were either silent, crying, astonished, or lamenting. They faced endless pain.

Imam Ali (a.s) who was surrounded by pain and sadness, rose and began preparing the Prophet (a.s) for burial. He washed him[2] and said: “May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! How good you are dead or alive!”[3]

After Imam Ali (a.s) had prepared the Prophet (a.s) for burial, he put him down. It was Allah who was the first to pray over him, then Gabriel, then Mikaiel, then Israfiel, and then the angels group by group.[4] Then the Muslims came in to bid farewell to the Prophet and to pray over him.[5] After performing

[1] Ibn Maja, Sunan. In it he has been mentioned: “Hammad bin Zayd said: ‘I have seen Thabit, who related the tradition. When he related it, he wept to the extent that his ribs differed.’”

[2] Wafa’ al-Wafa’, vol. 1, p. 227. In Kanz al-‘Ummal, vol. 4, p. 53, it has been mentioned: “(Iman) Ali washed Allah’s Apostle (a.s.). Al-Fadhl and Usama were giving him water from behind a curtain.” In the book it has also been mentioned: “The people have differed over his shroud. It was said that he was shrouded with three garments. It was said that he was shrouded in a Yemeni garment (shroud) and shirt. They have also mentioned other narrations on his shroud.” It has been narrated that Aba Qalla‘a would say: “Do you not wonder at their differing over the shroud of Allah’s Apostle (a.s.)?”

[3] Ibn Sa‘d, Tabaqat, vol. 2, part 2, p. 63.

[4] Hulyat al-Awliya’, vol. 4, p. 77.

[5] Kanz al-‘Ummal, vol. 4, p. 54. In it he has been mentioned: “When Imam (Ali), the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, put the great body on the bed to pray over it, he said to the Muslims: ‘None should lead you in prayer, for he (the Prophet) is your Imam (Whether he is) dead or alive.’ Accordingly, the people came in group by group and prayed over him in ranks. There was no Imam before them. (Imam Ali), the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was standing beside the corpse and saying: ‘assalamu ‘alayka O Prophet, Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you! O Allah, we bear witness that he has made known what was revealed to him, showed sincerity towards his community, struggled in the way of Allah until Allah made dear His religion and His words became perfect. O Allah, place us among those who follow that which been revealed to him, make us firm after him, and let us gather with him.’ The people said: ‘Amen! Amen!’ The men, the women, and the boys prayed over him.” (The historians) have differed over the date of his death (a.s.). It was said that he died on Rabee‘ al-Awal 12th. This has been mentioned in the book

the prayer over him, Imam Ali dug the grave. When he had finished diggingthe grave, al-Mughira threw his ring into it and said to Imam Ali (a.s): “My ring!” The Imam (a.s) said to his son al-Hasan: “Go down and give him the ring.” Al-Hasan (a.s) did that. Al-Mughira intended to enter the Sacred Grave after the Commander of the faithful had gone out of it. He intended to pride himself on his companions that he was the last of the people to bid farewell to Allah’s Apostle. However, Imam Ali (a.s) knew his purpose, and thus he ordered al-Hasan to enter the grave, and he was the last of the people to bid farewell to Allah’s Apostle (a.s).[1]

Imam Ali (a.s) and buried the great body in its final-resting place. Then he stood by the grave to water it with the tears of his eyes. He said some words indicating his deep sadness: “Patience is good (toward all things) except toward you! Impatience (toward all things) is ugly except toward you! The misfortune is great! Misfortunes before and after you are not important!”[2]

The great terror and painful misfortune melted the heart of al-Hasan (a.s) while he was still young. His beautiful bloom of youth withered. He saw the Prophet, who was kind to him, being buried in his grave. He saw his parents astonished and sorrowful at the death of the great Prophet. This event left in his soul severe pain and strong sadness. The Prophet (a.s) went to the High Comrade while al-Hasan was at the age of seven years.[3] At this age the mental powers of a child grow. At it the mind of a child is like a camera conveying in the inner soul many views and pictures and planting in it sadness and happiness passing by it. Besides, some clever children may have abilities and readiness for understanding deeds and attitudes. At that time some important events accompanied al-Hasan. They took place before the death of his grandfather, the Apostle (a.s). Among them is that the people refused to join the regiment of Usama, did not respond to the Prophet (a.s) when he requested ink and parchment to write for his community a document that would protect them from discords and going astray. Without doubt al-Hasan understood the purpose of that. He came to know of the plots that people schemed against his father. This attitude left in his soul hidden sadness, and he criticized the people for their usurping the rights of his father. We will explain that in the Time of the two Sheikhs.

Wafa’ al-Wafa’, vol. 1, 226-227. It was said that he died on Safar 28th. This has been mentioned by al-Tabrasi’s A‘lam al-Wara, p. 7. It was said that he died in Rabee‘ al-Awal 2nd. This has been mentioned by Ibn Wadih in his Tarikh, vol. 1, p. 93. Narrations other than these have also been mentioned.

[1] Ibn Sa‘d, Tabaqat, vol. 2, p. 77.

[2] Muhammed ‘Abda, Nahjj al-Balagha, vol. 3, 224

[3] Kashf al-Ghumma, p. 154.