Chapter 45: The Prophet's Death

It was eleven years after Hijra. Allah's Messenger was about to conclude establishing the main pillars on which the Islamic law, which was ordained to be everlasting for being the final faith, was to depend.

His noble soul was compelled to return with satisfaction and comfort to the One Who Created it; after it had attained the goal of bringing about the greatest change in the history of mankind. Yes, indeed it was inevitable for the Prophet's soul to depart towards Him who it-truly knew, for so many years called mankind to worship, and courageously struggled in the path of elevating His Word. And as it is said:

"Death was written to fit man just as a necklace was made to fit a girl's neck"

The Prophet along with the rest of the Muslims, had made his final morning prayer. It was the last time they (the people) were to see the Divine light come upon them. By the time the sun had reached the middle of the sky, the Prophet's sun had made its eternal set.

By noon he was lying dead between his family; they could do nothing save shed tears of sorrow for the biggest affliction of history.

What a day it was. Greatness, perfection, honor and exaltation had been lost. Muslims were so saddened that whenever they were afflicted with great sorrow thereafter they said:

"Surely this is a day like when the Messenger of Allah died."

The house was crowded with crying people; but Fatima's weeping was the greatest. She had lost her great father and with him went her happiness and joy; with his death came sadness and pain.

When the Muslims heard of the Prophet's death, they rushed towards the Mosque. The people were overwhelmed and did not realize what had actually happened... They became like scattered sheep on a rainy night without their shepherd. What were they to do? Ali was busy attending to washing the Prophet's body and could not speak to them in details.

It was undoubtedly true! He had died! Yet, Umar Ibn al-Khattab refused to allow people to believe what had happened. He began shouting in their faces and threatening them by saying:

'Allah's Messenger did not die, nor will he die until his religion reigns over all other religions. He shall return to amputate the hands and legs of the men who believed in his death. I will not hear a man say: 'The Messenger of Allah died save that I will cut off his head."

Umar's call was decisive and rebellious... he, the speaker, used the most effective method of speech to persuade his listeners to believe him...

Umar had sparked hope in their hearts that the Prophet was still alive...

He put fear in the hearts of the Muslims by telling them that the Prophet would come to amputate the hands and legs of those who believed in his death.

Furthermore, Umar threatened them by saying:

"I will cut off the neck of anyone who says: Allah's Messenger died."

Fear and hope were the tools that Umar used to control the nerves of the Muslims. Because of the people's great love for the

Prophet the call to refuse accepting his death, easily found its way into their minds. Hence, no one objected to Umar and the belief that the Messenger had not died; this overtook all other news.

The Muslims lived several hours in total suspense and confusion. They were prevented from believing in the Prophet's death until Abu Bakr returned from a nearby village.

As soon as Abu Bakr returned, he proceeded towards the prophet's house and uncovered his face to make sure that he was actually dead. He then went to the Mosque and found Umar still stating that the Prophet had not died. Abu Bakr ordered Umar to sit down; Umar refused until he ordered him three times; yet, Umar still refused. Thus, Abu Bakr stood in another corner of the Mosque and addressed the people:

"He who worships Muhammad should be informed that Muhammad has died. He who worships Allah should know that Allah is ever-living and does not die."

Abu Bakr then recited the following verse:

"Muhammad is no more than a Prophet: many were the Apostles that passed away before him. If he died or was slain, will ye then turn back your heels?"

When the Muslims heard this, they submitted to the fact... Even Umar believed that he had actually died, and as Umar himself said:

"I only believed that he died after I had made sure that the verse was from the Holy Quran."

Abu Bakr and Umar's story was sad!! Right?! Yet even the simplest minds cannot be convinced that these events can be plainly interpreted...

LOOK!

Umar shouts, swears, threatens those who say that the

Messenger of Allah has actually died... But when Abu Bakr recites a verse from the Quran-which Umar himself did not recognize!!-the later suddenly collapses; and believes that Muhammad really died!!

How did Umar know that the Prophet will not die until his religion reigns over all other religions?!

Did he inform Umar that he will return to cut off the arms and legs of those who said he was dead?

Didn't Umar really know that the verse recited by Abu Bakr was a Quranic verse, so that he could claim to believe in the Prophet's death?!

But surely "Still waters run deep"!!

Actually, by behaving in such a way, Umar was able to suspend the Muslims and hold them back for several hours until Abu Bakr returned. It was then that they (Abu Bakr and Umar immediately started the execution of their premeditated plan to seize power.

Can't you see that Umar was over-reacting to the Prophet's death; but simultaneously with Abu Bakr's speech, he turned around forgetting all about his supposedly broken heart to announce his allegiance to Abu Bakr as the new leader of the Muslims!!

At any rate, Abu Bakr's and Umar's success in seizing power from Ali (A.S.) after the Prophet's death, can only be the first of previous planning to do so long before the death of Allah's Messenger. Thus, this show, which was put on, by Umar and Abu Bakr can only be part of this planning. The authenticity of this statement can be verified when hands are set free to search the pages of history books.