** The Start of the Disease:
The prophet pbuh had a
headache, his
temperature rose so high that the heat effect could be felt over his headband.
He led the Muslims in prayer for eleven days though he was sick. The total number of his sick days were either thirteen or fourteen.
** The Last Week:
When his sickness grew severe, and since Aishah’s room was the nearest to the mosque, he gathered his wives and asked them: "
do you mind if I go and be taken care of at the house of "Aishah" ? They all replied: "dear Prophet if this is your wish, of course we don't mind" and then the Prophet tried to get out of bed, but he couldn't, he was too week, so Al Fadel Ibn Abass and Ali Ibn Aby Taleb came and carried the Prophet while he leaned on them till he reached the house of Aisha.
Aisha said: "when he came in being helped by Al Fadel and Ali
he was sweating so hard, and trying to wipe the sweat of his face while saying: "There is no God but Allah"
His wife Aishah used to recite Al-Mu‘awwidhat (Chapters 113 and 114 of the Qur’an) and other supplications which he had already taught her, and then touch him by his hand because as she said: his hands are better than mine..
The last time the prophet pbuh appeared in the mosque he addressed the congregation, after the usual prayers were over, in the following words: "
O Muslims, if I have wronged anyone of you, here I am to answer for it; if I owe anything to anyone, all I may happen to possess belongs to you." A man in the crowd rose and claimed three Dhirhams which he had given to a poor man at the request of the Prophet. They were immediately paid back with these words: "
Better to blush in this world than in the next."
The Prophet then prayed and implored Allah's mercy for those who had fallen in the persecution of their enemies. He recommended to all his followers the observance of religious duties and the leading of a life of peace and goodwill. Then he spoke with emotion and with a voice still so powerful as to reach beyond the outer doors of the mosque: "
By the Lord in Whose hand lies the soul of Muhammad as to myself, no man can lay hold on me in any matter; I have not made lawful anything excepting what Allah has made lawful; nor have I prohibited anything but that which Allah in His Book has prohibited."
And then he said:
"
Allah, the Great, has given a slave of His the opportunity to make a choice between whatever he desires of Allah’s provisions in this world, and what He keeps for him in the world, but he has opted for the latter."
Abu Sa‘id Al-Khudri said: "Upon hearing that, Abu Bakr cried and said: ‘We sacrifice our fathers and mothers for your sake.’ We wondered why Abu Bakr said such a thing. People said: ‘Look at that old man! The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, says about a slave of Allah who was granted the right between the best fortunes of this world and the bounty of Allah in the Hereafter, but he says: We sacrifice our fathers and mothers for your sake!’ It was later on that we realized what he had aimed at.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was the slave informed to choose. We also acknowledged that Abu Bakr was the most learned among us."
Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"The fellow I feel most secure in his company is Abu Bakr. If I were to make friendship with any other one than Allah, I would have Abu Bakr a bosom friend of mine. For him I feel affection and brotherhood of Islam. No gate shall be kept open in the Mosque except that of Abu Bakr’s."
Turning to the women who sat close by, he exclaimed: "O Fatimah, my, daughter, and Safia, my aunt, work you both that which procure you acceptance with the Lord, for verily I have no power to save you in any wise." He then rose and re-entered the house of Aisha.
In the evening he grew so sick that he could not overcome the strain of disease or go out to enter the Mosque.
‘Aishah said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asked: "
Have the people performed the prayer?"
"
No. They haven’t. They are waiting for you."
"
Put some water in the washing pot." Said he.
We did what he ordered. So he washed and wanted to stand up, but he fainted. When he came round he asked again
"
Have the people prayed?" Then the same sequence of events took place again and again for the second and the third times from the time he washed to the time he fainted after his attempts to stand up.
Therefore, he sent to Abu Bakr to lead the prayer himself instead of the prophet's leading. Abu Bakr then led the prayer during those days. They were seventeen prayers in the lifetime of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him..
==>> continue
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Longing for the Paradise (Al-Jannah) where the endless happiness…