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The Prophet dies 
The Prophet’s strength began to ebb, and Aishah held the 
Prophet against her between her breast and throat. Just at that 
moment, her brother Abdul Rahman bin Abi Bakr entered the 
room, holding a root (Miswaak) used to clean teeth. Aishah saw 
the Prophet looking at the Miswaak, so she asked him if he 
wanted it, and he nodded. She took it, and after chewing the end 
a little to soften it, she gave it to him. 
A bowl of water was kept near the Prophet , and he dipped 
both his hands into it and wiped his face saying, “There is no god 
but Allah. Verily, these are the pangs of death.” 
He either lifted up his hands or pointed his forefinger toward 
heaven. His voice was weak, but ‘Aishah could hear him speak as 
he raised his eyes and repeated three times: 
HADEETH 
“With the blessed from among the prophets, the ever-
truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous! O Allah, forgive me and 
have mercy on me. I choose to be with the exalted companions! 
O Allah, the exalted companions!” 
 
Abu Bakr unties the Mourners 
As the news of the Prophet’s failing health spread among the 
Prophet’s Companions, their world darkened, and they were on 

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the verge of losing their senses. No day had been brighter than 
the day the Prophet came to Madinah, and no day was darker 
than the twelfth of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, 11 A.H., the day he died. 
Meanwhile, Umar was in the Prophet’s Mosque telling the 
people that the Prophet would not leave this world until Allah 
had destroyed the Hypocrites. He threatened to kill anyone who 
claimed the Prophet was dead. 
That Monday morning, Abu Bakr noticed that the 
Prophet’s health seemed to be improving, and he returned home, 
optimistic that the Prophet would soon recover. When he 
reached home, however, he heard that the Prophet had passed 
away. He mounted his horse and galloped back to the Prophet’s 
Mosque. He entered without saying a word to anyone and walked 
into the Prophet’s house, where the Prophet lay, a Yemenite 
sheet covering his body. Abu Bakr uncovered the Prophet’s face, 
kissed him and wept. “May my mother and father be your 
ransom,” Abu Bakr said. “You have tasted the death that Allah 
has decreed for you. There is no death after this one.” 
Conscious that the people needed to be addressed, Abu Bakr 
went into the Prophet’s Mosque where Umar stood fiercely 
denying the news of the Prophet’s death. Abu Bakr asked Umar 
to sit down, but he refused. Abu Bakr then went to the 
Prophet’s pulpit and praised Allah. He looked at the anxious faces 
before him and addressed them thus: 
“O men, if anyone worships Muhammad, let him know that 
Muhammad is dead. But if anyone worships Allah, then know 
that Allah is alive and will never die. Allah says in the Qur’an: 
“Muhammad is but a messenger, and many other messengers 
have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you 
return to disbelief? Truly, those who abandon belief do not hurt 
Allah. Indeed, Allah rewards those who are grateful.” (3: 144) 
No one had ever reflected on the significance of the verse 
Abu Bakr recited during his address. It was inconceivable to most 

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of the Companions that the Prophet would pass away before 
they did. Abbas relates; when Abu Bakr read this verse to us, it 
was as if Allah had never revealed it until that moment. 
Umar was especially devastated by the news. Later, he was to 
describe his reaction in the following words: 
“By Allah, when I heard Abu Bakr reciting the verse, I was 
taken aback and fell down as it I did not have any legs. It was at 
that moment that I comprehended that the Prophet had died.”