Treasures of biography | Sheikh Othman Al-Khamis | Episode (53)

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:03 Treasures of the Prophetic biography (Seerah).

0:06 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is given the choice between death and life.

0:19 Then he (peace be upon him) said, indicating that the time had drawn near:

0:25 "Allah has given a servant the choice between being granted whatever he wishes of the splendor of this world,

0:30 and what is with Him; and he chose what is with Him."

0:34 Abu Sa'id said:

0:36 Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) wept and said:

0:38 "We sacrifice our fathers and mothers for you."

0:42 Abu Sa'id said:

0:44 We were astonished by him.

0:46 The people said:

0:48 "Look at this old man!

0:50 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is telling us about a servant

0:54 whom Allah gave the choice between being granted whatever he wishes of the splendor of this world,

0:59 and what is with Him,

1:01 and Abu Bakr is saying:

1:03 'We sacrifice our fathers and mothers for you.'"

1:07 Abu Sa'id said:

1:09 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the one being given the choice,

1:13 and Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable among us.

1:16 Then he (peace be upon him) said:

1:19 "Indeed, among the people who have favored me most with their companionship and their wealth is Abu Bakr.

1:25 And if I were to take a close friend (khalil) from my Ummah,

1:28 I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend.

1:31 But it is the brotherhood of Islam and its affection.

1:34 Let no door remain in the mosque except the door of Abu Bakr."

1:40 On Thursday,

1:42 four days before the passing of the Messenger (peace be upon him),

1:47 he said: "Come, let me write for you a document after which you will never go astray."

1:52 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

1:55 "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is overcome by pain.

2:00 You have the Qur'an;

2:02 the Book of Allah is sufficient for you."

2:04 The people in the house differed.

2:06 Some of them said:

2:08 "Bring it closer so the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) may write for you."

2:13 And some of them said what 'Umar had said.

2:16 When they increased their clamor and disagreement,

2:19 the Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

2:22 "Leave me."

2:24 Because it is not appropriate for there to be arguing in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

2:31 Here it is asked:

2:33 How could 'Umar prevent the Prophet (peace be upon him) from writing that document?

2:39 Firstly:

2:41 'Umar did not prevent the Prophet (peace be upon him);

2:45 rather, he felt compassion for him (peace be upon him) due to the exhaustion that had afflicted him.

2:51 Allah had already informed us, saying—Blessed and Exalted is He:

2:54 “Forbidden unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swineflesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other than Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by the death-stroke), and that which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin: (for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (5:3)

3:02 The Prophet (peace be upon him) had already informed them before that:

3:07 "There is nothing that brings you closer to Paradise and distances you from the Fire except that I have commanded you to do it;

3:15 and there is nothing that brings you closer to the Fire and distances you from Paradise except that I have forbidden you from it."

3:22 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) knew that the religion had been perfected and the matter had been completed,

3:28 so he wanted the Prophet (peace be upon him) to rest.

3:33 Secondly, if this document were mandatory and he did not write it, he would have concealed a part of the religion,

3:41 and he did not conceal anything. How could he, when Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—has said:

3:47 “O Messenger! Make known that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord, for if thou do it not, thou wilt not have conveyed His message. Allah will protect thee from mankind. Lo! Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.” (5:67)

3:52 “O Messenger! Make known that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord, for if thou do it not, thou wilt not have conveyed His message. Allah will protect thee from mankind. Lo! Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.” (5:67)

3:56 “O Messenger! Make known that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord, for if thou do it not, thou wilt not have conveyed His message. Allah will protect thee from mankind. Lo! Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.” (5:67)

4:05 Furthermore, this document that the Prophet (peace be upon him) wanted to write,

4:11 he conveyed it orally,

4:14 as in the hadith of 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

4:17 "The Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded me to bring him a tablet

4:22 so he could write in it what would prevent his Ummah from going astray after him."

4:26 He said: "I feared that his soul might depart."

4:30 He said: "I said, 'I will memorize and retain it.'"

4:34 He said: "He enjoined prayer, zakat, and those whom your right hands possess."

4:40 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

4:43 When the Prophet (peace be upon him) fell ill with the illness from which he passed away,

4:49 the time for prayer arrived, and Bilal gave the adhan.

4:52 The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

4:55 "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer."

4:59 It was said to him: "Abu Bakr is a tender-hearted man;

5:03 if he stands in your place, he will not be able to lead the people in prayer."

5:08 He repeated it, and they repeated their objection.

5:10 He repeated it a third time and said: "You are like the companions of Yusuf!

5:15 Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer."

5:19 The meaning of his saying "You are like the companions of Yusuf"

5:23 is that you are saying one thing while having something else in your hearts.

5:29 'A'ishah said he was a tender-hearted man, and he was indeed.

5:34 But she intended to prevent Abu Bakr from leading the prayer while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was present,

5:42 so that the people would not dislike Abu Bakr,

5:45 out of love for the Prophet (peace be upon him).

5:49 Just as the companions of Yusuf said:

5:51 The wife of al-'Aziz sought to seduce her servant,

5:54 while they only wanted to see Yusuf.

5:57 Not merely to criticize the wife of al-'Aziz.

6:00 Abu Bakr went out to lead the people in prayer.

6:03 Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) felt a sense of relief,

6:08 so he went out, supported between two men.

6:11 It is as if I am looking at his feet dragging on the ground from the pain.

6:15 Abu Bakr wanted to step back,

6:18 but the Prophet (peace be upon him) gestured to him: "Stay where you are."

6:23 Then he came and sat beside him.

6:26 It was said to al-A'mash:

6:28 Was the Prophet (peace be upon him) the imam,

6:32 while Abu Bakr was praying following his prayer,

6:35 and the people were praying following the prayer of Abu Bakr?

6:38 He nodded his head: "Yes."

6:52 Two days before the passing of the Prophet (peace be upon him),

6:56 an incident occurred.

6:58 For 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

7:02 The pain of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) became severe.

7:06 He said: "Have the people prayed?" We said: "No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah."

7:13 He said: "Put water in the basin," so we did.

7:18 She said: He bathed,

7:21 then he tried to stand up but fainted.

7:24 Then he recovered and said: "Have the people prayed?"

7:28 We said: "No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah."

7:32 He said: "Put water for me in the basin," so we did.

7:37 He bathed, then tried to stand up but fainted.

7:42 Then he recovered and said: "Have the people prayed?"

7:46 We said: "No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah."

7:50 He said: "Put water for me in the basin."

7:54 We did so.

7:56 She said: He bathed,

7:58 then tried to stand up but fainted.

8:01 Then he recovered and said: "Have the people prayed?"

8:05 We said: "No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah."

8:09 She said: The people were gathered in the mosque, waiting for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) for the 'Isha prayer.

8:18 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent word to Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.

8:24 Abu Bakr was a tender-hearted man.

8:27 So Abu Bakr led them in prayer during those days.

8:31 During his illness (peace be upon him),

8:34 he spent what remained of his wealth.

8:37 As narrated by al-Muttalib ibn 'Abdullah ibn Hantab, who said:

8:42 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to 'A'ishah,

8:47 while she was supporting him against her chest:

8:50 "O 'A'ishah, what did you do with that gold?"

8:55 She said: "It is with me."

8:57 He said: "Spend it."

9:00 Then he fainted while he was on her chest.

9:03 When he recovered, he said:

9:06 "Did you spend that gold, O 'A'ishah?"

9:09 She said: "No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah."

9:13 She said: He called for it,

9:16 placed it in his palm, and counted it.

9:19 It was six gold dinars.

9:22 He said:

9:24 "What would Muhammad think of Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—

9:27 if he were to meet Him while this was still with him?"

9:30 "Spend it."

9:32 So she spent it all.

9:34 And he passed away on that day (peace be upon him).

9:49 From Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

9:53 The Muslims were taken by surprise while they were in the Fajr prayer on Monday,

9:57 and Abu Bakr was leading them in prayer.

10:00 They were not startled by anything except the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

10:04 pulling back the curtain of 'A'ishah's room (may Allah be pleased with her).

10:08 He looked at them while they were in the rows of prayer,

10:12 then he smiled, rejoicing for them (peace be upon him).

10:16 Abu Bakr stepped back on his heels to join the row,

10:20 thinking that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) wanted to come out for the prayer.

10:26 Anas said:

10:28 The Muslims were about to be distracted in their prayer,

10:32 but he gestured to them with his hand:

10:35 "Complete your prayer."

10:37 Then he entered the room and let down the curtain.

10:40 He did not pray after that until he passed away.

10:44 May my father and mother be sacrificed for him.

10:46 Treasures of the Seerah.

10:49 An honor for Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her).

10:57 When the morning had risen,

11:02 the Prophet (peace be upon him) called Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her).

11:07 He whispered something to her, and she wept.

11:10 Then he called her again, whispered something to her, and she laughed.

11:14 'A'ishah said:

11:16 We asked her about that later.

11:19 Fatimah said:

11:22 The Prophet (peace be upon him) whispered to me

11:25 that he would be taken in the illness from which he passed away,

11:29 so I wept.

11:30 Then he whispered to me and informed me that I am the first of his family to follow him,

11:34 so I laughed.

11:36 In some narrations from 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she said:

11:41 I have never seen anyone more similar in character, conduct, and demeanor

11:45 to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) than Fatimah,

11:49 in her standing and sitting.

11:51 Whenever she entered upon the Prophet (peace be upon him),

11:56 he would stand for her and kiss her,

11:58 and seat her in his place.

12:00 And whenever he entered upon her, she would do the same.

12:04 When he fell ill (peace be upon him),

12:07 she entered upon him and leaned over him, kissing him.

12:11 Then Fatimah wept and laughed when the Prophet (peace be upon him) whispered to her.

12:18 'A'ishah said:

12:20 I have never seen joy so close to sorrow as I did today.

12:23 I asked her about that.

12:25 Fatimah said:

12:27 I would not disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

12:32 When the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away,

12:36 'A'ishah asked her,

12:38 and Fatimah said:

12:40 He whispered to me that Jibril used to review the Qur'an with him once every year,

12:45 but he reviewed it with him twice this year,

12:48 and I do not see it as anything but that my time has arrived.

12:51 And that you are the first of my family to join me.

12:55 Fatimah said:

12:57 So I wept.

12:58 Then he said:

12:59 "Are you not pleased to be the leader of the women of the people of Paradise?"

13:04 Fatimah said:

13:06 Then she smiled.

13:07 When Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, saw the intense distress of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

13:14 she wept and said,

13:16 "Oh, the distress of my father!"

13:18 He said to her, "There shall be no more distress for your father after today."

13:23 Then the pain intensified for the Prophet, peace be upon him.

13:27 The effect of the poison he had consumed at Khaybar in the beginning of the seventh year manifested,

13:33 to the point that he would say to 'A'ishah,

13:36 "I still feel the pain of the food I ate at Khaybar;

13:41 and now is the time I feel my aorta being severed by that poison."

13:45 The Prophet, peace be upon him, advised the people, saying,

13:49 "The prayer, the prayer, and those whom your right hands possess."

13:53 The throes of death began for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

13:58 and 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, leaned him against herself.

14:02 She used to say,

14:04 "Among the blessings of Allah upon me

14:06 is that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

14:09 passed away in my house, on my day,

14:12 and between my chest and my neck.

14:14 And that Allah brought my saliva and his saliva together at the time of his death."

14:19 She said,

14:22 "Then 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr entered,

14:24 with a siwak in his hand,

14:26 while I was supporting him against my chest, between my neck and my bosom.

14:30 I saw him looking at it—at his siwak—

14:34 and I knew that he loved the siwak.

14:37 I said, 'Shall I take it for you?'

14:39 He signaled with his head, 'Yes.'

14:42 I took it, softened it,

14:44 chewed it, and made it pleasant.

14:47 Then I gave it to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

14:51 and he used the siwak as perfectly as he ever had, peace be upon him.

14:57 Before him was a vessel containing water,

15:00 and he began to dip his hands into it, wiping his face with them, and saying,

15:05 'There is no god but Allah;

15:08 indeed, death has its agonies.'

15:11 No sooner had he finished with the siwak than he raised his finger,

15:15 his gaze fixed toward the sky,

15:18 and his lips moved.

15:21 I leaned in to listen, and he was saying,

15:24 “Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!” (4:69)

15:32 'O Allah, forgive me and have mercy upon me,

15:35 and join me with the Highest Companion.'

15:38 'O Allah, the Highest Companion.'

15:41 He repeated the phrase three times,

15:43 then his hand slumped,

15:45 and he joined the Highest Companion.

15:48 “Who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah's and lo! unto Him we are returning.” (2:156)

15:52 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

15:55 'I used to hear that no prophet dies

15:58 until he is given the choice between this world and the Hereafter.'

16:01 I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him,

16:04 saying during the illness in which he died,

16:07 while his voice was hoarse,

16:09 “Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!” (4:69)

16:12 so I realized he was being given the choice.'

16:16 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

16:19 'The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was taken

16:22 while his head was between my chest and my neck.

16:25 When his soul departed,

16:28 I never smelled a scent more pleasant than it.'

16:31 Ibn Kathir said,

16:34 'This is a sound chain of narration.'

16:37 This was on Monday,

16:40 the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal, in the forenoon,

16:43 in the eleventh year of his migration,

16:46 peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

16:48 He had reached sixty-three years of age.

16:51 Treasures of the Prophetic biography (Seerah).

Treasures of biography | Sheikh Othman Al-Khamis | Episode (53) | Last day

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