No man has ever had the glowing desire to meet the Lord as possessed by the Prophet
(r), and Allah now gave him permission to quit the fleeting world.
The companions of the Prophet (r) held him dear like the apple of one’s eye. His death
was thus a shock more terrible than what they could be expected to endure. But Allah had
in His infinite wisdom prepared them beforehand for that unprecedented heartache. The
rumor about the Prophet's death had been circulated around in the battle of Uhud, but later
on it came out that Allah had still not deprived them of the blessed companionship of His
Prophet (r). Yet none of them had regarded the Prophet (r) as immortal for they knew that
he would have to leave this world sooner or later. It was on that occasion that the revelation
was sent down by Allah to forewarn Muslims. As the Qur'an says:
“Muhammed is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away be-
fore him. Will it be that when he dieth or is slain, ye will turn back on your heels? He
who turneth back doth not hurt Allah, and Allah will reward the thankful.” [Soorah Aa-
li-'Imraan 144]
The earliest Muslims had been guided, trained and set right by the Prophet (r). Their
hearts were harmonized with Allah and they were all put in harness at the great task of
spreading the message of Islam to the farthest corners of the world. And they never had any
doubt that the Prophet (r) would one day be summoned by the Lord in order to be recom-
pensed for the greatest service rendered by him in humanity.
The verse: “When Allah’s succor and the triumph cometh,” had convinced the compa-
nions that it was but the first announcement of the Prophet's approaching departure from
their midst. They were fully conscious of the fact that reference to the help and victory
coming from Allah signified completion of the Prophet's (r) mission.
Then, when the revelation came, “This day have I perfected your religion...”, a number of
eminent companions of the Prophet (r) were led to believe that the time for his final sum-
mons was drawing near. (Ibn Kathir, Vol. IV, p. 427)
ARDENT DESIRE FOR PROXIMITY TO ALLAH
After his return from the farewell pilgrimage, a number of things done by the Prophet (r)
indicated that he was approaching the journey’s end (82) and he was now making prepara-
tions for meeting the ‘Companion Most High'. Eight years after the battle of Uhud, the
Prophet (r) prayed over those who were slain there like one who was bidding farewell to
the living and the dead. He then mounted the pulpit and said, “I am one who goes before
you and I shall be a witness to you. Your appointed place is at the Haud-I-Kauthar (83)
where I find myself standing. I have been given the keys of the treasure of the earth, and I
do not fear for you that you would become polytheists after I am gone, but I fear lest you
should long for worldly things and strike each other's necks.”