Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islam
At the end of the 120th month after the Hijra, Muhammad became ill (with
a headache, and later a fever) after praying at a Muslim cemetery at night.
During the almost two weeks of his illness, many remedies were tried,
including pouring cold water over him, giving him medicine^279280 and
breathing on his hands and then waving them over his body. Mu^281 hammad
also prayed for healing and later for forgiveness for himself. When his^282
illness became more severe, Muhammad appointed Abu Bakr to lead the
congregational prayers. Muhammad is said to have been moved to A'isha's apartment, after his condition had worsened at Maymuna's apartment. In Muhammad's presence, Umm Salama and Umm Habiba are said to have spoken of the church "Mary," which they had seen in Abyssinia,^283 and Muhammad said that such places of worship were near graves. Muhammad later cursed Jews and Christians for making graves a place of worship.^284 Muhammad asked for materials to write something by which none would go astray, but the materials were refused him, because he was said to have been delirious. Muhammad is reported to have spoken with his^285 daughter Fatima and Usama b. Zayd, who was to lead the second raid to Mu'^286287 ta. Muhammad is also said to have told Umm Bishr that he was feeling the effects of the poisoning attempt at Khaybar (from which her son had died). Muhammad is said to have died inA'isha's lap, and the^288289 y
covered his corpse. Umar did not believe that Muhammad was d^290 ead, threatened those who said he was, and claimed that Muhammad would return as Moses did. According to another tradition, the peo^291 ple maintained that Muhammad would be raised (from the dead) as Jesus was. Abu Bakr said that as for those who worshipped Muhammad, h^292 e was dead; but as for those who worship God, He is alive and does not die. Umar is then said to have been reminded of a Qur'an verse (3:138) by Abu
Bakr, which described Muhammad's mortality, and Umar is only then said to have believed that Muhammad was dead. Nevertheless, Muh^293 ammad is reported to have died on a Monday, and his followers are said to have waited to bury him, until his corpse began to decay. Muhammad^294 's corpse was washed (with shirt on) by some of his companions, and not his wives. Muhammad is said to have been buried at night on Wedn^295 esday the same week, and evenA'isha is reported not to have known abou^296 t it, until
she heard them digging the grave, (which was in her own apartm^297 ent).^298
Muhammad was said to have been 63 years old at his death, in th^299 e 121st
month after the Hijra.^300