It is well known that Islam allows polygamy, limiting it to a maximum of four wives at one time. However, it requires the husband to maintain absolute equality in his treatment of his wives, favoring no one with any special treatment. Yet Islam recognizes that a man may love one of his wives more than the others. As this is related to feelings and emotions, which are beyond man’s control, Islam does not attempt to legislate for this aspect. It only requires the husband not to allow his emotions to dictate his treatment of his wives. He must maintain fairness.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was a model of such fairness. When he felt his illness to worsen and he could no longer make his usual round, he asked his wives’ permission to be nursed in Lady Ayesha’s home. They willingly gave him permission. Ayesha reports: “He went out supported by two men, drawing his legs on the ground.” She mentions that one of the two men was his uncle Al-Abbas, but she does not name the other man. Other reports suggest that that person was the Prophet’s cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib.
What this Hadith tells us is that despite his illness, the Prophet continued to do his usual routine, staying one night with everyone of his wives, until he no longer could do so. Even in such illness, when he could no longer move by himself, he felt that he should ask his wives’ permission to be nursed in the home of one of them. His refined manners would not allow him to seek such permission when he was in her home. He seeks it when he was with another, so that they would feel free to say what they wanted. Yet they all loved him dearly and wished him a speedy recovery. If he felt more at ease staying with one of them, then no objection is raised. He goes to her home, supported by his uncle and his cousin. Yet at that time he was the supreme commander of a powerful state, stretching over the whole of Arabia which today comprises seven independent countries.
A report by Ayesha mentions that as he felt his illness increasing, the Prophet asked to be given a cold bath. He said to his immediate relatives: “Pour on me seven containers of water with their tops coverings unopened. I may be able to speak to the people.” Ayesha reports: “We made him sit in a tub which belonged to Hafsah, another of his wives, and we poured the water on him from those containers until he signaled us to stop. He then went out and led the prayer and addressed the people.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Al-Darimi.)
The reports of what the Prophet used to do or say during his last illness are numerous, but we cannot give them any chronological order, because the reporters did not mention dates or times. However, what is more important is to learn the Prophet’s attitude during his final days and the recommendations he gave us, because these are particularly relevant to maintaining the purity of faith. Both Ayesha and Ibn Abbas report: “When God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was in his illness, he used to put a shirt on his face. If he was breathless, he took it off. One day he said: ‘Confound the Jews and the Christians for having made the graves of their prophets places of worship’.” That was a clear warning for the Muslims against making the grave of anyone a shrine to which homage is paid. Islam does not allow anything to encroach on its basic belief in God’s oneness. It does not assign a special position to anyone after death. Even prophets are mortal. They cannot do anything once they depart this life, until the Day of Judgment, when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) will be given permission to intercede on behalf of believers.
When the Prophet felt too ill to lead the congregational prayer, he appointed Abu Bakr to do so. Abu Bakr led the prayer 17 times, which meant three and a half days. It seems that God wanted to reassure His Messenger that his nation was very firm in its belief in the message of Islam. He enabled him to look at them in their dawn prayer on the Monday shortly before his death occurred. Anas reports “When they had stood in their rows, fully engaged in their worship, the Prophet lifted the curtain of Ayesha’s room and looked at us. He was standing and his face looked like a page of a book. He smiled cheerfully. We were overjoyed to see him. Abu Bakr retreated a little to join the first row, thinking that the Prophet would come out for the prayer. He, however, signaled us to stay and complete our prayer. He let the curtain drop and he passed away that day.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Many of the reports of the Prophet’s final days are given by Ayesha, his wife, as he was nursed in her home. There are several reports attributed to her about those days. These are all authentic, although some of them give more details. The amount of details given are naturally suited to the occasion of reporting, or made in answer to a specific question. In one of these reports she is quoted as saying: “One of the blessings God favored me with is that His Messenger passed away in my home, on my day, with his head between my breast and neck, and that God let his saliva and mine mix just before he died. Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr, (her brother), came in carrying a green miswak (a stick which Arabs used as a toothbrush) in his hand. God’s Messenger looked at him and I realized that he wanted that miswak. I asked him whether he wanted me to give it to him and he answered in the affirmative. I took it and gave it to him. I realized that he found it hard and I asked him whether I should soften it for him. He signaled with his head that I should. I chewed it a little to make it soft before giving it to him.” (Related by Al-Shafie, Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and Muslim.) In another report, Ayesha says: “He cleaned his teeth with it very strongly and in such a way as I had never seen him do it before. He then put it down. I felt his head getting heavier in my lap. I looked at his face and noticed that his eyes were staring hard. He said in a faint voice: “The Highest Company in Heaven.” I said: “By Him who has sent you with the truth, you have been given a choice and you have made your choice.” God’s messenger (peace be upon him) then passed away.
