‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “Whenever the Messenger became ill, he would recite Al-Mu‘awwithataan [Al-Falaq and An-Naas chapters] and then blow his breath over his body. When he became seriously ill, I would recite [these chapters] and rub his hands over his body, in order to attain its blessings.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

In another Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said, “When any member of the household of the Prophet fell ill, the Prophet would blow over him/her by reciting Al-Mu‘awwithataan. When he himself suffered the illness due to which he died, I would blow over him and rub his body with his own hand, for his hand was much more blessed than mine.” [Muslim]

The wives of the Prophet gathered [in my house] during the days of his last illness and no woman [from his household] was left behind except Faatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, who came later on with a gait like that of the Prophet . He welcomed her by saying:“Welcome, my daughter!”He let her sit on his right side or on his left side, and then whispered to her, and she wept. Then he whispered to her again, and she laughed. I said to her, “What makes you cry?” She said, “I am not going to divulge the secret of the Messenger.” I [‘Aa’ishah] said, “I have not seen [any happening] like today, with happiness being as close to grief [as I see today] when she wept.” I said to her, “The Prophet told you something special, and you cried?” I asked her what he told her, and she said, “I am not going to divulge the secret of the Messenger.” After he had died, I again asked, “By virtue of my right over you, I am asking you what the Prophet said to you.” She said, “Well, I can tell you now. The first time, he said: ‘Jibreel [Gabriel], may Allah exalt his mention, would recite the Quran to me once a year, but this year it was twice and so I perceived that my death had drawn near, so fear Allah and have patience, as I am the best predecessor for you.’ So I cried as you saw. When he saw my sadness, he said:‘Faatimah! Will it not please you that you should be the premier of the believing women, or the head of women, of this Ummah [nation]?’ So, I laughed as you saw.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Faatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, laughed because the Prophet, , told her that she was the cream of the believing women and that she would be the first one of his family to die after him. Also, she cried when the Prophet, , informed her of his death. In this regard, Ibn Hajar said, “An-Nasaa’i narrated two reasons for her laughing: the Prophetic pledge that she was the best of Muslim women, and that she would be the first of his family to die after him. The scholars agreed that she was the first member of his family, including the wives of the Prophet to die after him.”

In another Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, she said, “I never saw anybody suffering as much from sickness as the Messenger suffered.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I entered where the Messenger was. He was suffering from a high fever. I touched him and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! You are extremely feverish.’ The Messenger said: ‘Yes, I have as much fever as two men would have.’ I said, ‘Is it because you will get a double reward?’ The Messenger said: ‘Yes. No Muslim is afflicted with harm because of sickness or otherwise except that Allah will release his sins just as a tree releases its leaves.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

It is narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah and ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them, that “When the last moment of the life of the Messenger came, he started putting his striped cloth on his face, and when he felt hot and short of breath, he would take it off his face and say:‘May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they have turned the graves of their prophets into places of worship.’ The Prophet was warning against doing the same thing.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

It was also narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that, “Umm Salamah and Umm Habeebah, may Allah be pleased with them, mentioned a church which they had seen in Ethiopia in which there were [animate] images. When they told the Prophet about this, he said: ‘These people would, if a pious man amongst them died, build a place of worship over his grave and make such images there. These people will be the worst creatures in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “The Prophet in his final illness, said:‘Allah cursed the Jews and Christians because they took the graves of their prophets to be places of prayer.’” ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, added, “Had it not been for this prohibition, the companions would have elevated the grave of the Prophet but I was afraid that it would be taken as a place of prayer.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, , said: “Do not make your houses like graves, and do not make my grave a place for festivity; rather, invoke blessings on me, for your blessings reach me from wherever you are.” [Abu Daawood]

When the ailment of the Prophet worsened, he became unconscious. Therefore, Faatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, said [without raising her voice], “Oh, how distressed my father is!” He said: “Your father will have no more distress after today.”When he died, she said, “O father who responded to the call of the Lord who invited him! O father whose dwelling place is the garden of Paradise! O father! We convey this news [of your death] to Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention.” When he was buried, Faatimah, may Allah be pleased with her said, “O Anas! Could you bear throwing earth over the Messenger of Allah?”[Al-Bukhari]

The Prophet Being Extremely Sick and Making His Will – II