Whoever Worships Allah...Allah is Ever-Living & Does not Die–I

26/03/2010| IslamWeb

Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die.}[Quran 39:30]
• {And We did not grant to any man before you eternity [on earth]; so if you die - would they be eternal?}[Quran 21:34]
• {Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion?} [Quran 3:185]
• {Everyone upon the earth will perish, And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.} [Quran 55:26:27]

 

Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullaah, , the best of all the Prophets and Messengers passed away, and the last thing that he said was mentioned by ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said that there was in front of him a jug of water. He would dip his hand into the water, rub his face with it, and say: “There is none worthy of worship except Allah. Indeed, death has its agonies.” He then lifted his hands (towards the sky) and kept saying: “With the Highest Companion” till he died and his hand dropped down. ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, added, “This was the last statement spoken by the Messenger of Allah :‘O Allah! [Please join me] with the Highest Companion.’"[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

 

In a Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, she said:

 

The Messenger of Allah died while Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was at As-Sunh [where there was the dwelling place of his wife, a mile from the mosque of the Prophet ]. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, stood up and said, “By Allah! The Messenger of Allah has not died!” [‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, (later on) said, “By Allah! nothing occurred to my mind except that.”] He continued, “Indeed, Allah will resurrect him and he will cut off the hands and legs of the men [who claim that he has died].”

Then Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, came riding his horse from his dwelling place in As-Sunh. He dismounted from it, entered the Masjid and did not speak to anybody till he came to me [‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her] and went directly to the Prophet who was covered with a marked blanket [or Hibrah garment (i.e. a kind of cloak made in Yemen)]. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, uncovered his face. He knelt down and kissed him and then started weeping, and said, “Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Prophet of Allah! May you be well, alive and dead! By Allah in whose Hand my life is, Allah will never make you experience two deaths [which everyone other than the prophets taste]. You died the death which was written for you.”

Then he came out while ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was addressing the people. He said [to him], “O oath-taker! Calm down.” He told him to sit down, but ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, refused. He again told him to sit down but ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, again refused. Then, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

When Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, spoke, ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, sat down and the people turned to him and left ‘Umar. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, praised and lauded Allah, then he said, “Whoever of you worshipped Muhammad then [he should know that] Muhammad has died, but whoever worships Allah, then [he should be certain that] Allah is Ever-Living and does not die.” Then he recited the verses where Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die.}[Quran 39:30]
• {Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.} [Quran 3:144]

By Allah, people looked as if they did not know that Allah had revealed this verse until Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, recited it. They all heard it from him, and everyone who heard it continued reciting it. [Al-Bukhari]

 

It was reported that Sa’eed ibn Al-Musayyib said that ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “By Allah, no sooner had I heard Abu Bakr reciting it, than I was confused and my legs could not support me. I fell down as soon as he had recited it, and I realized that the Prophet had died.” [Al-Bukhari]

 

The people wept loudly. Then, the Ansaar (helpers) gathered around Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah in the shed of the Banu Saa’idah. They said (to the Muhaajiroon), “There should be a ruler from us and one from you.” Then Abu Bakr, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab and Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarraah, may Allah be pleased with them, went to them. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, wanted to speak but Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, prevented him. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, would later say about this, “By Allah! I intended only to say something that I had prepared which appealed to me and which I was afraid that Abu Bakr would not convey.” Then Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, spoke and his speech was the most eloquent. He said, “We (the Muhaajiroon) are the rulers and you (the Ansaar) are the ministers (advisers).” Hubaab ibn Al-Munthir said, "No, by Allah we shall not accept this. Rather, there should be a ruler from us and a ruler from you.” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “No, we will be the rulers and you will be the ministers, for they [the people of the Quraysh] are the best clan among the Arabs and of the best origin. Therefore, you should choose either ‘Umar or Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarraah as your ruler.”

 

‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said (addressing Abu Bakr), “No! Rather, we choose you, for you are our master, the best among us, and the dearest of all of us to the Messenger of Allah .” Therefore, ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, took hold of Abu Bakr's hand and pledged allegiance to him followed by all the other people who pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Someone said, “You killed [i.e. in a terrible situation] Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah.” ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, retorted, “Allah killed him [meaning to supplicate to Allah against him].” [Al-Bukhari]

 

Regarding the speech of both Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, on the day the Messenger of Allah, , passed away, ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

 

Allah made their speech of benefit to people. ‘Umar frightened the people, among whom were some hypocrites, and hence, Allah repelled them by his words.Then, Abu Bakr helped them see the truth and informed them of what they should do, and they went out reciting the verse (what means):{Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.} [Quran 3:144] [Al-Bukhari]

 

The next day, which was Tuesday, ‘Umar and then Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with them, delivered wonderful and beneficial speeches, which Allah The Almighty made beneficial for people, and all praise is for Allah.

 

Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

 

When it was the day after Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, had been given the pledge of allegiance in the shed [of the Banu Saa’idah], Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, sat on the pulpit, and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, stood up and spoke before him. He praised Allah The Almighty, and lauded Him with what befits His Majesty, and then said, “O people! Yesterday I said something to you [i.e. that Muhammad did not die], which was not correct, nor does it have reference in the Book of Allah, nor was it something that the Messenger of Allah had confided to me, but I thought that the Messenger of Allah would dispose of our affairs [before his death, i.e. he would be the last of us (to leave)]. Allah The Almighty has given the Book to you with which He guided His Messenger; if you hold firmly to it, Allah will guide you as He guided him. Ideed, Allah The Almighty has made you unanimously agree on the best of you, the close Companion of the Messenger of Allah and the one of two men when they were in the cave, so, stand and pledge allegiance to him.

 

The people then pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, in public, after he had been given the pledge of allegiance (in private) in the shed. Then, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, spoke. He praised Allah The Almighty and lauded Him with what befits His Majesty. Then he said,

 

O people! I have been appointed as your ruler, even though I am not the best of you. If I do good, you should help me, and if I do wrong, you should correct me. Indeed, truthfulness is honesty and lying is treason. The weak among you are strong in my sight, such that I will restore their right to them, Allah willing, and the strong among you are weak in my sight, such that I will take back the [illegally usurped] right from them, Allah willing. No people leave Jihaad in the cause of Allah except that Allah The Almighty strikes them with humiliation, and no people spread immorality among themselves except that Allah The Almighty inflicts on them affliction. Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger, and if I disobey Allah and His Messenger, then you owe no obedience to me. Stand to perform your prayer, may Allah have mercy upon you.

 

Then, the matter of ruling was established for Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and all praise is for Allah.

Whoever Worships Allah must know that Allah is Ever-Living and Does not Die – II