“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, Abu Bakr was with his wife, the daughter of Kharijah, in villages surrounding Al-Madinah. They started to say: ‘The Prophet ﷺ has not died, rather he has been overcome with what used to overcome him at the time of Revelation.’ Then Abu Bakr came and uncovered his (the Prophet’s ﷺ) face, kissed him between the eyes and said: ‘You are too noble before Allah for Him to cause you to die twice. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has indeed died.’ ‘Umar was in a corner of the mosque saying: ‘By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has not died and he will never die until the hands and feet of most of the hypocrites are cut off.’ Then Abu Bakr stood up, ascended the pulpit and said: ‘Whoever used to worship Allah, Allah is alive and will never die. Whoever used to worship Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. “Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful.’” [3:144] ‘Umar said: ‘It was as if I had never read (that Verse) before that day.’”  

لَمَّا قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ عِنْدَ امْرَأَتِهِ ابْنَةِ خَارِجَةَ بِالْعَوَالِي فَجَعَلُوا يَقُولُونَ لَمْ يَمُتِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّمَا هُوَ بَعْضُ مَا كَانَ يَأْخُذُهُ عِنْدَ الْوَحْىِ فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَكَشَفَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ وَقَبَّلَ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ وَقَالَ أَنْتَ أَكْرَمُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ أَنْ يُمِيتَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ قَدْ وَاللَّهِ مَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعُمَرُ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ يَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ مَا مَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلاَ يَمُوتُ حَتَّى يَقْطَعَ أَيْدِيَ أُنَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ كَثِيرٍ وَأَرْجُلَهُمْ فَقَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَصَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَقَالَ مَنْ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ حَىٌّ لَمْ يَمُتْ وَمَنْ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ مُحَمَّدًا فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا قَدْ مَاتَ {وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ أَفَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِكُمْ وَمَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ} قَالَ عُمَرُ فَلَكَأَنِّي لَمْ أَقْرَأْهَا إِلاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ  

“When they wanted to dig a grave for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, they sent for Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarrah, who used to dig graves in the manner of the people of Makkah, and they sent for Abu Talhah, who used to dig graves for the people of Al-Madinah, and he used to make a niche in the grave. They sent two messengers to both of them, and they said: ‘O Allah, choose what is best for Your Messenger.’ They found Abu Talhah and brought him, but they did not find Abu ‘Ubaidah. So he dug a grave with a niche for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When they had finished preparing him, on Tuesday, he was placed on his bed in his house. Then the people entered upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in groups and offered the funeral prayer for him, and when they finished the women entered, and when they finished the children entered, and no one led the people in offering the funeral prayer for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Muslims differed concerning the place where he should be buried. Some said that he should be buried in his mosque. Others said that he should be buried with his Companions. Then Abu Bakr said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “No Prophet ever passed away but he was buried where he died.” So they lifted up the bed of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on which he had died, and dug the grave for him, then he ﷺ was buried in the middle of Tuesday night. ‘Ali bin Abu Talib, Fadl bin ‘Abbas and his brother Qutham, and Shuqran the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went down in his grave. Aws bin Khawli, who was Abu Laila, said to ‘Ali bin Abi Talib: ‘I adjure you by Allah! Give us our share of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ So ‘Ali said to him: ‘Come down.’ Shuqran, his freed slave, had taken a Qatifah which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to wear. He buried it in his grave and said, ‘By Allah, no one will ever wear it after you.’ So it was buried with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”  

أَنْ يَحْفِرُوا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعَثُوا إِلَى أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ الْجَرَّاحِ وَكَانَ يَضْرَحُ كَضَرِيحِ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ وَبَعَثُوا إِلَى أَبِي طَلْحَةَ وَكَانَ هُوَ الَّذِي يَحْفِرُ لأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ يَلْحَدُ فَبَعَثُوا إِلَيْهِمَا رَسُولَيْنِ وَقَالُوا اللَّهُمَّ خِرْ لِرَسُولِكَ فَوَجَدُوا أَبَا طَلْحَةَ فَجِيءَ بِهِ وَلَمْ يُوجَدْ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ فَلَحَدَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغُوا مِنْ جِهَازِهِ يَوْمَ الثُّلاَثَاءِ وُضِعَ عَلَى سَرِيرِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ النَّاسُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسَالاً يُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغُوا أَدْخَلُوا النِّسَاءَ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغُوا أَدْخَلُوا الصِّبْيَانَ وَلَمْ يَؤُمَّ النَّاسَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَحَدٌ لَقَدِ اخْتَلَفَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فِي الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي يُحْفَرُ لَهُ فَقَالَ قَائِلُونَ يُدْفَنُ فِي مَسْجِدِهِ وَقَالَ قَائِلُونَ يُدْفَنُ مَعَ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَا قُبِضَ نَبِيٌّ إِلاَّ دُفِنَ حَيْثُ يُقْبَضُ قَالَ فَرَفَعُوا فِرَاشَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ عَلَيْهِ فَحَفَرُوا لَهُ ثُمَّ دُفِنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَسْطَ اللَّيْلِ مِنْ لَيْلَةِ الأَرْبِعَاءِ وَنَزَلَ فِي حُفْرَتِهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَالْفَضْلُ وَقُثَمُ ابْنَا الْعَبَّاسِ وَشُقْرَانُ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَالَ أَوْسُ بْنُ خَوْلِيٍّ وَهُوَ أَبُو لَيْلَى لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَنْشُدُكَ اللَّهَ وَحَظَّنَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ انْزِلْ وَكَانَ شُقْرَانُ مَوْلاَهُ أَخَذَ قَطِيفَةً كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَلْبَسُهَا فَدَفَنَهَا فِي الْقَبْرِ وَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَلْبَسُهَا أَحَدٌ بَعْدَكَ أَبَدًا فَدُفِنَتْ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ suffered the agonies of death that he suffered, Fatimah said: ‘O my father, what a severe agony!’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Your father will suffer no more agony after this day. There has come to your father that which no one can avoid, the death that everyone will encounter until the Day of Resurrection.’”  

لَمَّا وَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ كَرْبِ الْمَوْتِ مَا وَجَدَ قَالَتْ فَاطِمَةُ وَاكَرْبَ أَبَتَاهْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ كَرْبَ عَلَى أَبِيكِ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ إِنَّهُ قَدْ حَضَرَ مِنْ أَبِيكِ مَا لَيْسَ بِتَارِكٍ مِنْهُ أَحَدًا الْمُوَافَاةُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ  

“Fatimah said to me: ‘O Anas, how did you manage to scatter dust on the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?’” And Thabit narrated to us from Anas that Fatimah said: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away: ‘O my father! To Jibra’il we announce his death; O my father, how much closer he is now to his Lord; O my father, the Paradise of Firdaws is his abode; O my father, he has answered the call of his Lord.” (One of the narrators) Hammad said: "I saw Thabit, when he narrated this Hadith, weeping until I could see his ribs moving up and down."  

لِي فَاطِمَةُ يَا أَنَسُ كَيْفَ سَخَتْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ أَنْ تَحْثُوا التُّرَابَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَحَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ عَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ قَالَتْ حِينَ قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَا أَبَتَاهْ إِلَى جِبْرَائِيلَ أَنْعَاهْ وَا أَبَتَاهْ مِنْ رَبِّهِ مَا أَدْنَاهْ وَا أَبَتَاهْ جَنَّةُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ مَأْوَاهْ وَا أَبَتَاهْ أَجَابَ رَبًّا دَعَاهْ قَالَ حَمَّادٌ فَرَأَيْتُ ثَابِتًا حِينَ حَدَّثَ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ بَكَى حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ أَضْلاَعَهُ تَخْتَلِفُ  

“On the day when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Al-Madinah, everything was lit up, and on the day when he died, everything went dark, and no sooner had we dusted off our hands (after burying him) but we felt that our hearts had changed.”*  

لَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي دَخَلَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ أَضَاءَ مِنْهَا كُلُّ شَىْءٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ أَظْلَمَ مِنْهَا كُلُّ شَىْءٍ وَمَا نَفَضْنَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الأَيْدِيَ حَتَّى أَنْكَرْنَا قُلُوبَنَا  

“We used to be guarded in our speech even with our wives at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, fearing that Qur’an may be revealed amongst us, but when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ died, we began to speak freely.”  

كُنَّا نَتَّقِي الْكَلاَمَ وَالاِنْبِسَاطَ إِلَى نِسَائِنَا عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُنْزَلَ فِينَا الْقُرْآنُ فَلَمَّا مَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَكَلَّمْنَا  

“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we all had a single focus, but when he passed away we started to look here and there (i.e., have different interests).”  

كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَإِنَّمَا وَجْهُنَا وَاحِدٌ فَلَمَّا قُبِضَ نَظَرْنَا هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا  

“At the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, if a person stood to pray, his gaze would not go beyond his feet. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ died, if a person stood to pray, his gaze would not go beyond the place where he put his forehead when prostrating. Then Abu Bakr died and it was ‘Umar (the caliph). So, when any person stood to pray his gaze would not go beyond the Qiblah. Then came the time of ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan, and there was Fitnah (tribulation, turmoil), and the people started to look right and left.”  

عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ بِنْتِ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّاسُ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ الْمُصَلِّي يُصَلِّي لَمْ يَعْدُ بَصَرُ أَحَدِهِمْ مَوْضِعَ قَدَمَيْهِ فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكَانَ النَّاسُ إِذَا قَامَ أَحَدُهُمْ يُصَلِّي لَمْ يَعْدُ بَصَرُ أَحَدِهِمْ مَوْضِعَ جَبِينِهِ فَتُوُفِّيَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ عُمَرُ فَكَانَ النَّاسُ إِذَا قَامَ أَحَدُهُمْ يُصَلِّي لَمْ يَعْدُ بَصَرُ أَحَدِهِمْ مَوْضِعَ الْقِبْلَةِ وَكَانَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ فَكَانَتِ الْفِتْنَةُ فَتَلَفَّتَ النَّاسُ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالاً  

“After the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had died, Abu Bakr said to ‘Umar: ‘Let us go and visit Umm Ayman as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to visit her.’ He said: ‘When we reached her she wept.’ They said: ‘Why are you weeping? What is with Allah is better for His Messenger.’ She said: ‘I know that what is with Allah is better for His Messenger, but I am weeping because the Revelation from heaven has ceased.’ She moved them to tears and they started to weep with her.”  

أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَعْدَ وَفَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِعُمَرَ انْطَلِقْ بِنَا إِلَى أُمِّ أَيْمَنَ نَزُورُهَا كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَزُورُهَا قَالَ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَيْهَا بَكَتْ فَقَالاَ لَهَا مَا يُبْكِيكِ؟ فَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ قَالَتْ إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِرَسُولِهِ وَلَكِنْ أَبْكِي أَنَّ الْوَحْىَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ قَالَ فَهَيَّجَتْهُمَا عَلَى الْبُكَاءِ فَجَعَلاَ يَبْكِيَانِ مَعَهَا  

‘The best of your days is Friday. On it Adam was created; on it shall be the Nafakhah,* on it all creation will swoon. So send a great deal of blessing upon me on this day, for your blessing will be presented to me.’ A man said: “O Messenger of Allah! How will our blessing be presented to you when you have disintegrated?” He said: “Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets.”  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَيَّامِكُمْ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فِيهِ خُلِقَ آدَمُ وَفِيهِ النَّفْخَةُ وَفِيهِ الصَّعْقَةُ فَأَكْثِرُوا عَلَىَّ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ صَلاَتَكُمْ مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَىَّ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تُعْرَضُ صَلاَتُنَا عَلَيْكَ وَقَدْ أَرَمْتَ يَعْنِي بَلِيتَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ أَنْ تَأْكُلَ أَجْسَادَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ  

“Send a great deal of blessing upon me on Fridays, for it is witnessed by the angels. No one sends blessing upon me but his blessing will be presented to me, until he finishes them.” A man said: “Even after death?” He said: “Even after death, for Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets, so the Prophet of Allah is alive and receives provision.’”  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَكْثِرُوا الصَّلاَةَ عَلَىَّ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فَإِنَّهُ مَشْهُودٌ تَشْهَدُهُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَإِنَّ أَحَدًا لَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَىَّ إِلاَّ عُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ صَلاَتُهُ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ مِنْهَا قَالَ قُلْتُ وَبَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ قَالَ وَبَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ أَنْ تَأْكُلَ أَجْسَادَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ فَنَبِيُّ اللَّهِ حَىٌّ يُرْزَقُ