Signs of the Prophet’s imminent death

The episode of the poisoned meat served to the Prophet had almost receded in the memories of people when he began showing signs of poisoning. The poison gradually took root in his system and the Prophet’s health deteriorated. Since the tenth year of Hujrah he began to express through his words and his actions that he expected to pass away soon.

Each Ramadan the Prophet would perform I’tikaf (continuous prayer and worship in a mosque) during the last ten days of the month. In Ramadan 10 A.H., however, he performed I’tikaf for the last twenty days of the month, saying that during this time, Jibreel asked him to recite the Qur’an twice rather than once. The Prophet told his daughter Fatimah , that he thought his time was at hand. Also, while bidding farewell to Mu’adh, who was travelling to Yemen, he said, “O Mu’adh, after this you may not see me again, and you will soon pass by this mosque of mine and my grave.” Mu’adh began to weep at these words.

Even during the farewell pilgrimage, the Prophet said more than once, “I shall not be able to meet you after this year. Perhaps I will not be able to perform Hajj again.” Similarly, the revelation that the Prophet received during the Farewell Pilgrimage also indicated that the Prophet’s mission was complete: “Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you, and I have chosen Islam as your religion.” (5: 3).

Furthermore, he termed the pilgrimage Hajjatul-Wada’ (the Farewell pilgrimage), to indicate that he was bidding farewell to his followers before he passed away.

In the beginning of Safa, 11 A.H., the Prophet went to Mount Uhud and prayed for the martyrs buried there as if he were bidding farewell to them. On his return he mounted the pulpit and said: “I will precede you, and I shall bear witness for you also. By Allah, I see before me now Haudh Al-Kauthar [the well of Kauthar in heaven]. I have been given the keys to the treasures of the earth. I do not fear that you will revert to polytheism after I am gone, but I fear you will be consumed by the love of the world and vie against each other for worldly things.”

Late one night before the end of Safar, the Prophet went to the cemetery in Madinah, known as Baqi Gharqad, and prayed for the dead there. “I shall meet you soon, God-Willing,” he said.