As we commemorate the death of our parents this year, it seems no more apt than to remind ourselves of the death of our beloved prophet Emissary of God Mohammad (may God bless him and grant his peace). Below is the deeply moving extract from ‘The Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife, Book XL of the Revival of the Religious Sciences’ Imam Al-Ghazali. [And A’isha said (may God be please with her), ‘When the day of the Emissary of God’s death came (may God bless him and grant him peace) the people saw an improvement in him at the day’s beginning, and the men went apart from him to their homes and tasks rejoicing, leaving him with the women. While we were there in a state of hope and joyfulness the likes of which we had never known. And then the Prophet of God said, “Go out, away from me; this Angel seeks leave to enter”. At this, everyone but myself left the house. His head had been in my lap, but now he sat up and I retired to one side of the room. He communed with the Angel at length, and then summoned me and returned his head to my lap, bidding the women enter. “I did not sense that that was Gabriel, upon him be peace,” I said. “Indeed, A’isha” he replied. “That was the Angel of Death (Isra), who came to see me and said “I am sent by God (Great and Glorious is He!), who has commanded me not to enter your house without your consent. So if you should withhold it from me I shall go back, but should you give it me, then I shall enter. And he has enjoined me not to take your spirit until you so instruct me; what then, might your instructions be?” Hold back from me’, I said ‘until Angel Gabriel has come to me, for this is the hour’.”’ And Aisha said (may God be pleased with her), ‘So we came into the presence of a matter for which we had neither answer nor opinion. We were downcast; it was as if we had been struck by a calamity about which we could do nothing. Not one of the people of the Household spoke because of their awe in the face of this affair and because of a fear which filled our depths. At this hour, Gabriel came (I felt his presence) and gave his greetings. The people of the Household left, and he entered, saying “God (Great and Glorious is He!) gives you his greetings, and asks how you are, although He knows better than you your condition; yet he desires to increase you in dignity and honour, and to render your dignity and honour greater than that of all creatures, that this may be a precedent [sunna] for your nation.” “I am in pain”, he said. And the Angel replied, “Be glad for God (Exhalted is He!) has willed to bring you to that which he has made ready for you.” “O Gabriel, he said. “The Angel of Death asked for permission to enter!” and he told him of what had transpired. And Gabriel said, “O Mohammad! Your Lord longs for you! Has He not given you to know His purpose for you? Nay, by God, never has the Angel of Death sought permission of anyone, no more than is his permission to be sought at any time. It is only that your Lord is making perfect your honour while he longs for you.” “Then do not leave until he comes”, he said. Then the Angle of Death came, greeted him and asked leave to enter. He granted it him, and the Angel said “What are your instructions, O Mohammad?” “Take me now to my Lord,” he said. “Yes indeed he responded, “on this day of yours. Truly your Lord longs for you. He has not paused over any man as He has paused over you, nor has He ever forbidden me to enter without permission upon anyone else. But now, your hour is come.” And he went out. Then came Gabriel, who said, “Peace be upon you, O Emissary of God! This is the final time I shall ever descend to the earth. Revelation is folded up, the world is folded up, and I had on the earth no business save with you. Upon it now I have no purpose save being present with you, after which I shall remain in my place. No! By He Who sent Muhammad with the Truth, there is no one in the house able to change one word of what I have said. He will never be sent again despite the greatness of the discourse concerning him which shall be heard, and despite our affection and sympathy.” I got up and went to the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) to put his head between my breasts, and clutched onto his chest. He began to swoon until he was overcome. His forehead was pouring forth sweat in a way that I had never seen from any man; I took to wiping away this sweat, and never had I found the scent of anything to be sweeter than it. I would say to him when he came round, “May my father and mother be your ransom, and myself and all my family! How your forehead perspires!” And he said, “O A’isha, the soul of the believer departs with his sweat, while that of the unbeliever departs through his jaws”. The Emissary of God (may God bless him and grant him peace) died before the arrival of anyone.] Assaaamu ‘alayka ay-yuhan-nabiyyu, wa rahmatullahi wabarakaatuh
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:17:50 +0000
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