Aslam

We wondered at her weeping and smiling and asked her the reason. Fatima said : He has informed me that he will expire. I began to weep at this. Then he said : I pray to God that you will be the first who will meet me and will be with me. I smiled at this. When Hazrat Fatima took her two sons close to the Prophet, he showed affection and fondness for them.

Then the angle of death came and saluted the Prophet and sought permission of the Prophet to take this life to which he responded and gave permission. The angel of death said to him: O Muhammad, what do you say to me? The Prophet said: Yes, take me to my Lord. He said: Yes, your Lord is eager to-day to meet you. Your Lord never hesitated in any other case than in your case. He never prohibited me to take the life of anybody without his permission, except in your case. Your death is in your front. Then he went out.

Hazrat Ayesha said: The Gebrail came and said : O Messenger of God, salam to you. This is my last descent in the earth. Revelation came to an end and the earth came near. I have got no need of this earth except for you I will stay in my own place. She said : I went close to the Prophet and placed his head upon my bosom. He fainted and fainted and perspiration came out profusely on his forehead. I began to remove the perspiration the fragrance of which I smelt. When he came round, 1 said to him : May my parents, my life and my family be dedicated to you, why do you perspire so much? The Prophet said : O Ayesha, the life of a believer goes out with excessive perspiration and the life of a non-believer goes out of the two sides like that of an ass. At this time, we hastened to run and send for the members of our families. The first man who came to us was my brother. I sent him for my father. Before anybody could come, the Prophet breathed his last.

400 DEATH AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Vol-IV

When he fainted, he recited : To the Blessed Companionship on High. When he talked, he said : Prayer, prayer, you will never be routed if you continue to pray. He left instruction for prayer upto the lastmomentofhis life.

Hazrat Ayesha said: The Holy Prophet expired between one and two prahars of the day. When he died, there were wails and be wailings everywhere. He was covered by the angels with my cloth. Some did not believe his death, some lost senses and some were dumb-foundered. Hazrat Omar said that the Prophet had not died. He said : O people, hold your tongue about your saying that the Prophet has died as he has not expired. By God, let me not hear that the Prophet has died, otherwise I would cut off his head by this sword. Hazrat AH was seated within the house Hazrat Osman did not talk with anybody. People led him here and there. Hazrat Abbas said : By God, the Apostle of Allah has tasted death. God said : Certainly You will die and they will also die. Thereafter you will be quarelling before your Lord on the day of Resurrection.