The distinctive demise of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and His life beyond it

 Prediction of His own demise

When this Surah was revealed, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) summoned Hadhrat Fatima Zahra (May Allah be well pleased with her) and spoke with her in whispers.  There are various Hadith about this.  The Hadith of Sahih Muslim is being presented here:

Translation: Hadhrat Fatima Zahra (May Allah be well pleased with her) came in such a manner that there was no difference in her manner and the manner of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw her, He welcomed her with the words:  Welcome my princess!  Then He seated her on either His right or left side and spoke to her very softly.  Hadhrat Fatima Zahra (May Allah be well pleased with her) began to weep a lot.  When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw her anxiety, He again whispered something in her ear and she started laughing.  Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) says: I asked Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her):  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) preferred you over all His wives and you started crying.  When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) stood up, I asked Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her):  What did the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) whisper to you.  Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her) said:  I can’t reveal the secret of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) says:  When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) passed away, I asked Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her):  For the sake of the right that I have on you, please tell me, what had the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) whispered to you.  Hadhrat Fatima Zahra (May Allah be well pleased with her) said:  Yes, I will tell you now.  The first time the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) informed me that He would pass away in that condition and said:  I see that my demise is near.  You should be steadfast on piety and be patient because I am the best one to precede you.  I started crying as you saw me o mother of the believers!  Then, when the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw my worry, He again whispered to me: O Fatima!  Are you not pleased that you are the leader of Muslim women or He said:  You are the leader of the women of this Ummah, then out of joy, I started laughing, as you saw me.  (Sahih Muslim, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 290, Hadith No. 6467)

In the Hadith of Sahih Bukhari, the following words are mentioned:

Translation: Then He whispered to me:  I will be the first one to meet Him from among His Family and I laughed out of joy.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 3427)

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave a sermon as mentioned in Sahih Bukhari:

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave a sermon and said:  Allah Most High gave a bondsman a choice between this world and whatever is there with Allah and that bondsman chose whatever is with Allah.  The narrator says:  At that time, Hadhrat Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with him) started crying.  We expressed our surprise at his crying because the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was speaking about someone who was given a choice.  The fact was that the one who was given the choice was the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and Hadhrat Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with him) was the most knowledgeable among all of us.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 3454)

There is a similar Hadith in Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) graced the pulpit and said:

Translation: Indeed!  The world with all its beauty and embellishments was presented before a bondsman and that bondsman selected the hereafter.  Nobody understood this except Hadhrat Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with him).  He said:  May my mother and father be sacrificed in lieu of you, in fact, may all of us along with our wealth, our lives and children be sacrificed for your sake.  The narrator says:  Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) got down from the pulpit.  I didn’t see the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) on the pulpit again (i.e. this was the last sermon).  (Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal, Hadith No. 12185)