Medina in Mourning: Prophet Muhammad’s Martyrdom

With the passing of the beloved Prophet of Islam, not only Medina but the entire universe was enveloped in grief and sorrow. It is only fitting if the heavens and the earth weep tears of blood, for this is the mourning of the leader of all prophets. Upon the departure of the Prophet, the city of Medina was plunged into calamity, and a group gathered with the intent to usurp the caliphate. From that moment on, the cries of Fatimah echoed through the streets of Medina every night. It was then that the isolation of Fatimah al-Zahra and Ali al-Murtadha began. Now, the world bids farewell to a “compassionate father,” an unparalleled figure leaves this world. As he witnesses the anguish and distress of his daughter, he lovingly reassures her, saying, “My dear Fatimah, do not be troubled, for you will be the first to join me.”

A Page from the Life of the Great Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

The Noble Prophet Muhammad, son of Abdullah, upon whom prophethood was sealed, was born in 570 CE. At the age of forty, he was appointed as a prophet. For thirteen years, he called the people of Mecca to Islam, enduring immense hardships and challenges while nurturing a select group of followers. After this period, he migrated to Medina, establishing it as the center of his mission. For ten years in Medina, he freely preached and invited others to Islam, confronting and overcoming the defiance of the Arab tribes. By the end of these ten years, the entire Arabian Peninsula had embraced Islam. The divine verses of the Quran were gradually revealed to him over twenty-three years. The Muslims exhibited an extraordinary devotion to both the Quran and the person of the Prophet. In the eleventh year of the Hijra, which marked the eleventh year since his migration from Mecca to Medina, the twenty-third year of his prophethood, and the sixty-third year of his life, the Prophet passed away. He left behind a newly established society, vibrant with spiritual vigor and committed to a constructive ideology, feeling a profound sense of global responsibility.

A Drop from the Ocean of Virtues

The Great Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) is explicitly described in the Quran as the Prophet of Mercy and the Messenger of peace and harmony. His gentle nature was a divine gift: “It is by the mercy of God that you were lenient with them; had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.” This gentleness and peaceful demeanor were among the Prophet’s most successful strategies in winning people’s hearts and attracting them to Islam. In another verse, God highlights the Prophet’s compassion, mercy, and deep concern for others: “Indeed, there has come to you a messenger from among yourselves; it grieves him when you suffer; he is concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.

The Prophet himself said, “My Lord has commanded me to be gentle and patient with people, just as He has commanded me to fulfill obligatory duties.” Even when faced with violence and hostility, the Prophet did not respond with anger or retaliation. When he began preaching monotheism in Mecca, the Quraysh tribe reacted with severe opposition, inflicting torture, insults, and slander upon him, labeling him as a liar, sorcerer, and madman. Yet, the Prophet’s response was a prayer: “O Lord, forgive my people, for they do not know.”

Final Days and Hours with the Prophet (PBUH)

Sheikh Mufid, in his work Al-Irshad, recounts: “When the Messenger of God became aware of the approach of his final moments, he frequently addressed the Muslims, warning them against discord and strife after his passing. He strongly emphasized the importance of adhering to his Sunnah, urging them to maintain unity and consensus upon it. He also encouraged them to follow his family (the Ahl al-Bayt), to obey and protect them, and to support them in matters of faith. He warned against division and apostasy. Numerous narrators have transmitted his words: ‘O people, I am leaving you, and you will meet me at the Pond of Kawthar. Be aware that I will question you about two things, so be mindful of how you protect them. Know that God has informed me that these two will not be separated until they meet me again. I requested this from God, and He granted it to me. Behold, I leave among you two precious things: the Book of God and my progeny, my Ahl al-Bayt. Do not precede them, for you will be divided, and do not fall behind them, for you will be ruined. And do not attempt to teach them, for they are more knowledgeable than you. O people, do not revert to disbelief after me by shedding each other’s blood. Know that Ali ibn Abi Talib is my brother and my successor, who will fight for the interpretation of the Quran just as I fought for its revelation.'”

Migration to the Eternal World

After 63 years of dedicated service to Allah, 23 of which were spent as the Prophet of Islam (13 years in Mecca and 10 years in Medina), the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) departed for the highest realm on the 28th of Safar in the 11th year of Hijra. On that day, the radiant sun of guidance and the luminous beacon of human wisdom was extinguished.

The passing of the Prophet occurred at midday on a Monday, coinciding with the year 633 CE. Following his departure, Imam Ali (Peace Be Upon Him) took the responsibility of washing the blessed body of the Prophet. He then enshrouded him in three garments and performed the funeral prayer over his pure body. The Prophet was then buried in the very chamber of his home in Medina, with the help of Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib, his son Fadl, Usama ibn Zayd, and Aws ibn Khawli al-Ansari .

The Passing of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Emergence of Discord

The death of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) cast a shadow of silence over some, while it spurred others into secretive and calculated actions, just as he had foreseen. Those who had harbored ambitions of seizing power since the onset of the Prophet’s illness, anticipating his passing, wasted no time. Immediately upon hearing the news of his death—and while Ali (Peace Be Upon Him), Fadl ibn Abbas, and a few others were still preparing the blessed body of the Prophet for burial—these individuals began to act.

Ignoring the clear instructions and teachings of the Prophet, they convened in a hurried council. Their intent was to take the reins of leadership, claiming they were acting to prevent the followers of God’s final messenger from falling into misguidance and leaderlessness. They argued that the Prophet had not appointed a successor for his community or had chosen someone who, in their view, lacked popularity and the capability to lead. Thus, they sought to impose their own leadership, despite the Prophet’s explicit guidance on the matter.

Isolation and Loneliness of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT)

With the passing of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), new storms of complex and critical events began to brew. The grudges and animosities from the battles of Badr, Khaybar, and Hunayn, which had been hidden beneath the surface during the Prophet’s lifetime, now emerged.

The factions of hypocrites became active, seeking revenge not only against Islam but also against the Prophet’s family. At the center of this storm stood Fatimah al-Zahra (Peace Be Upon Her), who faced the venomous attacks from all directions. On one side, she suffered the painful separation from her father, and on the other, she bore the heartbreaking oppression of her husband, Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (Peace Be Upon Him). Added to this were the plots of the enemies against Islam and her deep concern for the future of the Muslim community and the preservation of the legacy of the Quran.

These overwhelming sorrows and fears weighed heavily on Fatimah’s pure heart and soul. She refrained from sharing her deep grief with Imam Ali, not wanting to further burden his already wounded spirit, which had been deeply hurt by the tragic events and the community’s disobedience. Instead, she would go to the grave of the Prophet and pour out her heart, speaking words that burned like embers, searing the depths of the soul. She lamented, “O father, after you, I have been left alone and bewildered, deprived and abandoned. My voice has faded, my back has been broken, and the sweet taste of life has turned bitter in my mouth.”

Sips from the Pure Spring of Wisdom

1. Signs of a Hypocrite: “The signs of a hypocrite are three: When he speaks, he lies. When he makes a promise, he breaks it. When he is entrusted with something, he betrays the trust.”
   (Nahj al-Fasahah, p. 156)
2. Regarding Delaying Prayer: The Messenger of God (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him), in the illness that led to his passing, said: “Whoever delays the prayer beyond its appointed time will not receive my intercession.
   (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 20, p. 80)
3. Defending a Brother’s Honor: “Whoever defends the honor of his Muslim brother, Paradise is certainly obligatory for him.”
   (Wasā’il al-Shīʿa, vol. 12, p. 292)
4. The Best Form of Worship: “Worship consists of seventy parts, and the best of them is earning a lawful livelihood.”
   (Al-Kafi, vol. 5, p. 78)

In the Words of Others

1. The Uniqueness of Grief for the Prophet (PBUH): “Indeed, patience is beautiful, except in separation from you. And lamentation is unbecoming, except in mourning over you. The sorrow from your departure is overwhelming, and the grief before and after your passing is insignificant in comparison.”
   (Nahj al-Balagha, Short Sayings, 292)
2. The Purpose of the Prophet’s Mission: “Indeed, God sent Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) to deliver His servants from the worship of other servants to the worship of God, and from the bonds of allegiance to people to allegiance to God, and from obedience to others to obedience to His commands.
   (Wafi, vol. 3, p. 22)

Seeking Intercession through the Prophet (PBUH) and His Ziyarat

The concept of seeking intercession (tawassul) and blessings (tabarruk), and its legitimacy, is something that should be considered self-evident both from a rational and religious standpoint. Rationality does not prevent a devout believer, with sincere belief in the oneness of God, from venerating and seeking blessings from sacred things in this world or using them as a means of drawing closer to God. Additionally, there is no evidence in the Shariah or in the Quranic and Hadith texts that questions the legitimacy of tabarruk and tawassul.

Moreover, there are numerous evidences in the Quran and the Sunnah that not only recommend tabarruk and tawassul but also present them as means of achieving proximity to God.

The Quran explicitly states:
“… and seek the means of approach to Him…” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:35)

The term “means” (wasilah) is mentioned in an absolute sense, encompassing any person, thing, or action that can bring one closer to God. And what means could be superior to the Prophets, Imams, and the Saints (Peace Be Upon Them), who are the conduits of divine grace between God and His creation?

In the Shadow of the Pen

Open the door, Fatimah, for I seek permission to enter the house of Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him)… You respond, assuming I am a stranger eager to meet the Prophet (PBUH), yet I stand behind the door in reverence for your presence!

How bitter were those moments when the heavens seemed ready to pour forth their sorrow and the earth writhed in grief! The mountains scattered like threads, and the dust of death settled upon the land…

These alleys remember the time when human dignity was plundered by tribalism and the demons of ignorance had driven worship into the wasteland of polytheism! They still recall the days when the blossoms of compassion were buried in the grave of arrogance, and poetry, wine, and lust were the commodities of the market of ‘Okaz!

These streets remember the sudden arrival of Muhammad (PBUH) with a precious gift, such as the oneness of God. And what did the narrow-minded, vile-hearted people do? They rewarded their children for throwing stones at the Prophet of God, calling him a sorcerer and a poet! They broke his teeth and sullied the tranquility of his soul… And he!… He illuminated the city with the fragrance of the Divine; even though their stagnant, putrid thoughts continued to fester…”