The **death of the Prophet (PBUH)** was one of the events of the 11 AH, which led to division among the Muslims, significantly impacting their destiny. According to the widely accepted view among Shia Muslims, the Prophet (PBUH) passed away on the 28th of Safar, while the Sunni majority believes it happened on the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal. The discussion around whether the Prophet died naturally or was martyred has become one of the major subjects in the history of Islam. Based on narrations from both Shia and Sunni sources, scholars like Shaykh Mufid, Shaykh Tusi, and Allama Hilli have stated that the Prophet (PBUH) was poisoned and martyred by a Jewish woman. However, others believe he died of natural causes. According to Sayyid Ja'far Murtada Amili, a scholar and Islamic historian, the Prophet was targeted by multiple assassination attempts and eventually passed away due to poisoning.
Historical sources report that after the Prophet's death, the people of Medina, especially his daughter Fatimah al-Zahra (SA), were deeply saddened. Umar ibn al-Khattab insisted that the Prophet had not died and even threatened to kill those who claimed he had passed, until Abu Bakr arrived and calmed him down by reciting verse 144 of Surah Al-Imran. Some consider Umar's actions as part of a pre-planned strategy to bring Abu Bakr to power.
According to historians, Imam Ali (a), with the help of figures like Fadl ibn Abbas and Usama ibn Zayd, prepared the Prophet for burial and buried him in his house. During this time, some of the leaders of the Ansar and Muhajirun, gathered at the Saqifah of Banu Sa'ida and, contrary to the Prophet's recommendation, selected Abu Bakr as his successor.
Significance and Impact
The death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had a profound and clear influence on the fate of the Muslims.[1] Immediately after the Prophet’s death, a group of leading Muhajirs and Ansar gathered at the Saqifah of Banu Sa’ida and chose Abu Bakr as caliph.[2] Supporters of the caliph attacked the house of Ali and Fatimah, the Prophet’s son-in-law and daughter, to force Ali to pledge allegiance.[3] During this raid, Fatimah was injured[4], and Shia believe this led to her martyrdom.[5] According to the Shia view, the Prophet's instructions regarding Imam Ali (a) as his successor were not followed.[6] Thus, the dispute over the Prophet’s succession turned into a deep schism within the Muslim community, eventually leading to the formation of the two major sects, Shia and Sunni.[7]
In various countries around the world, mourning ceremonies are held annually on the anniversary of the Prophet’s death.[8] In Iran, the 28th of Safar is a national holiday commemorating the Prophet’s death, during which Shia Muslims hold mourning ceremonies.[9]
Poisoned or Natural Death?
There are two kinds of reports regarding the cause of the Prophet’s death: whether he died a natural death or due to poisoning.[10] Some believe that the Prophet’s passing was due to natural causes.[11] In the Al-Kafi book, there is a hadith from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a) supporting this;[12] similar reports exist in the Basa’ir al-Darajat — a Shia hadith book[13] — and in the *Tabaqat* of Ibn Sa'd, a 9th-century historical work, which states that the Prophet attributed his final illness to poisoned meat served to him by a Jewish woman after the Conquest of Khaybar.[14]
Shaykh Mufid,[15] Shaykh Tusi,[16] and Allama Hilli[17] have all explicitly stated that the Prophet died due to poisoning. Sunni sources such as Sahih Bukhari,[18] Sunan al-Darimi,[19] and al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn[20] also mention poisoning. Additionally, Sayyid Ja'far Murtada Amili, a Shia historian, compiled reports from both Sunni and Shia sources about attempts to assassinate the Prophet[21] and concluded that the Prophet was indeed poisoned and martyred.[22] He identified the perpetrators of this poisoning as certain internal enemies.[23] In the Tafsir of Ayyashi, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a) is quoted as saying that two of the Prophet’s wives were responsible for poisoning him.[24]
The Story of "Ladood"
The *Ladood* incident — which some deem fabricated[25] and others consider superstitious[26] — occurred during the Prophet’s final illness. It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari and in the *Tabaqat* of Ibn Sa'd…
ʿAbd Allāh b. Mismaʿ al-Hamdānī (alive in 60/679) was a Shi'a from Kufa known for delivering the Letters sent by Kufians to Imam al-Husayn in Mecca in 60/. Al-Tabari, the well-known historian, in al-umam wa l-muluk, quoting from Abu Mikhnaf, reports that when Shi'a of Kufa received the news about the death of Mu'awiya b. Abu Sufyan gathered in Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza'i's house. Sulaman let them know about Imam al-Husayn's refusal to give allegiance toward Yazid, son of Mu'awiya. He then said, "Mu'awiya is dead, and Husayn b. 'Ali (a) has not given allegiance to his son Yazid and has gone to Mecca. If you intend to help him, inform him, and if you doubt to help him, do not deceive him and do not put him in danger". People insisted that they wanted to help him and wrote a letter to Imam al-Husayn (a). This letter was delivered by two Shi'a figures of Kufa i.e., Abd Allah b. Mism'a al-Hamdani and 'Abd Allah b. Wal to Imam al-Husayn in Mecca in Ramdhan 10, 60/679.
Al-Shaykh al-Mufid quotes the same report in al-Irshad mentioning Abd Allah b. Misma' al-Hamdani as the letter carrier. In Akhbar al-Tiwal, written by Ibn Qutayba al-Dinawari, the name of the letter carrier is recorded as Ubayd Allah b. Sabi' al-Hamdani.
Mullā Muḥammad Bāqir Fishārakī (1242-1314) was an Iranian faqih and teacher of advanced levels (buhuth al-kharij) of Seminary of Isfahan. Handling people's disputes and holding ihya' gatherings of Thursday nights in Takht-i Fulad Cemetery of Isfahan are among his activities.
Fisharaki, like many other scholars of his time, issued a fatwa against 1890 tobacco concession. However, there are some reports of his opposition to the fatwa against tobacco use issued by Grand Ayatollah Mirza Hasan al-Shirazi and his lack of cooperation with the scholars of Isfahan.
Mullā Aḥmad Khūʾīnī, known as Hāj Aqā Mullā, was faqih, scholar of usul al-fiqh, and hadith scholar of hadith. Khu'ini was a pupil of al-Shaykh al-Ansari and al-Shaykh al-Radi al-Najafi who gave him Permission for Ijtihad. He was the religious authority in Qazvin for decades. Khu'ini died in 1307.
Haj Aqa Mulla composed many works on different areas like fiqh and usul al-fiqh, including Lawami' al-ahkam in fiqh and Mi'raj al-wusul ila 'ilm al-usul and al-Mukhtar min al-usul al-'amaliyya in usul al-fiqh.
Mirza Muhammad Hashim Khwansari Chaharsawqi, better known as Sayyid Muhammad Hashim Khwansari, was a Shia faqih, who was a marja' for some parts of Iran. He studied under [[Muhammad Baqir Khwansari, Sadr al-Din Amili and al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari. Abu Turab Khwansari and [[Sayyid Muhammad Kadhim Tabataba'i Yazdi are among his pupils.
He authored in various fields, including fiqh, hadith, usul al-fiqh, theology, rijal and Islamic philosophy. Khwansari died in Najaf on 1318. He was buried in al-Wadi al-Salam Cemetery.
ʿAmr ذهد Hishām al-Makhzumi (Arabic: عمرو بن هشام), also called Abu al-Hakam (Arabic: أبو الحكم) or Abū Jahl (Arabic: أبو جهل) was one of the Quraysh nobles and a Meccan polytheist pagan who is infamous for his opposition towards Prophet Muhammad (s), the early Muslims and Banu Hashim in Mecca.
The Lady of Heaven is an upcoming epic historical drama film with a focus on early Islamic history.
About the Film
The production title of this film was "Yawm al-Adhab" (lit. the Day of Torment] which later changed to the Lady of Heaven. On December 30, 2020, the film had a limited release. The budget of t
Synopsis
Laith, an Iraqi child in the middle of a war-torn country after losing his mother, has found himself a new home with an elderly woman who tells him the story of Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad. The Lady of Heaven budget is about 15 million dollars.
Prophet Muhammad's wives were the women married to Prophet Muhammad (s). Muslim scholars have different opinions in regard to the number of the Prophets (s) wives, including thirteen and fifteen. This disagreement is caused by counting or not counting his Concubines. Some objectives for Prophet Muhammad's (s) marriages have been described, including spreading the message by uniting different clans through marriage, helping out the widows of his companions, standing against wrong beliefs of the Jahiliyya era and releasing the captives.
In Qur'an 33:6, the term "Ummahat al-Mu'minin" (meaning Mothers of the Believers) is used to refer to the wives of the Prophet (s). Also, the Qur'an puts some special rulings in regard to his (s) wives, among them are having simple life and refraing from tabaruj (a woman's display of beauty and charm in an improper place). Moreover, the Qur'an instructs Muslims to talk to the Prophet's wives from behind the curtain (hijab) and not to marry his (s) wives after him.
Although Muslims believe in chastity of all the Prophet's (s)wives, they criticize Aisha for her role in the Battle of Camel against Ali (a), along with other matters.
Position
Prophet Muhammad's wives were the women married to Prophet Muhammad (s) who, according to the Qur'an 33:6[27], are called Mothers of the Believers (Ummahat al-Mu'minin). The Qur'an puts some special rulings in regard to his (s) wives.
Prohibition of Disrespecting the wives of Prophet Muhammad (s)
Muslims unanimously believe in chastity of all the Prophet's (s) wives. However, some Wahhabis imputed to the Shias that they accuse Aisha of committing adultery. Although shia scholars and even some sunnis criticize the approach and activities of some wives of the Prophet (s) in some incidents after his (s) demise, namely, the role of Aisha in igniting the fight in the Battle of Camel and also her resentment towards Ali (a), they never accuse any of them of unchaste behavior. For instance, al-Sharif al-Murtada, shi'a theoligion of the fifth/eleventh century, does not accept such wrongdoings for the Prophet's (s) wives as it contradicts with infallibility of Prophets (a) because, according to Imamiyya, Prophets (a) are away from whatever that causes hatred and distance from the people.
Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Islamic Republic of Iran, issued a fatwa on prohibiting the insulting of the most religious figures of Sunni Islam and the Prophet's (s) wives.
- ↑ See: Shahidi, Analytical History of Islam, 2011, pp. 106–107.
- ↑ Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, 2008, vol. 3, pp. 201–203.
- ↑ Ibn Qutaybah, al-Imama wa al-Siyasa, 1990, vol. 1, pp. 30–31.
- ↑ Mas'udi, Ithbat al-Wasiyya, 2005, p. 146.
- ↑ Mahdi, al-Hujum, 2004, pp. 221–356.
- ↑ See: Shahidi, Analytical History of Islam, 2011, pp. 106–107.
- ↑ See: Tabataba’i, Shi'ism in Islam, 1999, p. 28.
- ↑ \[[1](https://www.mehrnews.com/news/2998367) "Commemoration of the Prophet’s Demise Abroad"], Mehr News Agency.
- ↑ For example, see: \[[2](https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1398/08/05/2128227) "Religious Processions on the Prophet’s Death Anniversary in Bushehr"], Tasnim News Agency.
- ↑ Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A'zam, 2006, vol. 33, pp. 141–158.
- ↑ Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, 1984, vol. 10, p. 266.
- ↑ Kulayni, al-Kafi, 1987, vol. 6, p. 315, hadith 3.
- ↑ Saffar, Basa’ir al-Darajat, 1984, p. 503.
- ↑ Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, 1990, vol. 2, pp. 155–156.
- ↑ Shaykh Mufid, al-Muqni'ah, 1993, p. 456.
- ↑ Tusi, Tahdhib al-Ahkam, 1987, vol. 6, p. 2.
- ↑ Hilli, Muntaha al-Matlab, 1992, vol. 13, p. 259.
- ↑ Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, 2001, vol. 6, p. 9, hadith 4428.
- ↑ Darimi, Sunan al-Darimi, 1991, vol. 1, p. 207, hadith 68.
- ↑ Al-Hakim al-Nishapuri, al-Mustadrak, 1991, vol. 3, p. 61, hadith 4395.
- ↑ Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A'zam, 2006, vol. 33, pp. 141–158.
- ↑ Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A'zam, 2006, vol. 33, p. 159.
- ↑ Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A'zam, 2006, vol. 33, pp. 159–193.
- ↑ Ayyashi, Tafsir al-Ayyashi, 2001, vol. 1, p. 200.
- ↑ Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, 1984, vol. 13, p. 32; Najmi, “A False Story about the Prophet,” p. 120.
- ↑ Amili, al-Sahih min Sirat al-Nabi al-A'zam, 2006, vol. 32, p. 130.
- ↑ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ