The Prophet’s (PBUH) Prayer During Death or in His Final Moments
Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), who spent his entire life with love and longing for Allah Almighty, welcomed the moment of reunion with his Lord with the excitement of a wedding night (shab-i arus). This marks the end of his attachment to worldly life and his departure towards eternity.
The Final Prayer from the Prophet’s Tongue
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
“While the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was experiencing his final moments, his blessed head rested on my chest. I was praying for his healing, saying, ‘O Lord of humankind! Remove this illness! The true healer, the giver of genuine cure, is You alone!‘ The Prophet (PBUH), however, continued to pray, saying:
“O Allah! Grant me reunion with Rafiq-i A’la [the Highest Companion]. O Allah! Forgive me! Bestow mercy upon me! Grant me reunion with Rafiq-i A’la [the Highest Companion]!” (Ahmed, VI, 108, 231)
This prayer is an expression of the Prophet’s deep devotion to his Lord and alleviates the sorrow of his passing.
In another narration, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) continues the account:
“The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) frequently said in his healthy days:
“No prophet is taken [unto death] until he sees his station in Paradise! Then he is given a choice between remaining in the world or going to his station!” When he fell ill and approached his passing, while his head was on my lap, a faintness overcame him. When he regained consciousness, he looked up at the ceiling of the house and said:
“Allah! Rafiq-i A’la!”. I then said, ‘Messenger of Allah, you do not prefer us!’ I realized that the Prophet’s wish was a sign that what he used to tell us in his healthy days had come true for him.” (Bukhari, Maghazi, 84; Ahmed, VI, 89)
This honorable Hadith clearly expresses how the souls of prophets are taken and their glad tidings concerning Paradise.