After me there will be no other messenger or messengers of God.

After me there will be no other messenger or messengers of God.” Muhammad Mustafa concluded his speech with another short prayer of thanksgiving to his Creator, and called upon Him to be a Witness that he had discharged his duty, had fulfilled his obligations, and had delivered the message of Islam to his people. This speech, like all other speeches of the Prophet, is remarkable for its clarity and practical commonsense.

He encapsulated in it his teachings so that they would be etched on the hearts and minds of his listeners for all time. The Prophet had demonstrated to the Muslims how to perform the rites of Hajj, and he had swept away the remnants of paganism. In his speech, the Prophet also hinted that he had perhaps not much longer to live.

It was around this time that the 110th chapter of Qur’an called “Help” (Surah Nasr), was revealed, and which reads as follows: When comes the help of God, and victory, And thou dost see the people enter God's religion in crowds, Celebrate the praises of thy Lord, And pray for His Forgiveness: For He is oft-Returning (in grace and mercy) Imam Bukhari reports that when this chapter was revealed, Umar bin al-Khattab asked Abdullah ibn Abbas if he could enlighten him on its meaning.

Ibn Abbas said: “These verses mean that the time for the Messenger of God to part company with us is approaching.” Many latter-day historians of the East and the West have asserted that the death of the Prophet was sudden and unexpected. But his death was neither sudden nor unexpected.

In fact, he was himself the first to speak on the subject, and when the chapter called “Help” was revealed, little doubt was left in the minds of the principal companions that his earthly ministry was coming to an end. The intimation of death is in the third verse in which he was called upon to “pray for His forgiveness,” and the men of perception were quick to get the message.

Marmaduke Pickthall It was during that last pilgrimage that the Surah entitled Succour was revealed, which he (Mohammed) received as an announcement of approaching death. (Introduction to the translation of Holy Qur’an, Lahore, Pakistan, 1975) Previous…