ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims The Death of Muhammad, the Messenger of God The aims of the life of Muhammad Mustafa, as the Last Messenger of God on this earth, were: to destroy idolatry and polytheism; to proclaim the absolute Oneness of the Creator; to deliver the Creator's Message to mankind; to complete the system of religion and law; to purify the souls of men and women; to eradicate injustice, iniquity and ignorance; to establish a system of peace with justice; to create an apparatus in the form of a political state for the realization of all the foregoing aims, and one which would also maintain the momentum of his work.

Within the 23-years of his ministry as God's Messenger, Muhammad had achieved all these aims, and then it began to look as if like all other mortals, he too had to depart from this world. As noted before, he received this intimation for the first time when Surah Nasr (Help), the 110th chapter of Al-Qur’an al-Majid, quoted earlier in this book, was revealed to him.

Muhammad Mustafa had spent his whole life in prayer and devotions but after the revelation of Nasr, his absorption in worshipping his Creator became much greater than before, in preparation to meet Him. The Prophet himself hinted, at least on the following two occasions that his death was not too distant from him: 1.

In his address of the Farewell Pilgrimage in Arafat on Friday, the 9th of Dhil-Hajj, 10 A..H., he said: “Perhaps, this is my last Hajj.” In concluding his speech, he posed a question to the pilgrims, viz., “When you are questioned by your Lord about my work, what will be your answer?” The pilgrims shouted with one voice: “You delivered the message of God to us, and you performed your duty.” When he heard this answer, he lifted his gaze toward Heaven, and said: “O God!

Be Thou a Witness that I have done my duty.” 2. At the “coronation” of Ali ibn Abi Talib at Ghadeer-Khumm, on 18th of Dhil-Hajj, 10 A.H., Muhammad, the Messenger of God, referred once again to his impending death by stating: “I am also a mortal, and I may be summoned into the presence of my Lord any moment.” Tens of thousands of Muslims heard these declarations of their Prophet, and they all knew that he would not be with them much longer.

He himself knew that he had accomplished the mission with which his Lord had entrusted him, and he was, therefore, eager to meet Him. The Prophet spent his nights with his various wives by turns.