28th Safar
Martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w & Imam Hasan a.s
Who Killed Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ?
WAS THE HOLY PROPHET POISONED (OR KILLED) AND MARTYRED OR DID HE DIE A NATURAL DEATH?
In general, there is an opinion based on Hadees, reported by both the sects (Shia’s and Sunni’s), it is
confirmed that the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his pure family) was martyred. Hence there is no need
to discussing that.
HOW THEN WAS THE PROPHET MURDERED, AND WHO WERE THE PERPETRATORS OF SUCH A HEINOUS CRIME?
The false narration of Jews women poisoning Holy Prophet (s.a.w.)
This narration is mostly used by Sunnis that the Prophet (s.a.w) was poisoned by the Jews women after the
battle of Khaibar by offering some food.
However, there is a problem with the content of the above narration.
- The Khaibar Battle took place in the seventh year of Hijra. While the Prophet (Peace be upon him
and his pure family) died in the eleventh year. There is a time gap of 4 years between the two
incidents.
- It is very unlikely that a person dies because of a poison he had taken so many years ago.
- It is also because generally the effect of the poison is immediate and even if it takes time it cannot
exceed a few months in which the health condition deteriorates gradually.
- In the case of the Prophet, we notice that he had been in the peak of his health and throughout the
said four years he had no unusual health complaints. He would participate in the battles to defend
Muslims as usual.
- Thus, it defies any logic that his health deteriorated suddenly, and he died of a poison he had taken more than four years ago despite the fact that he enjoyed good health throughout that
intervening period.
- Secondly, if we accept that the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his pure family) consumed that
poisoned food, it will be a proof of his not being a true Prophet– May Allah forbid! This is because
it was the Jews and the woman who wanted to put the Prophet under trial by means of their
scheme.
- Authentic Hadiths provide that the Prophet (Peace be upon him and his pure family) knew it and
did not consume the food. He admonished his followers not to consume it either. This was one of
his miracles due to which the Jewish woman was so impressed that she converted to Islam, for that
she earned the Prophet’s forgiveness and exemption from punishment.
- Thirdly, Ayesha contradicts herself with as “She claimed that the Prophet did not die because of
the Jewish woman’s poison. Rather, the cause of his death was because of another disease!” This
confusion of different version itself points fingers at her and even gives rise to suspicions about her.
Hence, we are sure of the implausibility of the above version of the Prophet’s murder (Peace be upon him
and his pure family) due to the shortcomings, contradictions and poor evidence.
The correct narration of poisoning
……So, Hafsa said, yes, he told me that. At this point, those four got together and conspired to poison
the Prophet” (Refer: Tafseer al-Qommi, Vol II, Page 367, Bihar-ul-Anwar by Allama al-Majlisi, Vol XXII, Page 239).
….Imam al-Sadiq (Peace be upon him) was sitting with a group of his followers, and asked them: “Do you
know whether the Prophet died a natural death or was murdered? Allah the Almighty says: “if-then he dies,
rather is killed” (144:3). The truth is that the Prophet was poisoned in his last days before he died. Ayesha
and Hafsa administered poison in his food. Upon hearing this, the Imam Sadiq’s followers said that they and their fathers were among the worst villains ever created by Allah.” (Refer: Tafseer al-Ayashi, Vol I, Page
200; Bihar-ul-Anwar, by Allama Al-Majlisi, Vol XXII, Page 516)
These Hadiths confirm beyond doubt that the Supreme Prophet (Peace be upon him and his pure family)
was killed by poison administered in his last days and not which was allegedly given four years prior to
his death. They also confirm that the crime was an act of treachery by his two wives and their fathers. Jews
had nothing to do with this.
Above narration is supported by the narration from Sunni Source as below:
There is a Hadith related by the famous scholars of Sunni sect-like Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmed Ibn Hanbal and
Ibn Kathir. In that Hadith, Ayesha confesses that when the Prophet was sleep during his illness she put a
strange substance into his mouth with the help of the other wives. Ayesha did it intentionally despite
Prophet’s prohibition. When the Prophet woke up, he saw the residuals of the substance that they had put
into his mouth. He angrily asked what it was and who had disobeyed his orders. Ayesha and her
collaborators justified their action saying that it was just a medication. Following that, they accused the
Prophet’s uncle, Al-Abbas Ibn Abdul Muttalib. However, the Prophet acquitted his uncle and ordered that
those who were with him in the room should be punished by having the same substance put into their
mouths.
(Refer: Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol VIII, Page 42; Sahih Muslim, Vol VII, Page 42; Masnad Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, Vol
VI, Page 53; Prophet’s Biography by Ibn Kathir, Vol. IV, Page 446).
It seems that people were confused about what had happened to the Prophet. This was the matter that
forced Ayesha to relate this Hadith in an attempt to falsify and conceal the truth. She wanted to hide the
truth of the substance that she put into the mouth of the Prophet, claiming that it was a medication. She
explained that what she made was “lad”, which means administering medication to a side of the mouth.
- What exactly was that strange substance?
- Why did Ayesha and her collaborators intend to put it into the Prophet’s mouth during his sleep?
- Why did Ayesha and her collaborators falsely accuse Al-Abbas of the crime?
- Why did the Prophet order to have them punished by putting the substance into their mouth?
- How could Ayesha and her collaborators disobey the word of the Prophet?
These controversies prove that a serious crime was perpetrated against the Prophet. If there had been no
crime, the Prophet would not have ordered to punish the perpetrators. If that substance had been indeed
a medicine, the Prophet would not have forbidden it to be put into his mouth. This would not have stirred
his anger.
Therefore, that substance must have been the poison that the Prophet’s children spoke of later. Those who
helped Ayesha prepare it must have been Hafsa, Abu Bakr and Omar whose names were not revealed by
Ayesha in her Hadith on that strange substance. Their interest was associated with the Prophet’s homicide,
as they were going to seize power and oust his family from there.
Thereby, we can be sure that Abu Bakr and Omar indeed wanted to kill the Prophet. Though, their plan in
Aqaba failed, their next plan succeeded by collusion with their daughters Ayesha and Hafsa who
administered poison to the Prophet during his sleep. Just as the Prophet forgave those who tried to kill him
in Al-Aqaba, Imam Ali did the same after the martyrdom of the Prophet, fulfilling the will of the Prophet so
that Allah’s test continues for them and for humanity as a whole.
In fact, the Prophet was just a normal patient. During his sleep, Ayesha and Hafsa administered this poison
in the Prophet’s mouth, in order to hasten the seizure of power by their fathers, while ousting the rightful
successor, Ali Ibn Abi Talib. It was in this way the greatest and the noblest Prophet (p.b.u.h.f) fell prey to
the treachery of his two wives and companions. This is a fact that most Muslims are not aware of.
