FIVE suspicious actions of wives and companions resulting in Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) death

The role of certain wives and ‘companions’ in the Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) death cannot be ruled out. Listed here are FIVE unmistakable signs for the intelligent on the part played by these wives and companions in eliminating the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), all of which are backed by documentary evidence from the Noble Quran and the Sunnah.

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1. Betraying secret talk of Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
2. Murder in broad daylight
3. Refusing pen and paper to avoid declaration of successor
4. Wives and companions prevented Ali (a.s.) from meeting Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
5. Violation of Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) command to enroll in Osama’s army

Back to Top 1. Betraying secret talk of Prophet (s.a.w.a.)

The wives of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) betrayed the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) by divulging his secret as informed by the Noble Quran:

وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلَى بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِ وَأَظْهَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُ وَأَعْرَضَ عَن بَعْضٍ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنبَأَكَ هَذَا قَالَ نَبَّأَنِيَ الْعَلِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ

And when the Prophet secretly communicated a piece of information to one of his wives — but when she informed (others) of it, and Allah made him to know it, he made known part of it and avoided part; so when he informed her of it, she said: Who informed you of this? He said: The Knowing, the one Aware, informed me.

• Surah Tahreem (66): 3

According to reports, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) confided in his wife about the turn of events after his demise when others would usurp caliphate from Ali (a.s.) and Ali (a.s.) would be patient. The wife betrayed the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) by divulging this secret to the other wife and she in turn informed her father and he in turn informed his partner-in-crime.

The four of them then planned to eliminate Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) at the earliest to make caliphate their own, secure in the knowledge that they would face minimal resistance from Ali (a.s.).

In this is also the secret of how these cowards who escaped from every battlefield at the first sign of trouble, dared to challenge the Lion of Allah – Ali (a.s.), by attacking his house with fire and dragging him out for allegiance. They knew that Ali (a.s.) was sworn to be patient based on Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) confidential information.

The Noble Quran has further condemned the two wives of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) by comparing their treachery to the two wives of previous prophets who likewise betrayed their husbands:

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا اِمْرَأَةَ نُوحٍ وَاِمْرَأَةَ لُوطٍ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَقِيلَ ادْخُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِينَ

Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut: they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: Enter both the fire

• Surah Tahreem (66): 10

The incident is recorded in vivid detail in books of exegeses and interested readers can refer to books like Tafseer Ali Ibn Ibrahim (r.a.) under the exegesis of Surah Tahreem (66)

Even the Ahle Tasannun have documented the role of the two wives in conspiring against Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his successor Ali (a.s.).

Ibn Abbas narrates: For the whole year, I wanted to ask Umar Ibn Khattab regarding the explanation of a verse (in Surah al-Tahreem (66:3))…Who were the two wives of the Prophet who aided one another against him?

He said – They were Hafsah and Ayesha.

• Sahih-e-Bukhari vol. 6, book 60, trad. 435
• Tafseer al-Jubaai under the exegesis of Surah Tahreem (66): 3 

Back to Top 2. Murder in broad daylight

The Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) death by so-called illness has murder written all over it. Even the Sihaah (most reliable books of the Ahle Tasannun) document the very suspicious circumstances surrounding the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) death.

Ayesha narrates – When Allah’s Prophet (s.a.w.a.) contracted the terminal disease, he ordered us:

Don’t put the medicine in my mouth. But we disobeyed him on the ground that every patient dislikes medication! So, we administered the substance by his mouth. When he regained consciousness, he (s.a.w.a.) demanded – Who did that? Have I not admonished you not to do that?

• Sahih Bukhari vol. 8 p. 42
• Sahih Muslim vol. 7 p. 42
• Musnad Ahmed Ibn Hanbal vol. 6 p. 53
• Tarikh Ibn Kathir vol. 4 p. 446

Without going into any interpretations, what is immediately clear is that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was sneakily administered a substance in his last days against his explicit command.

Back to Top 3. Refusing pen and paper to avoid declaration of successor

In the days leading to his murder, when a group of companions visited the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), he (s.a.w.a.) ordered them:

آتُوْنِیْ بِدَوَاتٍ وَ قِرْطَاسٍ اِکْتُبُ لَکُمْ کِتَابًا لَنْ تَضِلُّوْا بَعْدَہ اَبَدًا

“Fetch me a pen and a paper so that I write a will for you so that you are not deviated after me.”

Umar said:

اِنَّ النَّبِیَّ غَلَبَہ الْوَجْعُ وَ عِنْدَکُمْ کِتَابُ اللهِ، حَسْبُنَا کِتَابُ اللهِ۔

Surely the Prophet is overcome by illness (suggesting that his words should not be taken seriously). The Book of Allah is with you. The Book of Allah is sufficient for us!

(Sahih Bukhari Chapter on Knowledge, v 22, Musnad-e-Ahmad b. Hanbal, Research of Ahmad Muhammad Shakir, trad 2,996, Tabaqaat of Ibn Saad v 2, p 244 Beirut Edition)

The objective behind refusing a simple request for pen and paper was to prevent the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) from naming his successor in a formal will. Although Ali (a.s.) and Hasanain (a.s.) and the infallible Imams (a.s.) were already formally declared as the leaders and caliphs of the nation at Ghadeer, a written document in the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) final moments would have crushed any plans to usurp the caliphate.

Back to Top 4. Wives and companions prevented Ali (a.s.) from meeting Prophet (s.a.w.a.)

In his final illness, the wives and companions went all out to prevent a meeting between Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and Ali (a.s.) as evidenced in many reports, two of which are recorded here:

Ibn Abbas narrates:

When Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was on his deathbed in Ayesha’s chamber, he (s.a.w.a.) instructed her:

Call Ali for me

Ayesha: Should we call Abu Bakr (instead)

He (s.a.w.a.): Call him (Ali (a.s.))

Hafsa: O Allah’s Prophet! Should we call Umar (Ali (a.s.))

He (s.a.w.a.): Call him (Ali (a.s.))

Umm Fazl: Should we call Abbas (uncle of Prophet s.a.w.a.)?

He (s.a.w.a.): Call him (Ali (a.s.))

When they all assembled there, Prophet (s.a.w.a.) raised his head (expecting to see Ali a.s.). When he did not see Ali (a.s.), he fell silent.

Chain of narrators is Sahih

• Musnad Ahmed v 5 p 358

Companions were likewise anxious about Ali’s (a.s.) presence around the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and did their best to prevent Ali (a.s.) from meeting the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as this report indicates –
Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) informed Humran Ibn Ayun (r.a.) while weeping:
O Humran! I am amazed at the people as to how they neglect or forget or pretend to forget. They forgot the saying of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) when he was ill. People had come to visit him and were sending salutations on him when he (s.a.w.a.) began grieving for his family.

At that moment Ali (a.s.) came, saluted (the Prophet s.a.w.a.) but could not walk past the crowds nor did they make place for him. When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) saw this, he raised his head and called out.

COME TO ME O ALI.

When the people saw this, some of them leaned on the others and made way for him till he passed by them and reached the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) who made him sit by his side and said:
O people! This is what you are doing to my Ahle Bait (a.s.) in my life while I am seeing, then what will you do after my death?!

• Al-Ghaibat of Nomani (r.a.) p 91-92
• Al-Insaf p 328
• Behar al-Anwar v 36 p 280

The objective of wives and companions in stopping Ali (a.s.) from meeting Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was the same as stopping Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) from writing a will – they were afraid that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) would reiterate successorship of Ali (a.s.) making it that much more difficult to usurp caliphate after the Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

Back to Top 5. Violation of Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) command to enroll in Osama’s army

In his final days, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) appointed Osama Ibn Zaid as the commander of an army to proceed towards Syria to crush the aggression of the enemy.

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had declared that anyone who did not pay heed to the command of Osama was a hypocrite and even cursed the companions who refused to enroll in the army:
May Allah curse those who stay back from enrolling in Osama’s army.

Among those who stayed back were Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman, Abu Ubaydah Ibn Jarrah…

• Al-Kamil v 2 p 317
• Sahih al-Bukhari v 4 p 213, 490
• Sahih al-Muslim v 11 p 89
• Usod al-Ghaabah v 1 p 64
• Taarikh al-Yaqoobi v 2 p 113
• Seerah al-Halabiyyah v 3 p 207

The objective behind avoiding Osama’s army was clear, these ‘companions’ needed an excuse to stay in Medina and usurp the caliphate after Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) imminent death from the poisoning.

The suspicious actions of wives and companions listed here in the lead up to the Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) murder give readers a sense of the planning. It should be noted that these actions were in the period immediately before the Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) martyrdom. If one were to go back a few more months, then we have the incident of Aqabah, where a brazen attempt on the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) life was made by twelve ‘companions’, a fact recorded even by the Ahle Tasannun.

And if one were to go forward a few days after the Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) murder, then we have the event of Saqifah while the Holy Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) funeral was left unattended by his ‘companions’, followed by the attack on the house of Lady Fatima Zahra (s.a.), dragging of Ali (a.s.) from his house for allegiance. All these actions put together leave no doubt in the minds of unbiased readers of the role of wives and companions in the murder of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).