6 Similarities in the Death of Muhammad ﷺ & Ghulam Ahmad (AS)

28 Nov, 2023 Allegations on Promised Messiah 1

Table of Contents

Introduction

In the previous articles, we detailed the last moments and the blessed death of the Promised Messiah (AS)¹. We also refuted the lies that he died of Cholera² and proved that when anti-Ahmadis mock the blessed death of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS), they are actually mocking the pious, giant scholars of Islam³.

In the final installment of this series we will be looking at whether prophets are able to have illnesses, the final moments of the Holy Prophet (SAW) before his passing, and make a comparison between the death of the Promised Messiah (AS) and Holy Prophet (SAW). From this, it will become evidently clear that any allegation made by the anti-Ahmadis about the death of the Promised Messiah (AS) is in fact a direct attack on the Holy Prophet (SAW).

1) Extreme Suffering

One of the objections that the opponents make against the claim of the Promised Messiah (AS) is that prophets do not suffer from illnesses and that this was in fact a punishment for Ahmad (AS). However, this is just another example of them maligning the Holy Prophet (SAW).

Narrated Aisha:

I never saw anybody suffering so much from sickness as Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ).
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5646]

‘A’isha said:

“No more will I envy anyone for an easy death now that I have seen how the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) suffered in his passing.”
[Ash-Shama’il Al-Muhammadiyah 389]

This shows that anti-Ahmadis do not carry out their own research. They make allegations based on self-made criteria, and by criticizing the Promised Messiah (AS) for suffering due to a disease or illness, they commit blasphemy against the Holy Prophet (SAW) and put their faith at risk.

2) Last words: Remembrance of Allah

During this period, Promised Messiah (AS) kept saying this in an extremely loving tone,

“O my beloved, O my beloved”.

And when he heard the azan for the fair prayer, he asked whether it was time to pray. And even with extreme weakness, he made intention and prayed salat.
[Al Badr, 2 June 1908, pg. 4]

In the same way, the last statement of the Holy Prophet (SAW) is also recorded.

Narrated `Aisha:
When the Prophet (ﷺ) was healthy, he used to say, “No soul of a prophet is captured till he is shown his place in Paradise and then he is given the option.” When death approached him while his head was on my thigh, he became unconscious and then recovered his consciousness. He then looked at the ceiling of the house and said, “O Allah! (with) the highest companions.” I said (to myself), “Hence, he is not going to choose us.” Then I realized that what he had said was the application of the narration which he used to mention to us when he was healthy. The last word he spoke was, “O Allah! (with) the highest companion.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 4463]

3) Arrangements near bed

The Promised Messiah (AS) is criticized for needing to use the toilet on the night of his passing. Arrangements were made for a portable toilet in his room, as he was struggling to move around.

What anti-Ahmadis fail to mention is that the Promised Messiah (AS) was able to pray fajr namaz, meaning that he was in a state of purity. Following this, there is no mention of him needing to relieve himself at any point for many hours until his death around 10:30 am. Using the logic of the anti-Ahmadis, every person died a death of humiliation as they would have had to use the bathroom at some point before passing away.

I woke up and he layed down on the same bed as me and I kept massaging his foot until he told me to stop but I insisted. In this time, he got another motion but this time he was so weak and could not go to the bathroom so I made arrangements for it near his bed. He relieved himself and laid down while I kept massaging his foot.
[Seeratul Mahdi, vol.1, pg. 10-11]

Nevertheless, what they don’t realize is that they are in fact insulting the Holy Prophet (SAW), as the second similarity is that arrangements were also made for the Holy Prophet (SAW) in his room, where a wooden vessel was placed under his bed for him to urinate in.

A’isha said:

“I was resting the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) on my chest (or: on my lap), when he called for a basin in which to urinate. Then he urinated and died soon after.”
[Ash-Shama’il Al-Muhammadiyah 387]

“The Prophet (ﷺ) had a vessel made from a date tree in which he would urinate and place it under the bed.“
[Sunan an-Nasa’i 32]
[Sunan Abi Dawud 24]

This shows that the last physical act committed by the prophet (saw) shortly before he passed away was to use the portable toilet that was provided for him. This is something which the anti-Ahmadis believe is the sign of a false prophet. God forbid. It is truly only Ahmadis who honor the Holy Prophet (SAW) and give him the rank that he deserves.

4) Difficulty in speaking

Promised Messiah (AS) was falling in and out of consciousness, and at times also struggling to speak.

When it was dawn he woke up and performed his morning prayers. His throat was completely hoarse. He tried to speak but could utter no sound. He called for pen and ink, but could not write. The pen dropped from his hand.
[Hadhrat Ahmad, pg. 58-59]

However, no objections can be made in regard to this. We already established that no one had to suffer more due to their illness than the Holy Prophet (SAW). From various narrations, we can see that the Prophet (SAW) also struggled to speak and went in and out of consciousness.

“When the Messenger of God’s illness from which he died grew severe until he became unconscious, all of his family gathered.”
Another narration from Usamah b. Zayd (ra) says: “When the Messenger of God’s illness became severe, I and the people came down to Medina and went to the Messenger of God. As he was tongue-tied, he began to lift his hand towards heaven and put it down upon me, so I understood that he was praying for me.”
[Tarikh Tabari, vol. 9, pg. 178] (English)

5) Unconscious

The Promised Messiah (AS) went in and out of consciousness.

Due to his weakness, Ahmad (as) was also having trouble speaking. The only words that could be heard from him were

I (Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad) was standing by him at the time of Fajr prayer. After inquiring whether it was time for prayer, he performed Tayammum and tried to offer his prayer in bed. But he fell unconscious. After regaining consciousness, he again inquired about Fajr prayer and offered his prayer while lying down in his bed. He was becoming weaker by the moment and all you could hear were the words,

‘O Allah, my beloved Allah!’

At last, at about 10:30am, with his family by his side, he breathed his last, and his soul departed from this world towards Allah.”
[Silsilae Ahmadiyyat, vol. 1, pg. 176-177]

Similarly, the Holy Prophet (SAW) went in and out of consciousness as well.

When death approached him while his head was on my thigh, he became unconscious and then recovered his consciousness.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 4463]

6) Death in the presence of family

The Promised Messiah (AS) died in the presence of Amma Jan RA, sons, and other family members.

At last, at about 10:30am, with his family by his side, he breathed his last, and his soul departed from this world towards Allah.”
[Silsilae Ahmadiyyat, vol. 1, pg. 176-177]

Muhammad ﷺ died in the lap of Ayesha RA, with family by his side.

In the presence of `Aisha some people mentioned that the Prophet (ﷺ) had appointed `Ali by will as his successor. `Aisha said, “When did he appoint him by will? Verily when he died he was resting against my chest (or said: in my lap) and he asked for a wash-basin and then collapsed while in that state, and I could not even perceive that he had died, so when did he appoint him by will?”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2741]

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have proven that prophets do have illnesses and diseases, and no one had to suffer more than the Holy Prophet (SAW) at the time of his death. In fact, prophets are more prone to illness and suffering because in this lies a greater reward for them.

Also, it is evidently clear that the Promised Messiah (AS) and the Holy Prophet (SAW) had to face a similar ordeal at the time of their passing. It is reported that both had their families by their bedside, and they both struggled to speak and went in and out of consciousness, similar arrangements of a portable toilet were made for both servants of Allah in their rooms for them to be able to relieve themselves, and most importantly they had the utterance of Allah on their lips till the end until they met their noble death. SubhanAllah

Those who mock the Promised Messiah (AS) by saying he died on the toilet are clearly ignorant of the fact that the Holy Prophet (SAW) urinated in a bowl just before passing away. On the other hand, there is no mention of the Promised Messiah (AS) needing the toilet for many hours before he died. After observing these facts, only a liar and shameless person could have any objections on the death of the Promised Messiah (AS), and if they still persist then they are only insulting and blaspheming against the Holy Prophet (SAW). All one can say after this is that may Allah save us from such misguidance. Ameen.

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