Question 504: Salaamun Alaikum. Did Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) die a natural death? Or was he killed? Please provide references with answers….
Answer 504: It is quoted in historical sources that Jews tried to martyr the Holy Prophet (pbuh) for several times. But, He has always been informed by the Gabriel (as). The last time was about 3 or according to some narrations 6 years before the holy Prophet (sa) died, with poisoned lamb made by Zeynab bint Al-Harith. When the Holy Prophet (pbuh) besieged Khaybar in June 628, Zeynab bint al-Harith, along with the other women and children, was barricaded in the fortresses of al-Khatiba, while her husband Sallam commanded the resistance from the Natat area. He was killed in battle on the first day, and Zeynab’s brother Al-Harith took over the defense of Khaybar.
Nine days later, Imam Ali (as) managed to penetrate the fortress of Na’im. Zeynab’s father challenged the Muslims to single combat and killed several of them before the Imam (as) killed Al-Harith and Marhab ibn Al-Harith. Marhab’s brother Yasir then ran out to avenge him, and Zubayr ibn al-Awam killed him. After this, a general battle broke out; the Jews were defeated when the Muslims killed Zeynab’s brother Al-Harith.
Over the next ten days, Zeynab witnessed civilians, weapons and treasures being brought into the safety of the al-Khatiba fortresses while the Muslims captured the forts in the Natat and Al-Shiqq areas. Civilians were moved around by night as the weaker forts were conquered. Finally the invaders spent a month attacking the three fortresses of al-Khatiba. There was no actual fighting, but the defenders could not withstand the siege indefinitely because Muhammad cut off their water supplies; and so they surrendered.
As the Jewish leaders went to the Prophet (sa) to negotiate the terms of surrender, Muslim soldiers ran into the castles to collect weapons, treasures and captives. It was presumably from these warriors that Zeynab was able to enquire about the Prophet’s favorite food. On hearing it was shoulder of lamb, she killed a lamb (some versions say a goat) from her flock, seasoned the shoulder with a deadly poison and roasted it. When the treaty negotiations were finished, Zeynab pushed her way into the Prophet’s presence and offered him the meal as a gift.
The apostle of Allah took the shoulder, a piece of which he put into His mouth. Bishr [ibn al-Bara] took another bone and put it into his mouth. When the apostle of Allah ate one morsel of it, Bishr ate his, and other people also ate from it. Then the apostle of Allah said, “Hold back your hands! because this shoulder informed me that it is poisoned.” Thereupon, Bishr said, “By Him who has made you great! I realized it from the bite I took. The only reason I didn’t spit it out was that I didn’t like to spoil your appetite. When you had eaten what was in your mouth, I did not like to save my life after yours, and I also thought you would not have eaten it if there was something wrong.”
What happened to Zaynab? Some say the Holy Prophet ordered to kill her, while according to others the Prophet (sa) forgave her.
The mother of Boshr bin al-Bara’ said: I visited the holy Prophet (pbuh) after the battle of Khaybar and I saw that he has severe fever. The Prophet (sa) then said: People think that my illness is pleurisy[1] while it is because of the morsel of poisoned lamb that me and your son ate and that’s why my heart vessels are tearing apart. So, the Messenger of Allah (sa) has martyred. [2]
In his book Dalael al-Nabawi, Bayhaqi quoted the same issue from Abi Nafrah from Jaber. Also, in his book Abdul Razzaq narrated it from Muammar from Zahri. Furthermore, in his book ‘Al-Fat’h Ibn Hajar’, Muslim and in Sharh e Muslim al-Naoowi[3] quoted that although the holy Prophet (pbuh) didn’t eat the morsel of poisoned lamb but the dangerous poison had been mixed with the Prophet’s (sa) spit and it caused him to be martyred. [4]
In his book Tarikh Yaqoubi, the great Islamic historian only narrated that the Prophet (sa) was poisoned, but he didn’t mentioned anything about His martyrdom.[5]
In his book Jala al-Oyoun Allamah Majlesi (ra) narrated a Hadith of Imam Sadiq (as) from Saffar that the Prophet (sa) was martyred. [6]
In his precious book the Late Koleini (ra) also narrated a hadith of Imam Baqir (as) in which mentioned about the main conspiracy.[7]
Allamah Hilli (ra) said: we don’t know exactly who poisoned the Holy Prophet (pbuh). The only thing we can come to the conclusion is that He wasn’t naturally passed away as he was martyred by poison.[8]
Also, in his book Tahzib al-Ahkam Sheikh Tusi (ra) said: Muhammad bin Abd Allah (pbuh) has passed away on the 28th day of Safar Month (on Monday) while He was poisoned.[9]
Conclusion: In both Shia and Sunni sources there have been mentioned many authentic traditions by which we can come to this conclusion that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was martyred by poison.
According to some books of Shia like al-Kafi, Basa’ir al-Darajat and Bihar al-Anwar and Sunni sources like Sahih Bukhari, Sunan ibn Daremi, Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal and Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, the Prophet (pbuh) hasn’t died of natural cause. According to them, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was poisoned by a Jewish woman after the battle of Khaybar.[10]
[1] . Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, Vol. 13, Pg. 13; Kuleini, Muhammad bin Yaqoub, Kafi, Vol. 8, Pg. 193, H. 229.
[2] . Muhammad bin Umar Waqedi, Maghazi, translated by Dr. Mahdavi Damghani, Nashr e Daneshgahim Vol. 2, Pgs. 517-519; Ibn Hesham, al-Sirat al0Nabawiyyah, Beirut, Dar al-Qalam, Vol. 3, Pg. 352; Muhammad bin Jarir Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Dar al-Kutub al-Elmiyyah, Vol. 2, Pg. 138; Ibn Athir, al-Kamel fee al-Tarikh, Dar al-Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Vol. 1, Pgs. 598. 599.
[3] . Al-Kamel fee al-Tarikh, Vol. 1, Pg. 598.
[4] . Sobhani, Jaafar, Forough Abadiyyat, Qom, Daftar Tablighat Islami, Vol. 2, Pg. 664.
[5] . Tarikh Yaqoubi, translated by Muhammad Ebrahim Ayati, Elmi Farhangi publication, Vol. 1, Pg. 416.
[6] . Majlesi, Muhammad Baqir, Jalaul Oyoun, Pgs. 82-83.
[7] . Kuleini, Muhammad bin Yaqoub, Kafi, Vol. 6, Pg. 315, H. 3, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah, Tehran.
[8] . Muntahal A’amal, Allamah Hilli, Vol. 2, Pg. 887.
[9] . Tahzib al-Ahkam, al-Sheikh al-Tusi, Vol. 6, Pg. 2.
[10] . Kuleini, Muhammad bin Yaqoub, Kafi, Vol. 6, Pg. 315, H. 3, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah, Tehran; Muhammad bin Hasan Saffar, basa’ir al–darajat, Vol. 1, Pg. 503, Ayatollah Marashi’s Library, Qom, 1404 A.H; Majlesi, Muhammad Baqir, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 27, Pg. 216, H’ Ibid, Vol. 44, Pg. 271, H. 4, Al-Wafa Institution, Beirut, 1404 A.H; Ibid, Vol. 27, Pg. 209, H. 7; Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 5, Pg. 137, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1401 A.H; Sunan Daremi, Vol. 1, Pg. 33, al-Etedal Publisher, Damascus; Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 6, Pg. 18, Dar Sader, Beirut; Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 21, Pg. 7; Muhammad bin Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 2, Pgs. 201-202, Dar Sader, Beirut; Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, Vol. 10, Pg. 266, Ayatollah Marashi’s Library, Qom, 1404 A.H; Ibid, Vol. 13, Pg. 13; Kuleini, Muhammad bin Yaqoub, Kafi, Vol. 8, Pg. 193, H. 229.
The answer probably contains some passage from another history book by a Western author(?) verbatim. This is fine but the article missed mentioning that there is a considerable gap between Khyber and the Wisal. Which poison is so slow that it takes years to kill someone? It also slips away from the fact that Bukhari mentioned that Ayesha also fed something to the Prophet on his death bed despite him forbidding her from doing so. I think this article needs revisions.
Salaamun Alaikum. Actually, the answer has been made ready with reliance on trustworthy sources from the view point of Authentic Shia and Sunni sources, however I referred to the hadith you are talking about, but the current answer is Sahih. Thank you.