Between his death and his burial

Important matters befell after his death and before his burial. Oumar ibn al-Khattab rose and said: "By Allah, the Messenger of Allah is not dead: he has gone to his Lord as Moussa ibn Imran went forty years, then returned after being told dead!" And he said: "By Allah, whoever worships Mohamed, Mohamed has died; and whoever worships Allah, Allah is alive and does not die!" And he recited: you are mortal, and they are mortal (az-Zoumar, 30).

Abou Bakr uncovered his face, came, kissed the Messenger of Allah between his eyes, then said: "You are sweet, alive and dead!" Then he said: "Whoever worshipped Mohamed, Mohamed has died; and whoever worships Allah, Allah is alive and does not die!" And he recited the verse: Mohamed is only a messenger: messengers have passed before him; if he dies or is slain, will you turn on your heels? He who turns on his heels harms Allah not at all, and Allah will reward the thankful (Al Imran, 144).

And the people were as if they had not known that verse until Abou Bakr recited it: the people took it from his mouth and recited it; and that day whoever heard it from Abou Bakr recited it.

The caliphate was settled at the Saqifa of the Banu Sa’ida: the Ansar proposed a commander from among them and a commander from among you; then Abou Bakr delivered his famous address on the unity of the Arabs and the excellence of Quraysh, and allegiance was pledged to him. Oumar later said: the pledge of allegiance to Abou Bakr was an oversight and a breach which Allah warded off its evil: whoever would imitate that oversight in his affairs shows himself disobedient. As for the people, they agreed that day on Abou Bakr, none having preference or aversion to granting him command. Then the affair of the Muslims among the Ansar and the emigrants was settled: Oumar said to Abou Bakr: go out to the people, that they may know you. The emigrants and Ansar pledged him allegiance, after which they assembled and agreed upon him without anyone dissenting. The Prophet was washed by his male kindred and by Ali ibn Abi Talib, al-’Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, al-Fadl and Qoutham, sons of al-’Abbas, and Usama ibn Zayd.

The prayer over him was made without an imam, each group praying separately: the people entered in groups, prayed, then went out: no man, woman or child remained but prayed over him. Imam Ahmad relates that Ali said: the Messenger of Allah had forbidden that his washed body be renewed after his death; and he was washed in the garment in which he gave up his soul. His shroud was three white garments of the Yemen, without shirt or turban. He was buried in the chamber of Aïcha, where Allah took him, in the night of Tuesday or Wednesday, after midnight, and was buried where he gave up his soul. His grave was dug by al-’Abbas and Ali ibn Abi Talib, according to the hadith: it was made in the middle of the grave like the graves of the prophets; and it is also said he was buried at mid-leg. And that is the shrine where his blessed tomb lies today in the chamber of Aïcha, within the Mosque of the Prophet, peace and blessings upon him.