Condition during the prophet's death?

Question

When I first read this sahih hadith, I was perplexed under what type of condition the prophet died:

Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 144 : Narrated by 'Aisha

That during his fatal ailment, Allah's Apostle, used to ask his wives, "Where shall I stay tomorrow? Where shall I stay tomorrow?" He was looking forward to Aisha's turn. So all his wives allowed him to stay where he wished, and he stayed at 'Aisha's house till he died there. 'Aisha added: He died on the day of my usual turn at my house. Allah took him unto Him while his head was between my chest and my neck and his saliva was mixed with my saliva.

• Some people interpret the above hadith as the prophet peace be upon him was making love to Aisha (RA) at the time of his death. Is that the correct interpretation of the hadith?
• Was he alone at the time of his death?

Answer 1

This question could have been put more politely and you could have asked about circumstances of death of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) instead of making offensive, far-fetched judgements. I really wish the question is edited.

Coming to the question, if you had been sincere, you would have found the other version of the hadeeth narrating the complete incident.

Narrated Aisha:

'Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr entered upon the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) while I was supporting the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) on my chest. 'AbdurRahman had a fresh Siwak then and he was cleaning his teeth with it. Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) looked at it, so I took the Siwak, cut it (chewed it with my teeth), shook it and made it soft (with water), and then gave it to the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) who cleaned his teeth with it. I had never seen Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) cleaning his teeth in a better way. After finishing the brushing of his teeth, he lifted his hand or his finger and said thrice, "O Allah! Let me be with the highest companions," and then died. `Aisha used to say, "He died while his head was resting between my chest and chin."

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، عَنْ صَخْرِ بْنِ جُوَيْرِيَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، دَخَلَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَنَا مُسْنِدَتُهُ إِلَى صَدْرِي، وَمَعَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ سِوَاكٌ رَطْبٌ يَسْتَنُّ بِهِ، فَأَبَدَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَصَرَهُ، فَأَخَذْتُ السِّوَاكَ فَقَصَمْتُهُ وَنَفَضْتُهُ وَطَيَّبْتُهُ، ثُمَّ دَفَعْتُهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَنَّ بِهِ، فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَنَّ اسْتِنَانًا قَطُّ أَحْسَنَ مِنْهُ، فَمَا عَدَا أَنْ فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَفَعَ يَدَهُ أَوْ إِصْبَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ "‏ فِي الرَّفِيقِ الأَعْلَى ‏"‏‏.‏ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ قَضَى، وَكَانَتْ تَقُولُ مَاتَ بَيْنَ حَاقِنَتِي وَذَاقِنَتِي‏.‏

Please the read the complete hadeeth above, especially the bolded part. If you have ever used a siwak you would know that a new one is a bit stiff because of its bark and it needs to be stripped. So before you use it, you strip it by chewing it and moistening it by your saliva or water.

Now, Aa'ishah al-Siddiqah (May Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chewed it with her mouth so that he could use it. Then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used it. That is what is meant by mixing of the saliva. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) loved to use the siwak.

And yes, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) died near Aa'ishah al-Siddiqah (May Allah be pleased with her) because she was the most beloved person to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Please read more about the death of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) here and you can read about siwak here.

Answer 2

The book from which the excerpt below is extracted is seemingly the oldest [history] book of Shia written during about 60 years since about 4 years after the holy prophet --peace be upon him and his household-- passed away, narrating the Ahadeeth and events mostly directly from the companions of the holy prophet and his household, peace be upon them:

Source: كتاب سليم بن قيس الهلالي، ج‏2، ص: 832

أَبَانٌ عَنْ سُلَيْمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيّاً ع يَقُولُ عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَوْمَ تُوُفِّيَ وَ قَدْ أَسْنَدْتُهُ إِلَى صَدْرِي وَ [إِنَ‏] رَأْسَهُ عِنْدَ أُذُنِي وَقَدْ أَصْغَتِ الْمَرْأَتَانِ لِتَسْمَعَا الْكَلَامَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص اللَّهُمَّ سُدَّ مَسَامِعَهُمَا ثُمَّ قَالَ [لِي‏] يَا عَلِيُّ أَ رَأَيْتَ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى- إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ أُولئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ أَ تَدْرِي مَنْ هُمْ [قَالَ‏] قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ فَإِنَّهُمْ شِيعَتُكَ وَ أَنْصَارُكَ وَ مَوْعِدِي وَ مَوْعِدُهُمُ الْحَوْضُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِذَا جَثَتِ الْأُمَمُ عَلَى رُكَبِهَا وَ بَدَا لِلَّهِ [تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى‏] فِي عَرْضِ خَلْقِهِ وَ دَعَا النَّاسَ إِلَى مَا لَا بُدَّ لَهُمْ مِنْهُ فَيَدْعُوكَ وَ شِيعَتَكَ فَتَجِيئُونَ غُرّاً مُحَجَّلِينَ شِبَاعاً مَرْوِيِّين‏

Aban narrated from Suleym from Imam Ali --peace be upon him-- that he said: The apostle of Allah --peace be upon him and his household-- covenanted with me the day he passed away while I had given him support on my chest and his head was close to my ear, and the two woman [Aisha and Hafsah] were listening to hear the speech so prayed the apostle of Allah --peace be upon him and his household-- that "O Allah seal their hearing", then he said [to me] "O Ali what do you think about the saying of Allah that Those who have faith and do righteous deeds they are the best of creatures do you know who are they?" I answered: "Allah and His apostle know better". He said: "Verily they are your followers (Shia) and helpers, and the time appointed between me and them will be at the pond at the Day when different groups of people sit on their knees and Allah blessed and exalted begin to bring them forward and invite the people to what is inevitable for them, so He will then call for you and your followers (Shia) and you will come with shining foreheads while being vivacious and satiated from hunger and thirst"

Also as mentioned in this answer, the same Hadeeth has been also narrated by Sayyed Mahmoud Alousy (the famous 13th Hijri century Sunni scholar) in his book that the holy prophet --peace be upon him-- told imam Ali --peace be upon him-- that the best of creatures are you and your followers (shia), and our rendezvous will be at the pond ...! And the prophet --peace be upon him and his household-- told this at his death while his head was on the chest of imam Ali --peace be upon him:

فقد أخرج ابن مردويه عن علي كرم اللّه تعالى وجهه قال: قال لي رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه و سلم: «ألم تسمع قول اللّه تعالى إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ أُولئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ؟ هم أنت و شيعتك و موعدي و موعدكم الحوض إذا جثت الأمم للحساب يدعون غرا محجلين» و روى نحوه الإمامية عن يزيد بن شراحيل الأنصاري كاتب الأمير كرم اللّه تعالى وجهه. و فيه أنه عليه الصلاة و السلام قال ذلك له عند الوفاة و رأسه الشريف على صدره رضي اللّه تعالى عنه. و

سید محمد آلوسى (قرن ۱۳)، روح المعاني في تفسير القرآن العظيم، ج15، ص: 432

And the holy prophet --peace be upon him and his family-- passed away while his head was on the chest of Imam Ali --peace be upon him:

When the Prophet - the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants - died his head was on my chest, and his (last) breath blew over my palms and I passed it over my face. I performed his (funeral) ablution, may Allah bless him and his descendants, and the angels helped me. The house and the courtyard were full of them. One party of them was descending and the other was ascending. My ears continually caught their humming voice, as they invoked Allah's blessing on him, till we buried him in his grave. [Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 197]

So that Shia believes the conditions during the prophet passing away was totally different than what you have remarked in your question.

Answer 3

Please know that Umm-ul-Momineen Aisha was never shy to reveal the intimate details of her marital life because it has helped Muslim women throughout this ummah's 1400+ years of existence. So even hypothetically considering that this were true, there was no reason for her to not reveal it.

Another thing, sex is not considered a bad thing in Islam, so if a man even of the stature of the Messenger(SAWS) was with his wife, I don't understand what is so perplexing about this.

Third, you have not mentioned who these "some non believers" are, and if you can, can you also furnish some references?

Fourth, even if you do mention the "references," are they reliable, considering that the West has spared no effort in defaming the Messenger of Allah (SAWS)?

Finally, we have various accounts of the Messenger's (SAWS) death from sources who are far more reliable than these supposed people you have mentioned.