10. How and when did Muhammad
(the Muslim prophet) die?

Prophet Muhammad died in 632 A.D under natural circumstances. According to the Quran, a prophet is normal human being who receives wahy, or revelation from God. There is nothing mysterious about prophethood. The Prophet’s last words before he died were:

O God, the noblest companion! (Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith no. 4463)

When the Prophet Muhammad passed away, some of his companions could not reconcile with the fact that he was no more. The senior companion Umar ibn al-Khattab was ready to kill anyone who would state that the Prophet had died. At the time of Prophet’s demise, Abu Bakr (one of the Prophet’s closest companions) was not in Madinah. Upon his return, when he saw the reaction of some of the companions, he said the following to counsel them to overcome the emotional turmoil:

For those of you who worshipped Muhammad, know that he was a man and is dead and for those of you who worshipped God, know that He is alive and eternal. (Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith no. 1241, 1242)

Afterwards, the companions realized that they were denying the reality and accepted the fact of the death of the Prophet, and that he was not going to return. The same message has been alluded to in the following verse of the Quran:

Muhammad is only a messenger. Messengers have passed away before him. If he should die, or be killed, will you turn back on your heels? Those who turn on their heels do not harm the Lord in the least. God will reward the grateful. (Quran 3:144)

Death is not a negative event in the life of a believer; it is a part of the creation plan of God. If one consciously realizes that death means meeting God, he would become positive in thought and character and will prepare himself for it.