Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 436
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 436 Meanwhile a strange scene was being enacted there. Shortly after the Holy Prophet had expired, Umar entered the apartment of Aisha and, lifting up the sheet, which covered the body, gazed wistfully at the features of his beloved master. All was so placid, so natural, so unlike death, that Umar could not believe the mournful truth. Starting up, he exclaimed wildly, ‘The Prophet is not dead; he hath but swooned away. ’ Mughira, standing by, vainly sought to convince him that he was mistaken. As, quitting the c hamber of death, they entered the courtyard of the Mosque, Umar cried, ‘The Apostle of God is not dead. ’ The crowd, attracted by the loud and passionate tone of Umar, flocked around him, and he went on haranguing them in similar strain: ‘The hypocrites wou ld persuade you that Muhammad is dead. Nay, but he hath gone to His Lord, even as Moses who remained absent for forty days, and then returned, after his followers had said he was dead. So, by the Lord, the Prophet shall return, and confound those that say that he is dead. ’ Umar found a willing audience. It was but a little while before that the Holy Prophet had been amongst them, had joined with them in Prayer on that very spot, and had gladdened their hearts by hope of speedy convalescence. The echo of his voice was hardly yet silent in the courts of the Mosque. The events of the day had produced such effect upon the people that, carried away by Umar’s fervour, they gladly persuaded themselves that he might be in the right. Just then appeared Abu Bakr. Passing through the Mosque he listened for a moment to the frenzied words of Umar and, without pausing further, walked onwards to the door of Aisha’s chamber. Drawing the curtain softly aside he asked leave to enter.