It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite the following words when performing ruqyah (spiritual healing) for the sick: "Remove the illness, Lord of the people! Grant healing, for You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves behind no sickness." (O Lord of the people! Remove the disease, grant healing, You are the only Healer, there is no healing except Your healing, grant such a healing that eliminates all illness.)

When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became seriously ill during his final illness, I would take his hand and pass it over his blessed body and recite these words. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) withdrew his hand from mine and said: "O my Lord! Forgive me and join me with the Highest Companion." Imam Ahmad's teacher, Abu Muawiyah, said that Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that these were the last words she heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Another teacher of Imam Ahmad, Ibn Ja'far, said that when the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visited a sick person, he would pass his hand over the patient's body and recite this supplication: "Remove..."

It is narrated from Ibn Abi Mulaika that Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away in my house and on the day of my turn, while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was between my chest and neck. At that time, my brother, Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came, and he had a fresh miswak with him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked towards that miswak, and I understood that he (peace and blessings be upon him) needed the miswak. I took the miswak from him, chewed it, cleaned it, and gave it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) used the miswak in such a beautiful manner that I had never seen him (peace and blessings be upon him) use the miswak so beautifully before. Then, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) tried to hand it back to me, it fell from his hand. I picked it up and began to recite the supplication to Allah Almighty that Jibreel (peace be upon him) used to make for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself used to recite whenever he was ill. But in this illness, he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not recite that supplication. He (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his gaze towards the sky and said: "The Highest Companion, the Highest Companion." And with that, his (peace and blessings be upon him) soul departed. All praise is due to Allah, Who united my saliva with the saliva of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on his last day.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the signs of death appeared on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyidah Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) involuntarily exclaimed: "Oh, the calamity!" So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Daughter! The time has now come upon your father that Allah Almighty will not exempt anyone from it until the Day of Judgment."

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was healthy, he used to say that every prophet is shown his place in Paradise before his death. Then he is given the choice between this world and the Hereafter. When the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became ill and the time of his passing approached, at that time his blessed head was on the thigh of Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). He (peace and blessings be upon him) fell unconscious, and when he regained consciousness, he looked towards the ceiling of the room and said: O Allah! I wish to join the Highest Companion. I understood that this was the fulfillment of what he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to tell us during his days of health.

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she says: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say that whenever a prophet falls ill, he is given the choice between this world and the Hereafter. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was afflicted with his final illness, he coughed, then I heard him say: {مَعَ الَّذِینَ أَنْعَمَ اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِمْ مِنَ النَّبِیِّینَ وَالصِّدِّیقِینَ وَالشُّہَدَاء ِ وَالصَّالِحِینَ۔} "With those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous." Upon hearing this, I realized that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had been given the choice between this world and the Hereafter (and he chose the Hereafter).

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say (during his blessed life) that the soul of every prophet is seized for a short while, and after showing him his reward, his soul is returned to him, and he is given the choice to select between this world and the Hereafter, whichever he wishes. I remembered this statement that I had heard from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). During his final illness, I was holding the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to my chest when his neck drooped. I looked at him and thought that he had passed away. I remembered what he had said. I looked at him, and his condition improved. I realized that now he (peace and blessings be upon him) would not choose us. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: {مَعَ الَّذِینَ أَنْعَمَ اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِمْ مِنَ النَّبِیِّینَ وَالصِّدِّیقِینَ وَالشُّہَدَاء ِ وَالصَّالِحِینَ۔} "With those prophets, truthful ones, martyrs, and righteous, upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor." Until the end of the verse.

(Second Chain) It is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that I used to hear from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that every prophet is given the choice before death to select either this world or the Hereafter. During his final illness, once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) coughed and I heard him reciting this verse: {مَعَ الَّذِینَ أَنْعَمَ اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِمْ مِنَ النَّبِیِّینَ وَالصِّدِّیقِینَ وَالشُّہَدَائِ وَالصَّالِحِینَ وَحَسُنَ أُولٰئِکَ رَفِیقًا} … With those prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor—how excellent these companions are! So I realized that he had been given the choice between this world and the Hereafter.

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), a bowl of water was placed near him, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would put his hand in the bowl, wet it, and wipe it over his blessed face, and kept supplicating: "Allahumma a'inni 'ala sakaratil mawt" (O Allah! Help me in the agonies of death.)

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while he was between my chest and neck. Since I witnessed the severity of the agony of death upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), therefore I do not dislike the severity of death for anyone now.

It is narrated from Rabah, he says: I asked Muammar: Did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, pass away while he was sitting? He said: Yes.