given to any other prophet, namely, the pond of nectar, the lauded place, the intercession on the day of the resurrection; and then He will also give thee so many of thy people that thou shalt be content and pleased." His Excellency replied, "Lo, now I am pleased and rejoiced, and my eyes are full of light." Then he turned to the angel of death and said, "Come now and perform the service with which thou art commissioned."

'Aisha related: "When his spirit quitted the body, there was observed such a sweet fragrance as had never before been perceived by any of the Meccan travellers." Ali is reported to have said: I heard a voice from heaven saying, "O Mohammed!" It is also narrated that when the awful event had happened, the males and females of the Prophet's household heard a voice from the corner of the house, saying, "Peace be with you, ye inmates of the house, and the mercy and blessing of God! Know and understand that with God there is a comfort for every affliction, and a successor for every one dead: therefore trust in the highest Lord and turn to Him, but do not wail and lament; for in truth, the unfortunate person is he who has not yet been rewarded by the Almighty." On Ali, the well-beloved, asking them, "Do you know at all whose the voice is that you have just heard?" the companions answered ""No." Then Ali continued, "It is the voice of a messenger from the unseen world who has come to comfort us."' (R.)

k. They were expected not to succumb to the power of death or remain in its grasp.

aa. 'We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up?" (John xii. 34.)
'Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said

unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can' (Matt. xxvii. 62-65).
'Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day' (Luke xxiv. 44-46)

bb. Ibn Ishak states on the authority of Zuhri and Said that Abu Horeira narrated as follows: 'When Mohammed had died, Omar rose up and said, "Some hypocrites affirm that Mohammed has died: but, by God, Mohammed has not died, but has gone to his Lord like Moses, Amram's son, who remained away from his people for forty days and then returned, after he had already been announced dead. By Allah, the Apostle of God will also come back again like Moses, and cut off the hands and feet of those who pronounced him dead." Then Abu Bekr, on having received tidings, came to the door of the mosque, whilst Omar was speaking to the people. He looked at no one, but went straight into Aisha's room, where Mohammed lay in a corner, covered with a striped cloak. He approached him, uncovered his face, kissed it, and said, "Thou art dearer to me than father and mother: thou hast now tasted death, as God decreed; but after this death, thou wilt be immortal." Then he again covered his face with the cloak, went out, and said to Omar, who was still speaking, "Gently, Omar, listen to me! "Omar refused, and continued speaking. Abu Bekr seeing this, turned himself to the people, and they, as soon as they heard his voice, left Omar, and listened to him. Abu Bekr, after praising God, said, "O ye people, whoever adored Mohammed, let him know that he is dead: but whoever adores God, knows that He still lives and will never die." Then he read out this verse, "Mohammed is only an apostle, other apostles have passed away before him: will ye turn on your heels, when he dies or is slain?" And, by Allah, it was as if the people had known nothing of the revelation of this verse, till Abu Bekr read it out on that day. The people then accepted it of Abu Bekr, and still quote it.' Abu Horeira also stated that Omar said, 'By Allah, as soon as I heard Abu Bekr read out this verse, I was quite overcome, so that my legs would no longer carry me, and I fell down: then I knew that the Apostle of God had died.' (I. I.)