64/83. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4442 — Final Illness and Public Advice
The sickness of the Prophet (saws) and his death
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ مَيِّتُونَ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ}.
Hadith About the Prophet’s Final Illness and Advice
Sahih Bukhari : 4442
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4442
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ لَمَّا ثَقُلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَاشْتَدَّ بِهِ وَجَعُهُ اسْتَأْذَنَ أَزْوَاجَهُ أَنْ يُمَرَّضَ فِي بَيْتِي، فَأَذِنَّ لَهُ، فَخَرَجَ وَهْوَ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ تَخُطُّ رِجْلاَهُ فِي الأَرْضِ، بَيْنَ عَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَبَيْنَ رَجُلٍ آخَرَ. قَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ فَأَخْبَرْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بِالَّذِي قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ، فَقَالَ لِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ هَلْ تَدْرِي مَنِ الرَّجُلُ الآخَرُ الَّذِي لَمْ تُسَمِّ عَائِشَةُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ هُوَ عَلِيٌّ. وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ زَوْجُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمَّا دَخَلَ بَيْتِي وَاشْتَدَّ بِهِ وَجَعُهُ قَالَ " هَرِيقُوا عَلَىَّ مِنْ سَبْعِ قِرَبٍ لَمْ تُحْلَلْ أَوْكِيَتُهُنَّ لَعَلِّي أَعْهَدُ إِلَى النَّاسِ ". فَأَجْلَسْنَاهُ فِي مِخْضَبٍ لِحَفْصَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، ثُمَّ طَفِقْنَا نَصُبُّ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْقِرَبِ، حَتَّى طَفِقَ يُشِيرُ إِلَيْنَا بِيَدِهِ أَنْ قَدْ فَعَلْتُنَّ قَالَتْ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى النَّاسِ فَصَلَّى لَهُمْ وَخَطَبَهُمْ.
A'isha Narrated from:
When the ailment of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became aggravated, he requested his wives to permit him to be (treated) nursed in my house, and they gave him permission. He came out (to my house), walking between two men with his feet dragging on the ground, between `Abbas bin `Abdul--Muttalib and another man" 'Ubaidullah said, "I told `Abdullah of what `Aisha had said, `Abdullah bin `Abbas said to me, 'Do you know who is the other man whom `Aisha did not name?' I said, 'No.' Ibn `Abbas said, 'It was `Ali bin Abu Talib."`Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to narrate saying, "When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered my house and his disease became aggravated, he said, " Pour on me the water of seven water skins, the mouths of which have not been untied, so that I may give advice to the people.' So we let him sit in a big basin belonging to Hafsa, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) and then started to pour water on him from these water skins till he started pointing to us with his hands intending to say, 'You have done your job." `Aisha added, "Then he went out to the people and led them in prayer and preached to them."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4442In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 463USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 727
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4442
This hadith about the Prophet’s final illness shows his concern for the community even while his pain was severe. Aisha says he asked permission from his wives to be nursed in her house, and they allowed it. He was so weak that he walked between two men with his feet dragging. When his illness became harder, he asked that water be poured over him from seven water skins so he could give advice to the people. After this, he went out, led the people in prayer, and preached to them. The narration is often found by people searching for Prophet illness hadith, final sermon during illness, or Abu Bakr leading prayer context, and it shows care, permission, and public guidance.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sought permission before being nursed in Aisha’s house.
- His weakness is described clearly, without hiding the pain of illness.
- He wanted to advise the people even while very ill.
- He still led prayer and addressed the people after gaining enough strength.
