Chapter: The Prophet’s Age and the Points of Divergence Concerning It

Rabiʿah narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was commissioned as a prophet at the age of forty. He remained in Mecca for ten years and in Medina for ten years, and he passed away at the age of sixty. Al-Bukhari and Muslim transmit this report.

ʿUthmān ibn Zāʾidah narrated from al-Zubayr ibn ʿAddī, from Anas, who said: “The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, died when he was sixty-three years old; Abu Bakr died when he was sixty-three, and ʿUmar died when he was sixty-three.” Muslim records this report.

His wording in the first narration—“at the age of sixty”—is a case of rounding off minor fractions, not strict precision, and similar usage is common in the speech of the Arabs.

ʿUqayl narrated from Ibn Shihāb, from ʿUrwah, from ʿĀʾishah that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away at the age of sixty-three. Ibn Shihāb added, “Ibn al-Musayyib also informed me of this.” Agreed upon.

Zakariyyā ibn Isḥāq narrated from ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: “The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away at the age of sixty-three.” Agreed upon. Muslim likewise reports it through Abū Jamrah from Ibn ʿAbbās.