Among those men was Anas ibn al-Naḍr and others whose names will be mentioned later. In order to console the believers—assuming, for argument’s sake, that the report of the Prophet’s death were true—Allah, Exalted is He, revealed:
“Muhammad is only a messenger; messengers passed away before him. If he were to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his heels will never harm Allah in the least, and Allah will reward the grateful.
No soul can die except by Allah’s permission, at a time decreed. Whoever desires the reward of this world—We shall give him some of it; and whoever desires the reward of the Hereafter—We shall give him some of it. We shall reward the grateful.
How many a prophet fought, and with him fought many god-devoted men. They did not lose heart for all that befell them in the path of Allah, nor did they weaken, nor did they abase themselves. Allah loves the steadfast.
Their only words were: ‘Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses in our affairs, make our feet firm, and grant us victory over the disbelieving people.’
So Allah gave them the reward of this world and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. Allah loves the doers of good.
O you who believe! If you obey those who disbelieve they will turn you back on your heels and you will become losers.
Rather, Allah is your Protector, and He is the best of helpers.
We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they associate with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority. Their refuge is the Fire, and wretched is the abode of the wrongdoers.” (Qur’an 3:144–151)
We have treated these verses in full in our book of Qur’anic exegesis, and all praise belongs to Allah.
Abu Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, may Allah be pleased with him, delivered his first sermon after the passing of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said:
“O people! Whoever used to worship Muhammad, Muhammad is dead; but whoever worships Allah, Allah is Ever-Living and never dies.”
He then recited: “Muhammad is only a messenger; messengers passed away before him….” It was as though the people had never heard the verse before; every single person began to recite it.
Al-Bayhaqī relates in Dalāʾil al-Nubuwwah, through the chain of Ibn Najīḥ from his father, who said: A man from the Emigrants passed on the day of Uḥud by a man from the Helpers who was bathed in his own blood and said, “So-and-so, have you heard that Muhammad has been killed?” The Anṣārī replied, “If Muhammad ﷺ has indeed been killed, he has conveyed the message. Fight on for your religion.” Then Allah revealed: “Muhammad is only a messenger….” It is likely that this Anṣārī was Anas ibn al-Naḍr, may Allah be pleased with him, the uncle of Anas ibn Mālik.
Imām Aḥmad reports: Yazīd narrated to us; Ḥumayd narrated from Anas that his uncle had been absent from the fighting at Badr and said, “I missed the first battle in which the Prophet ﷺ fought the idolaters. If Allah allows me to witness a battle against them, He will see what I will do.” When the day of Uḥud came and the Muslims retreated, he declared, “O Allah, I seek Your pardon for what these—meaning his companions—have done, and I disavow what these—meaning the idolaters—have brought.” He advanced and met Saʿd ibn Muʿādh beneath Mount Uḥud. Saʿd said, “I am with you,” but later admitted, “I was unable to do what he did.” Anas’s body was found bearing more than eighty wounds—sword blows, spear thrusts, and arrow shots. Anas (ibn Mālik) said, “We used to say that the verse, ‘Among them are those who have fulfilled their vow and among them are those who are still waiting’ (Qur’an 33:23), was revealed about him and his companions.”