Beginning of the Prophet's Final Illness

In late Safar of the 11th year, after dispatching Usamah ibn Zayd's army toward Syria, the Prophet began to feel ill. He had returned from visiting the graves at Baqi' cemetery late at night and woke with a severe headache and fever. He initially continued leading prayers and visiting his wives' apartments in rotation, but the fever intensified. He asked his wives' permission to be nursed in Aisha's apartment, and they agreed. The Prophet said: 'Pour seven water-skins of water from different wells over me so that I may go out and instruct the people.' They did so, and he went out briefly, but the illness continued to worsen. Aisha described the heat of his fever as burning her hand when she touched his forehead. He said: 'The most severely tested people are the prophets, then those most like them.' The illness lasted approximately thirteen or fourteen days.