Prophetic Prophecy regarding

Mohammad bin Abi Bakr and the case of his martyrdom

In those days when the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was in Medina, and Abu Bakr was sent for one of the expeditions, Asmaa the daughter of Omais saw a dream that Abu Bakr has applied Henna on the hairs of his head and beard and has worn a white dress on his body. She went to Ayesha and told her dream to her.

Ayesha said: “If your dream is true, Abu Bakr has been killed. His dye is his blood and the dress he wore is his kafan”; then she began to weep.

While Ayesha was weeping, the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) arrived and asked: “What has made her cry”?

They said: “O Messenger of Allah! No one made her cry, she is crying because of the dream which Asmaa saw regarding Abu Bakr. When they narrated that dream before the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), he said: “It is not as Ayesha has interpreted, but Abu Bakr will return safely and meet Asmaa and she will conceive a child who will be name Mohammad, and the Almighty will make him a source of enraging the infidels and the hypocrites. [1]

This incident has been narrated with a slight difference in the book ‘Al Gharaat’:

Abu Ishaq says: When Asmaa binte Omais, mother of Mohammad bin Abi Bakr, was given the news of her son’s martyrdom and that which happened with him, she did not exhibit her sorrow, but kept mourning in her heart. When she went towards her mosque, blood started to flow from her chest.

Abu Ismael, Kathir un-Nawa, says: “Abu Bakr had gone out of Medina to participate in one of the battles. Asmaa binte Omais, his wife, dreamt that Abu Bakr has dyed his head and face with Henna, and has worn a white dress. She went to Ayesha and told her dream before her.

Ayesha said: “If your dream is true, Abu Bakr has been killed. The dye is a sign of blood and his white dress is a sign of his kafan.” Then Ayesha came weeping near the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.). He asked:  “Ayesha! Why are you crying?” They narrated the incident of Asmaa’s dream. The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Ayesha has misinterpreted the dream. Abu Bakr will safely return and meet Asmaa. Then Asmaa will deliver a child whose name will be kept Mohammad. The Almighty will make him a source of anger and fury for the infidels and hypocrites.”

And this man is Mohammad bin Abi Bakr who attained martyrdom that day.[2]

As the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had informed, Muhammad bin Abi Bakr was one of the loyal companions of Imam Ali (a.s.) during the time of his caliphate, and he became a thorn in the eye for the enemies of his holiness. He fought in the army of Imam Ali (a.s.) in the battles of Jamal and Siffeen and served Imam (a.s.) till the last day of his life.

At last, Mohammad bin Abi Bakr, who was appointed as the governor of Egypt by Imam Ali (a.s.), was killed by the hands of Mu’awiyah bin Hudaij, who was appointed by Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufiyan and Amr e Aas for imprisoning Mohammad bin Abi Bakr.

Mu’awiyah bin Hudaij was a wicked and merciless man. After arresting Mohammad bin Abi Bakr in Egypt, he cut his head off and placed his body inside the corpse of a dead donkey and burnt it. When this news reached Ayesha, Mohammad bin Abi Bakr’s sister, she became extremely sorrowful for him and after all her prayers, used to curse upon Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufiyan, Amr bin Aas and Mu’awiyah bin Hudaij.

When the news of Mohammad bin Abi Bakr’s assassination reached Imam Ali (a.s.) in Kufa, he became extremely saddened and said these lines:

“Indeed, Egypt has been made open by the destructors and those who like oppression and brutality, who distance people from the path of Allah and drive Islam towards perversity. Beware that Mohammad bin Abi Bakr was martyred. May God shower His mercy upon him. We will consider him to be present before the Almighty.”

Madaini says: It was said to Ali (a.s.): “O Amir al-Momineen! You should extreme impatience on the death of Mohammad bin Abi Bakr”.

He said: What would stop me from it. I had brought him up and had nurtured him myself. He was like a brother to my sons, I was like his father and he was like my son”. [3]