5. Funerals

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَن تجصص الْقُبُور وَأَن يكْتب لعيها وَأَن تُوطأ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Jabir said God’s messenger forbade that graves should be plastered with gypsum, have any writing on them, or be trodden on. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَن جَابر قَالَ: رُشَّ قَبْرُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَكَانَ الَّذِي رَشَّ الْمَاءَ عَلَى قَبْرِهِ بِلَالُ بْنُ رَبَاحٍ بِقِرْبَةٍ بَدَأَ مِنْ قِبَلِ رَأْسِهِ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى رِجْلَيْهِ. رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ. فِي دَلَائِل النُّبُوَّة

He said that the Prophet’s grave was sprinkled and that the one who sprinkled the water over his grave from a water-skin was Bilal b. Rabah. He began where the head was and sprinkled it to his feet. Baihaqi transmitted it in Dalail an-nubuwa.

وَعَنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ أَبِي وَدَاعَةَ قَالَ: لَمَّا مَاتَ عُثْمَان ابْن مَظْعُونٍ أُخْرِجَ بِجَنَازَتِهِ فَدُفِنَ أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَجُلًا أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ بِحَجَرٍ فَلم يسْتَطع حملهَا فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَحَسَرَ عَنْ ذِرَاعَيْهِ. قَالَ الْمُطَّلِبُ: قَالَ الَّذِي يُخْبِرُنِي عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَيَاضِ ذِرَاعَيْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ حَسَرَ عَنْهُمَا ثُمَّ حَمَلَهَا فَوَضَعَهَا عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ وَقَالَ: «أُعَلِّمُ بِهَا قَبْرَ أَخِي وَأَدْفِنُ إِلَيْهِ مَنْ مَاتَ من أَهلِي» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Al-Muttalib b. Abu Wada'a said that when ‘Uthman b. Maz'un died, was brought out on his bier and buried, the Prophet ordered a man to bring him a stone, but he was unable to carry it; so God’s messenger got up and, going over to it, rolled up his sleeves. Al-Muttalib remarked that the one who told him about God’s messenger said, “I still seem to see the whiteness of the forearms of God’s messenger when he rolled up his sleeves.” He then carried it and placed it at his head saying, “I am marking my brother’s grave with it, and I shall bury beside him those of my family who die.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَقُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّاهُ اكْشِفِي لِي عَنْ قَبْرِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَصَاحِبَيْهِ فَكَشَفَتْ لِي عَنْ ثَلَاثَةِ قُبُورٍ لَا مُشْرِفَةٍ وَلَا لَا طئة مَبْطُوحَةٍ بِبَطْحَاءِ الْعَرْصَةِ الْحَمْرَاءِ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ

Al-Qasim b. Muhammad told of his going to visit ‘A’isha and saying, “Mother, show me the grave of the Prophet and his two companions.” She showed him three graves which were neither high nor low, but were spread over with soft red pebbles in an open space. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي جَنَازَة رجل من الْأَنْصَار فَانْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى الْقَبْر وَلما يُلْحَدْ بَعْدُ فَجَلَسَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ وَجَلَسْنَا مَعَهُ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَزَادَ فِي آخِرِهِ: كن على رؤوسنا الطير

Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib said, “We went out with God’s messenger to the funeral of a man of the Ansar, but when we reached the grave the niche in the side had not yet been made, so the Prophet sat down facing the qibla and we sat down along with him.” Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Ibn Majah adding “quietly”. (Literally, as though the birds were over our heads. An explanation of the phrase is that when a bird alights on a camel’s head and begins to pick the ticks off it, the camel stands perfectly still so as not to frighten it away.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «كَسْرُ عَظْمِ الْمَيِّتِ كَكَسْرِهِ حَيًّا» . رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “Breaking a dead man’s bone is like breaking it when he is alive.” Malik, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: شَهِدْنَا بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تُدْفَنُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَالِسٌ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ فَرَأَيْتُ عَيْنَيْهِ تَدْمَعَانِ فَقَالَ: " هَلْ فِيكُمْ مَنْ أَحَدٍ لَمْ يُقَارِفِ اللَّيْلَةَ؟ . فَقَالَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ: أَنَا. قَالَ: فَانْزِلْ فِي قَبْرِهَا فَنَزَلَ فِي قبرها ". رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

I was present when the daughter of God’s messenger was being buried. He was sitting beside the grave and I saw his eyes shedding tears. He then asked, “Is there any of you who did not have sexual intercourse last night?” Abu Talha replied that he had not, so he told him to go down into her grave, and he did so. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ فِي سِيَاقِ الْمَوْتِ: إِذَا أَنَا مُتُّ فَلَا تَصْحَبْنِي نَائِحَةٌ وَلَا نَارٌ فَإِذَا دَفَنْتُمُونِي فَشُنُّوا عَلَيَّ التُّرَابَ شَنًّا ثُمَّ أَقِيمُوا حَوْلَ قَبْرِي قَدْرَ مَا يُنْحَرُ جَزُورٌ وَيُقَسَّمُ لَحْمُهَا حَتَّى أَسْتَأْنِسَ بِكُمْ وَأَعْلَمَ مَاذَا أُرَاجِعُ بِهِ رُسُلَ رَبِّي. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

‘Amr b. al-‘As said to his son when he was in the throes of death, “When I die let no wailing woman or fire accompany me, and when you bury me scatter earth lightly over me, then stand round my grave as long as it takes to sacrifice an animal and have its flesh distributed, so that I may feel you near and know what to answer my Lord’s messengers.”( i.e. Munkar and Naklr who examine the dead in the grave) Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِذَا مَاتَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلَا تَحْبِسُوهُ وَأَسْرِعُوا بِهِ إِلَى قَبْرِهِ وَلْيُقْرَأْ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ فَاتِحَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَعِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ بِخَاتِمَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَان. وَقَالَ: وَالصَّحِيح أَنه مَوْقُوف عَلَيْهِ

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said he heard the Prophet say, “When one of you dies do not keep him long, but take him quickly to his grave, and have the opening verses of sura al-Baqara recited at his head and the concluding verses of the same sura at his feet.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman, saying the correct view is that it does not go farther back than him.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ قَالَ: لَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ عبد الرَّحْمَن بن أبي بكر بالحبشي (مَوضِع قريب من مَكَّة) وَهُوَ مَوْضِعٌ فَحُمِلَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَدُفِنَ بِهَا فَلَمَّا قَدِمَتْ عَائِشَةُ أَتَتْ قَبْرَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقَالَتْ: وَكُنَّا كَنَدْمَانَيْ جَذِيمَةَ حِقْبَةً مِنَ الدَّهْرِ حَتَّى قِيلَ لَنْ يَتَصَدَّعَا فَلَمَّا تَفَرَّقْنَا كَأَنِّي وَمَالِكًا لِطُولِ اجْتِمَاعٍ لَمْ نَبِتْ لَيْلَةً مَعَا ثُمَّ قَالَتْ: وَاللَّهِ لَوْ حَضَرْتُكَ مَا دُفِنْتَ إِلَّا حَيْثُ مُتَّ وَلَوْ شهدتك مَا زرتك رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

We were like the companions of Jadhima (Jadhima was a legendary pre-Islamic king with his centre in al-Anbar. He had two boon- companions, 'Aqil and Malik, who are said to have been together for forty years. The verses are from a lament by Mutammim b. Nuwaira al-Yarbu'i over his brother Malik) for a long time, so that people said the two will never be separated. But when we separated it seemed, in spite of long association, as if Malik and I had not spent a single night together. She then said, “I swear by God that if I had been present with you, you would have been buried nowhere but where you died, and if I had been with you I would not have visited you.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ: سَلَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَعْدًا وَرَشَّ عَلَى قَبره مَاء. رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه

Abu Rafi‘ said that God's messenger lowered Sa‘d and sprinkled water over his grave. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى عَلَى جَنَازَةٍ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْقَبْر فَحَثَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ قِبَلِ رَأْسِهِ ثَلَاثًا. رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَه

Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger prayed over a bier, then went to the grave and threw three handfuls of earth towards the head of the dead man. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَزْمٍ قَالَ: رَآنِي النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُتَّكِئًا عَلَى قَبْرٍ فَقَالَ: لَا تؤذ صَاحب هَذَا الْقَبْر أَولا تؤذه. رَوَاهُ أَحْمد

‘Amr b. Hazm told how, when the Prophet saw him leaning on a grave, he said, “Do not molest the occupant of this grave”; or, “Do not molest it.” Ahmad transmitted it.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: دَخَلْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى أَبِي سَيْفٍ الْقَيْنِ وَكَانَ ظِئْرًا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ فَأَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَقَبَّلَهُ وَشَمَّهُ ثُمَّ دَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ يَجُودُ بِنَفْسِهِ فَجَعَلَتْ عَيْنَا رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَذْرِفَانِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ: وَأَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ فَقَالَ: " يَا ابْنَ عَوْفٍ إِنَّهَا رَحْمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهَا بِأُخْرَى فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْعَيْنَ تَدْمَعُ وَالْقَلْبَ يَحْزَنُ وَلَا نَقُولُ إِلَّا مَا يُرْضِي رَبَّنَا وَإِنَّا بِفِرَاقِك يَا إِبْرَاهِيم لَمَحْزُونُونَ "

We went in with God’s messenger to visit Abu Saif the smith who was foster-father of Ibrahim (The Prophet’s son who died in infancy), and God’s messenger took Ibrahim, kissed him and smelt him. We went in to visit him later when Ibrahim was giving up his soul, and tears began to fall from God’s messenger's eyes, whereupon ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf said to him, “You too, messenger of God?” He replied, “Ibn ‘Auf, it is compassion,” then shed more tears and said, “The eye weeps and the heart grieves, but we say only what our Lord is pleased with, and we are grieved over being separated from you, Ibrahim.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ قَالَ: أَرْسَلَتِ ابْنَةُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّ ابْنًا لِي قُبِضَ فَأْتِنَا. فَأَرْسَلَ يُقْرِئُ السَّلَامَ وَيَقُولُ: «إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى وَكُلٌّ عِنْدَهُ بِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى فَلْتَصْبِرْ وَلْتَحْتَسِبْ» . فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ تُقْسِمُ عَلَيْهِ لَيَأْتِيَنَّهَا فَقَامَ وَمَعَهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَمُعَاذُ بْنُ جبل وَأبي بن كَعْب وَزيد ابْن ثَابِتٍ وَرِجَالٌ فَرُفِعَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّبِيُّ وَنَفْسُهُ تَتَقَعْقَعُ فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ. فَقَالَ سَعْدٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا هَذَا؟ فَقَالَ: «هَذِهِ رَحْمَةٌ جَعَلَهَا اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِ عِبَادِهِ. فَإِنَّمَا يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الرُّحَمَاء»

Usama b. Zaid said the Prophet’s daughter sent him a message telling him that a son of hers was dying and asking him to come to them. He sent her a greeting, saying at the same time, “What God has taken belongs to Him, what He has given belongs to Him, and He has an appointed time for everyone, so let her show endurance and seek her reward from God.” She then sent adjuring him to come to her, and he got up to go accompanied by Sa'd b. ‘Ubada, Mu'adh b. Jabal, Ubayy b. Ka'b, Zaid b. Thabit and some other men. The boy who was on the point of death (This is an attempt to express the meaning of the Arabic which says literally ‘his soul was disquieted ) was lifted up to God’s messenger whose eyes overflowed with tears. Sa'd said, “What is this, messenger of God?” He replied, “This is compassion which God has placed in the hearts of His servants. God shows compassion only to those of His servants who are compassionate.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: اشْتَكَى سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ شَكْوًى لَهُ فَأَتَاهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعُودُهُ مَعَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ وَسَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَدَهُ فِي غَاشِيَةٍ فَقَالَ: (قَدْ قَضَى؟ قَالُوا: لَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَبَكَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَوْمُ بُكَاءَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَكَوْا فَقَالَ: أَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ؟ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُعَذِّبُ بِدَمْعِ الْعَيْنِ وَلَا بِحُزْنِ الْقَلْبِ وَلَكِنْ يُعَذِّبُ بِهَذَا وَأَشَارَ إِلَى لِسَانِهِ أَوْ يَرْحَمُ وَإِن الْمَيِّت لعيذب ببكاء أَهله

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said that when Sa'd b. ‘Ubada complained of a trouble, the Prophet came to visit him accompanied by ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf, Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas and ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud. On entering and finding him in a bad way (Or, in a faint) he suggested that his end was near, but was assured that that was not so. The Prophet wept, and when the people saw him weeping they wept also. He then said, "Listen; God does not punish for the tears the eye sheds or the grief the heart experiences, but He punishes for this (pointing to his tongue), or He shows compassion; and the dead is punished because of his family’s weeping for him."( Cf. the second tradition in section III where 'A’isha says Ibn ‘Umar has forgotten or made a mistake. This has given rise to much discussion and efforts have been made to show that the tradition of Ibn ‘Umar refers particularly to excessive weeping and wailing, or to the desire of pre-Islamic Arabs that people should lament them to an excessive extent when they died. The reference to the tongue indicates loud lamentation in contrast to silent weeping) (Bukharl and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ ضَرَبَ الْخُدُودَ وَشَقَّ الْجُيُوبَ وَدَعَا بِدَعْوَى الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ»

'Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, "He who beats the cheeks, tears the front of the garments, and cries out as people did in pre-Islamic times, does not belong to us." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن أبي بردة قَالَ: أُغمي على أبي مُوسَى فَأَقْبَلَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ أُمُّ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ تَصِيحُ بِرَنَّةٍ ثُمَّ أَفَاقَ فَقَالَ: أَلَمْ تَعْلَمِي؟ وَكَانَ يُحَدِّثُهَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَنَا بَرِيءٌ مِمَّنْ حَلَقَ وَصَلَقَ وَخَرَقَ» . وَلَفظه لمُسلم

Abu Burda said that Abu Musa al-Ash'ari fainted and his wife Umm ‘Abdallah began to shout with a piercing cry. He then came round, and asking her if she was quite ignorant, he told her that God’s messenger had said, "I have no connection with one who shaves, shouts and tears his clothing." (Bukharl and Muslim, the wording being Muslim's.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي مَالِكٍ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " أَرْبَعٌ فِي أُمَّتِي مِنْ أَمْرِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ لَا يَتْرُكُونَهُنَّ: الْفَخْرُ فِي الْأَحْسَابِ وَالطَّعْنُ فِي الْأَنْسَابِ وَالِاسْتِسْقَاءُ بِالنُّجُومِ وَالنِّيَاحَةُ ". وَقَالَ: «النَّائِحَةُ إِذَا لَمْ تَتُبْ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهَا تُقَامُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَعَلَيْهَا سِرْبَالٌ مِنْ قطران وَدرع من جرب» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

boasting of high rank, reviling other people’s genealogies, seeking rain by the stars, and wailing." And he said, "If the wailing-woman does not repent before she dies, she will be made to stand on the day of resurrection wearing a garment of pitch and a chemise of mange.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِامْرَأَةٍ تَبْكِي عِنْدَ قَبْرٍ فَقَالَ: «اتَّقِي اللَّهَ وَاصْبِرِي» قَالَتْ: إِلَيْكَ عَنِّي فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَبْ بِمُصِيبَتِي وَلَمْ تَعْرِفْهُ فَقِيلَ لَهَا: إِنَّهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. فَأَتَتْ بَابَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَمْ تَجِدْ عِنْدَهُ بَوَّابِينَ فَقَالَتْ: لَمْ أَعْرِفْكَ. فَقَالَ: «إِنَّمَا الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ الصَّدْمَةِ الْأُولَى»

Anas told that when the Prophet came upon a woman weeping at a grave he said, "Fear God and show endurance.” She, not recognising him, replied, "Go away, for you have not been afflicted as I have.” She was told that he was the Prophet, so she went to his door, and finding no doorkeepers there she said, "I did not recognise you." He replied, "Endurance is shown only at the first blow.” (Bukharl and Muslim.)