5. Funerals

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: دَخَلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى أُمِّ السَّائِبِ فَقَالَ: «مَالك تُزَفْزِفِينَ؟» . قَالَتِ: الْحُمَّى لَا بَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيهَا فَقَالَ: «لَا تَسُبِّي الْحُمَّى فَإِنَّهَا تُذْهِبُ خَطَايَا بَنِي آدَمَ كَمَا يُذْهِبُ الْكِيرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيدِ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Jabir told of God’s messenger visiting Umm as-Sa’ib (Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (Isti'ab, p. 781) gives her name in this form, but says she is called by some Umm al-Musayyib) and asking, “What is the matter with you that you are trembling?” She replied, “Fever; may God not bless it.” He said, “Do not revile fever, for it removes the sins of the sons of Adam just as the bellows remove the dross of iron.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا مَرِضَ الْعَبْدُ أَوْ سَافَرَ كُتِبَ لَهُ بِمِثْلِ مَا كَانَ يعْمل مُقيما صَحِيحا» رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Abu Musa reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a man is ill or on a journey, what he was accustomed to do when staying at home and well will be recorded for him.”(This refers to his observance of salat, etc., cf. the traditions of ‘Abdallah b. 'Amr and Anas on p. 326.) Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الطَّاعُونُ شَهَادَةٌ لكل مُسلم»

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Every Muslim who dies of plague is credited with martyrdom.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الشُّهَدَاءُ خَمْسَةٌ الْمَطْعُونُ وَالْمَبْطُونُ وَالْغَرِيقُ وَصَاحب الْهدم والشهيد فِي سَبِيل الله»

one who dies of plague, one who dies of an internal complaint, one who is drowned, one who is killed by his house falling on him, and the martyr in God’s path.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: سَأَلَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ الطَّاعُونِ فَأَخْبَرَنِي: «أَنَّهُ عَذَابٌ يَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ جَعَلَهُ رَحْمَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَقَعُ الطَّاعُونُ فَيَمْكُثُ فِي بَلَدِهِ صَابِرًا مُحْتَسِبًا يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لَا يُصِيبُهُ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ إِلَّا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ شَهِيدٍ» . رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

‘A’isha said, “I asked God’s messenger about plague and he told me it is a punishment God sends upon whomsoever He wills, but God has made it a blessing to the believers. When plague comes, anyone who stays patiently in his town looking for his reward from God, knowing that only what God has decreed for him can happen to him, will have a reward like that of a martyr.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الطَّاعُونُ رِجْزٌ أُرْسِلَ عَلَى طَائِفَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَوْ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ فَإِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلَا تَقْدَمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلَا تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْهُ»

Usama b. Zaid reported God’s messenger as saying, “Plague is a punishment which was sent down on a section of the B. Isrs’il, or on people before your time. When you hear of it in a land do not go to it, and if it occurs in a land while you are in it do not go out fleeing from it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن أَنَسٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: " قَالَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى: إِذَا ابْتَلَيْتُ عَبْدِي بِحَبِيبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ صَبَرَ عَوَّضْتُهُ مِنْهُمَا الْجنَّة " يُرِيد عَيْنَيْهِ. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Anas said he heard the Prophet declare that God who is glorious and exalted said, “When I afflict my servant in his two loved things (i.e. his eyes), and he endures patiently, I shall compensate him for them with paradise.” Bukhari transmitted it.

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَعُودُ مُسْلِمًا غُدْوَةً إِلَّا صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ وَكَانَ لَهُ خَرِيفٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ ". رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد

‘All said he heard God’s messenger say, “No Muslim will pay a sick visit to another in the morning without seventy thousand angels invoking blessings on him till the evening, or visit him in the evening without seventy thousand angels invoking blessings on him till the morning, and he will have gathered fruits (the word used here is kharif, one of whose meanings is gathered or plucked fruits) in paradise.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن زَيْدَ بْنَ أَرْقَمَ قَالَ: عَادَنِي النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم من وجع كَانَ يُصِيبنِي. رَوَاهُ أَحْمد وَأَبُو دَاوُد

Zaid b. Arqam said the Prophet visited him when he had a pain in his eyes. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ: قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ وَعَادَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ مُحْتَسِبًا بُوعِدَ مِنْ جَهَنَّمَ مسيرَة سِتِّينَ خَرِيفًا» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

as saying, “If anyone performs ablution well and pays a sick visit to his brother Muslim seeking his reward from God, he will be removed a distance of sixty years (here kharif is used in another of its meanings) from jahannam.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَعُودُ مُسْلِمًا فَيَقُولُ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ: أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ إِلَّا شُفِيَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ حَضَرَ أَجَلُهُ ". رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, "No Muslim will visit another and say seven times, ‘I ask God, the Mighty, the Lord of the mighty throne, to cure you’ without his being cured, unless his time has come.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: كَانَ يعلمهُمْ من الْحمى وم الأوجاع كلهَا أَن يَقُولُوا: «بِسم الله الْكَبِيرِ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ عرق نعار وَمن شَرّ حر النَّارِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لَا يُعْرَفُ إِلَّا مِنْ حَدِيثِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَهُوَ يضعف فِي الحَدِيث

He said that the Prophet used to teach them to say when afflicted by fever or any pain, "In the name of God, the Great, I seek refuge in God, the Mighty, from the evil of every vein that bleeds and from the evil of the heat of hell.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, but said this was a gharib tradition which he knew only among the traditions of Ibrahim b. Isma'il who is declared to be weak in tradition.

وَعَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: " مَنِ اشْتَكَى مِنْكُمْ شَيْئًا أَوِ اشْتَكَاهُ أَخٌ لَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ: رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ تَقَدَّسَ اسْمُكَ أَمرك فِي السَّمَاء وَالْأَرْض كَمَا أَن رَحْمَتُكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَاجْعَلْ رَحْمَتَكَ فِي الْأَرْضِ اغْفِرْ لَنَا حُوبَنَا وَخَطَايَانَا أَنْتَ رَبُّ الطَّيِبِينَ أَنْزِلْ رَحْمَةً مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ وَشِفَاءً مِنْ شِفَائِكَ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَجَعِ. فَيَبْرَأُ ". رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ

Abud Darda’ said he heard God’s messenger say, "If one of you has any complaint, or if a brother of his complains of it, he should say, ‘Our Lord God who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy command is in the heaven and the earth. As Thy mercy is in the heaven so place Thy mercy in the earth. Forgive us our faults and sins. Thou art the Lord of the good ones. Send down some of Thy mercy and some of Thy healing on this pain’ and it will be cured.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا جَاءَ الرجل يعود مَرِيضا فَلْيقل ك اللَّهُمَّ اشْفِ عَبْدَكَ يَنْكَأُ لَكَ عَدُوًّا أَوْ يَمْشِي لَكَ إِلَى جِنَازَةٍ» رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, "When a man comes to visit an invalid he should say, ‘O God, cure Thy servant who may then wreak havoc on an enemy for Thy sake, or walk at a funeral for Thy sake’.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

عَن عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أُمَيَّةَ أَنَّهَا سَأَلَتْ عَائِشَة عَن قَول الله تبَارك وَتَعَالَى: (إِن تُبْدُوا مَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ الله) وَعَنْ قَوْلِهِ: (مَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ) فَقَالَتْ: مَا سَأَلَنِي عَنْهَا أَحَدٌ مُنْذُ سَأَلَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «هَذِه معاتبة الله العَبْد فِيمَا يُصِيبُهُ مِنَ الْحُمَّى وَالنَّكْبَةِ حَتَّى الْبِضَاعَةِ يَضَعُهَا فِي يَدِ قَمِيصِهِ فَيَفْقِدُهَا فَيَفْزَعُ لَهَا حَتَّى إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَخْرُجُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ كَمَا يَخْرُجُ التبر الْأَحْمَر من الْكِير» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

‘Ali b. Zaid quoted Umayya as saying that she asked ‘A’isha about the words of God who is great and glorious, "Whether you publish what is in your minds or conceal it, God will call you to account for it,” ( Qur’an, ii, 284) and His words, "If anyone does evil he will be requited for it.”(Qur’an, iv, 123). She replied that no one had asked her about them since she had asked God’s messenger and received the reply, "This is God’s rebuke of His servant, by means of fever or misfortune with which He afflicts him, even such a matter as something he puts in his sleeve and grieves for when he loses it. The result is that the servant comes out of his sins as the pure gold comes out of the crucible." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: " لَا يُصِيبُ عَبْدًا نَكْبَةٌ فَمَا فَوْقَهَا أَوْ دُونَهَا إِلَّا بِذَنَبٍ وَمَا يَعْفُو اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَكْثَرُ وَقَرَأَ: (وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كثير) رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Abu Musa reported the Prophet as saying, “No affliction great or small afflicts a man but for a sin, but there are more which God forgives.” Then he recited, “Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have done; but He forgives much.”(Qur’an, xlii, 30) Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: " إِن الْعَبْدَ إِذَا كَانَ عَلَى طَرِيقَةٍ حَسَنَةٍ مِنَ الْعِبَادَةِ ثُمَّ مَرِضَ قِيلَ لِلْمَلَكِ الْمُوَكَّلِ بِهِ: اكْتُبْ لَهُ مِثْلَ عَمَلِهِ إِذَا كَانَ طَلِيقًا حَتَّى أطلقهُ أَو أكفته إِلَيّ "

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a servant of God is accustomed to worship Him in a good manner, then becomes ill, the angel who is entrusted with him is told to record for him actions equivalent to those which he did when he was well till God sets him free from his illness or takes him in death.” Transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: " إِذَا ابْتُلِيَ الْمُسْلِمُ بِبَلَاءٍ فِي جَسَدِهِ قِيلَ لِلْمَلَكِ: اكْتُبْ لَهُ صَالِحَ عَمَلِهِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَعْمَلُ فَإِنْ شَفَاهُ غَسَّلَهُ وَطَهَّرَهُ وَإِنْ قَبَضَهُ غَفَرَ لَهُ وَرَحِمَهُ ". رَوَاهُمَا فِي شرح السّنة

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a Muslim is afflicted with some trouble in his body the angel is told to record for him his good deeds which he was accustomed to do. Then if God cures him He washes and purifies him , and if He takes him in death He forgives him and shows mercy to him.” Transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

وَعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَتِيكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " الشَّهَادَةُ سَبْعٌ سِوَى الْقَتْلِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ: الْمَطْعُونُ شَهِيدٌ وَالْغَرِيقُ شَهِيدٌ وَصَاحِبُ ذَاتِ الْجَنْبِ شَهِيدٌ وَالْمَبْطُونُ شَهِيدٌ وَصَاحِبُ الْحَرِيقِ شَهِيدٌ وَالَّذِي يَمُوتُ تَحْتَ الْهَدْمِ شَهِيدٌ وَالْمَرْأَةُ تَمُوتُ بِجُمْعٍ شَهِيدٌ ". رَوَاهُ مَالك وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ

Jabir b. ‘Atik reported God’s messenger as saying, “There are seven types of martyrdom apart from being killed in God’s path. Those who die of plague, those who are drowned, those who die of pleurisy, those who die of an internal complaint, those who are burnt to death, those who are killed by a building falling on them, and women who die while pregnant are martyrs.” Malik, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ سَعْدٍ قَالَ: سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَشَدُّ بَلَاءً؟ قَالَ: «الْأَنْبِيَاء ثمَّ الْمثل فَالْأَمْثَلُ يُبْتَلَى الرَّجُلُ عَلَى حَسَبِ دِينِهِ فَإِنْ كَانَ صلبا فِي دينه اشْتَدَّ بَلَاؤُهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي دِينِهِ رِقَّةٌ هُوِّنَ عَلَيْهِ فَمَا زَالَ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَمْشِيَ على الأَرْض مَال ذَنْبٌ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حسن صَحِيح

Sa'd said that when the Prophet was asked which people suffered the greatest affliction he replied, “The prophets, then those who come next to them, then those who come next to them. A man is afflicted in keeping with his religion; if he is firm in his religion his trial is severe, but if there is weakness in his religion it is made light for him, and it continues like that till he walks on the earth having no sin.” Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih tradition.