5. Funerals

وَعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ: أَتَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِفَرَسٍ مَعْرُورٍ فَرَكِبَهُ حِينَ انْصَرَفَ مِنْ جَنَازَةِ ابْنِ الدَّحْدَاحِ وَنَحْنُ نمشي حوله. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Jabir b. Samura said the Prophet was brought an unsaddled horse which he rode when he went away after the funeral of Ibn ad-Dahdah, and they went on foot around him. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الرَّاكِبُ يَسِيرُ خَلْفَ الْجَنَازَةِ والماشي يمشي خلفهَا وأمامها وَعَن يَمِينهَا وَعَن يسارها قَرِيبا مِنْهَا وَالسَّقْطُ يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَيُدْعَى لِوَالِدَيْهِ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَحْمَدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيِّ وَالنَّسَائِيّ وَابْن مَاجَه قَالَ: «الرَّاكِب خلف الْجِنَازَة وَالْمَاشِي حَيْثُ شَاءَ مِنْهَا وَالطِّفْلُ يُصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ» وَفِي المصابيح عَن الْمُغيرَة بن زِيَاد

Al-Mughira b. Shu'ba reported the Prophet as saying, “A rider should go behind the bier, and those on foot should walk behind it, in front of it, on its right and on its left keeping near it. Prayer should be said over an abortion and forgiveness and mercy supplicated for its parents.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. In the version of Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah he said, “The rider should go behind the bier and those on foot wherever they wish round about it, and prayer should be said over an infant." In al-Masabih it is given on the authority of al-Mughira b. Ziyad.

وَعَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ يَمْشُونَ أَمَامَ الْجَنَازَةِ. رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَهْلُ الْحَدِيثِ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُ مُرْسَلًا

Zuhri said that Salim reported his father as saying, “I saw God’s messenger, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar walking in front of the bier.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said the traditionists seem to consider it is in mursat form.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْجَنَازَةُ مَتْبُوعَةٌ وَلَا تَتْبَعُ لَيْسَ مَعَهَا مَنْ تَقَدَّمَهَا» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو ماجد الرَّاوِي رجل مَجْهُول

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “The bier should be followed and should not follow. Those who go in front of it are not accompanying it." Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Tirmidhi said that Abu Majid the transmitter is unknown.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " من تبع جَنَازَة وحلمها ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ: فَقَدْ قَضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ حَقِّهَا ". رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ وَقَدْ رَوَى فِي «شَرْحِ السُّنَّةِ» : أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَمَلَ جَنَازَةَ سَعْدِ ابْن معَاذ بَين العمودين

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who follows a bier and carries it three times has accomplished what is ’due to it from him." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying that this is a gharib tradition. In Sharh as-sunna it is reported that the Prophet carried the bier of Sa‘d b. Mu'adh between the two poles.

وَعَنْ ثَوْبَانَ قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي جَنَازَةٍ فَرَأَى نَاسًا رُكْبَانًا فَقَالَ: «أَلَا تَسْتَحْيُونَ؟ إِنَّ مَلَائِكَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَى أَقْدَامِهِمْ وَأَنْتُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِ الدَّوَابِّ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَرَوَى أَبُو دَاوُدَ نَحْوَهُ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيّ: وَقد روى عَن ثَوْبَان مَوْقُوفا

Thauban told how when they went out with the Prophet to a funeral he saw some people riding and said, “Are you not ashamed ? God’s angels are on their feet, while you are on the backs of animals." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Abu Dawud transmitted something similar. Tirmidhi said it has been transmitted from Thauban in mauquf form.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَرَأَ عَلَى الْجَنَازَةِ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه

Ibn ‘Abbas said the Prophet recited Fatihat al-Kitab at funerals. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا صَلَّيْتُمْ عَلَى الْمَيِّتِ فَأَخْلِصُوا لَهُ الدُّعَاءَ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you pray over the dead, make a sincere supplication for him." Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا صَلَّى عَلَى الْجَنَازَةِ قَالَ: «اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا. اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ. اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بَعْدَهُ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَرَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيُّ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْأَشْهَلِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وانتهت رِوَايَته عِنْد قَوْله: و «أنثانا» . وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي دَاوُدَ: «فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ وَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ» . وَفِي آخِرِهِ: «وَلَا تُضِلَّنَا بعده»

He reported that when God’s messenger prayed over a bier he said, “O God, forgive those of us who are living and those of us who are dead, those of us who are present and those of us who are absent, our young and our old, our male and our female. O God, to whomsoever of us Thou givest life keep him faithful to Islam whilst Thou givest him life, and whomsoever of us Thou takest in death take him as a believer. O God, do not withhold from us the reward of faith (the Arabic is variously explained either as translated above, or as the reward of the man who has died, or of the believer. The text is ajrahu which means 'his reward’, or ‘its reward.’ Cf. Mir gat, ii, 365.), or try us after his death.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Nasa'i transmitted it from Abu Ibrahim al-Ashhali who quoted his father’s authority, his version ending at “female”. Abu Dawud’s version has, “Grant him life as a believer and take him in death as a follower of Islam.” It ends, “Do not lead us astray after his death.”

وَعَنْ وَاثِلَةَ بْنِ الْأَسْقَعِ قَالَ: صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ فِي ذِمَّتِكَ وَحَبْلِ جِوَارِكَ فَقِهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْوَفَاءِ وَالْحَقِّ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْن مَاجَه

Wathila b. al-Asqa‘ said God’s messenger led them in prayer over a Muslim and he heard him say, “O God, so and so son of so and so is in Thy protection and in Thy nearer presence, so guard him from the trial in the grave and the punishment in hell. Thou art faithful and true. O God, forgive him and show him mercy. Thou art the forgiving and the merciful One.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اذْكُرُوا مَحَاسِنَ مَوْتَاكُمْ وَكُفُّوا عَنْ مُسَاوِيهِمْ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Mention the good qualities of your dead and refrain from mentioning their bad ones.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ نَافِعٍ أَبِي غَالِبٍ قَالَ: صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَلَى جَنَازَةِ رَجُلٍ فَقَامَ حِيَال رَأسه ثمَّ جاؤوا بِجَنَازَةِ امْرَأَةٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَقَالُوا: يَا أَبَا حَمْزَةَ صَلِّ عَلَيْهَا فَقَامَ حِيَالَ وَسَطِ السَّرِيرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْعَلَاءُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ: هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَامَ على الْجِنَازَة مَقَامَكَ مِنْهَا؟ وَمِنَ الرَّجُلِ مَقَامَكَ مِنْهُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي دَاوُدَ نَحْوُهُ مَعَ زِيَادَةٍ وَفِيهِ: فَقَامَ عِنْد عجيزة الْمَرْأَة

Nafi‘ Abu Ghalib said he prayed along with Anas b. Malik at a man's funeral and he stood opposite his head. Then some people brought along the bier of a woman of Quraish and said, “Abu Hamza (The kunya of Anas b. Malik, the Prophet’s servant), pray over her,” and he stood opposite the middle of the bier. Al-‘Ala’ b. Ziyad said to him, “Thus did I see God’s messenger do. He stood over the bier in the same position as you did in relation to her and in the same position as you did in relation to the man.” He replied, “That is so.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. In Abu Dawud’s version there is something similar, along with an addition containing the words “He stood at the woman’s buttocks.”

عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى قَالَ: كَانَ ابْن حنيف وَقيس ابْن سَعْدٍ قَاعِدَيْنِ بِالْقَادِسِيَّةِ فَمُرَّ عَلَيْهِمَا بِجَنَازَةٍ فَقَامَا فَقيل لَهما: إِنَّهَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ أَيْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ فَقَالَا: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّتْ بِهِ جَنَازَةٌ فَقَامَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّهَا جَنَازَة يَهُودِيّ. فَقَالَ: «أليست نفسا؟»

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Abu Laila said that Sahl b. Hunaif and Qais b. Sa'd were sitting at al-QadisIya when a bier was brought past them. They stood up, and when they were told that it was one of the people of the land, i.e. of the dhimmis( Protected communities such as Jews and Christians), they replied that a bier came past God’s messenger and he stood up. On being told that it contained a Jew he said, “Is it not a soul?” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا تَبِعَ جَنَازَةً لَمْ يَقْعُدْ حَتَّى تُوضَعَ فِي اللَّحْدِ فَعَرَضَ لَهُ حَبْرٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّا هَكَذَا نضع يَا مُحَمَّدُ قَالَ: فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَقَالَ: «خَالِفُوهُمْ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ وَبِشْرُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ الرَّاوِي لَيْسَ بِالْقَوِيّ

‘Ubada b. as-Samit said that when God’s messenger followed a bier he did not sit down till the corpse was placed in the side of the grave. On being accosted by a learned Jew and told that that was how they did, God’s messenger sat down and said, “Act differently from them.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying that this is a gharib tradition and that Bishr b. Rafi' the transmitter was not strong.

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَنَا بِالْقِيَامِ فِي الْجَنَازَةِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَأَمَرَنَا بِالْجُلُوسِ. رَوَاهُ أَحْمد

‘Ali said that God’s messenger had told them to stand at a funeral, but later he sat and ordered them to sit. Ahmad transmitted it.

وَعَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ قَالَ: إِنَّ جَنَازَةً مَرَّتْ بِالْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَامَ الْحَسَنُ وَلَمْ يَقُمِ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ: أَلَيْسَ قَدْ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِجَنَازَةِ يَهُودِيٍّ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ ثُمَّ جلس. رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ

Muhammad b. Sinn said that when a bier came past al-Hasan b. ‘All and Ibn ‘Abbas al-Hasan stood up but Ibn ‘Abbas did not, so al- Hasan said, “Did God’s messenger not stand up out of respect for the bier of a Jew ?” He replied, “Yes, but thereafter he sat.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ كَانَ جَالِسًا فَمُرَّ عَلَيْهِ بِجَنَازَةٍ فَقَامَ النَّاسُ حَتَّى جَاوَزَتِ الْجَنَازَةُ فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ: إِنَّمَا مُرَّ بِجَنَازَةِ يَهُودِيٍّ وَكَانَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى طَرِيقِهَا جَالِسا وَكره أَن تعلوا رَأسه جَنَازَة يَهُودِيّ فَقَامَ. رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ

Ja'far b. Muhammad told on his father’s authority that when al- Hasan b. ‘All was sitting a bier was brought past him and the people stood up till the bier had gone by. Al-Hasan then said, “A bier carrying a Jew was brought past when God’s messenger was sitting in its path, and just because he did not like having a Jew’s bier higher than his head he stood up.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِذَا مَرَّتْ بِكَ جَنَازَةُ يَهُودِيٍّ أَوْ نَصْرَانِيٍّ أَوْ مُسْلِمٍ فَقُومُوا لَهَا فَلَسْتُمْ لَهَا تَقُومُونَ إِنَّمَا تَقُومُونَ لِمَنْ مَعهَا من الْمَلَائِكَة» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد

Abu Musa reported God’s messenger as saying, “When the bier of a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim passes you, stand up for it. You are not standing for its sake, but for the angels who are accompanying it.” Ahmad transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ جَنَازَةً مَرَّتْ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَقَامَ فَقِيلَ: إِنَّهَا جَنَازَةُ يَهُودِيٍّ فَقَالَ: «إِنَّمَا قُمْت للْمَلَائكَة» . رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ

Anas said that when a bier came past God’s messenger and he stood up he was told that it was carrying a Jew. He replied, “I stood up simply out of respect for the angels.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَمُوتُ فَيُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثَةُ صُفُوفٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَّا أَوْجَبَ» . فَكَانَ مَالِكٌ إِذَا اسْتَقَلَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَازَةِ جَزَّأَهُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ صُفُوفٍ لِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ التِّرْمِذِيِّ: قَالَ كَانَ مَالِكُ بْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ إِذَا صَلَّى الْجِنَازَة فَتَقَالَّ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا جَزَّأَهُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَجْزَاءٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثَةُ صُفُوفٍ أَوْجَبَ» . وروى ابْن مَاجَه نَحوه

Malik b. Hubaira said he heard God’s messenger say, “If any Muslim dies and three rows of Muslims pray over him it will assure him .” When Malik considered those who accompanied a bier to be few, he divided them into three rows in accordance with this tradition. Abu Dawud transmitted it. In Tirmidhi’s version he said that when Malik b. Hubaira prayed over a bier and found few people present, he divided them into three sections, then said that God’s messenger had stated, “If three rows pray over anyone it will assure him .” Ibn Majah transmitted something similar.