Chapters Regarding Funerals

It wasnarrated that Sa’eed bin Musayyab said: “I was present withIbn‘Umar at a funeral. When the body was placed in the niche-grave)hesaid, ‘Bismillah wa fi sabil-illah wa ‘ala millati rasul-illah’(Inthe Name of Allah, for the sake of Allah and according to thereligionof the Messenger of Allah). When he started to place bricksin theniche-grave he said: ‘Allahumma ajirha min ash-shaitani wamin‘adhabil-qabr. Allahumma Jafil-arda ‘an janbaiha, wa sa’idruhaha, walaqqiha minka ridwana (O Allah, protect him from Satan andfrom thetorment of the grave; O Allah, keep the earth away from histwo sidesand take his soul up and grant him pleasure fromYourself).’ I said:‘O Ibn ‘Umar, is this something that youheard from the Messenger ofAllah (ﷺ) or is it your own words?’He said: ‘I could have saidsomething like that, but this issomething that I heard from theMessenger of Allah (ﷺ).’”

It wasnarrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said: ‘The niche-grave is for us and the ditch-grave is forothers.”

It wasnarrated that Jarir bin ‘Abdullah Al-Bajali said: “TheMessengerof Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘The niche-grave is for us and theditch-graveis for others.’”

It wasnarrated that Sa’d said: “Make a niche-grave for me, and blockitup with bricks as was done for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).”

It wasnarrated that Anas bin Malik said: “When the Prophet (ﷺ)died,there was a man in Al-Madinah who used to make a niche in thegraveand another who used to dig graves without a niche. They said:‘Letus pray Istikharah to our Lord and call for them both, andwhicheverof them comes first, we will let him do it.’ So they wereboth sentfor, and the one who used to make the niche-grave camefirst, so theymade a niche-grave for the Prophet (ﷺ).”

It wasnarrated that ‘Aishah said: “When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)died, they differed as to whether his grave should have a niche or aditch in the ground, until they spoke and raised their voicesconcerning that. Then ‘Umar said: ‘Do not shout in the presenceof theMessenger of Allah (ﷺ), living or dead,’ or words to thateffect. Sothey sent for both the one who made a niche and the onewho dug graveswithout a niche, and the one who used to make a nichecame and dug agrave with a niche for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ),then he (ﷺ) wasburied.”

It wasnarrated that Adra’ As-Sulami said: “I came one night to guardthe Prophet (ﷺ), and there was a man reciting loudly. The Prophet(ﷺ) came out and I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, this man isshowingoff.’ Then he died in Al-Madinah, and they finishedpreparing him,then they carried his dead body. The Prophet (ﷺ)said: ‘Be gentlewith him, may Allah be gentle with him, for heloved Allah and HisMessenger.’ Then his grave was dug and he (theProphet (ﷺ)) said:‘Make it spacious for him, and may Allah makeit spacious for him.’Some of his Companions said: ‘O Messengerof Allah, you are grievingfor him.’ He said: ‘Yes indeed, for heloved Allah and HisMessenger.’”

It wasnarrated from Hisham bin ‘Amir that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)said: “Dig the grave deep, make it spacious and prepare itwell.”

It wasnarrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)markedthe grave of ‘Uthman bin Maz’un with a rock.

It wasnarrated that Jabir said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)forbadeplastering over graves.”

It wasnarrated that Jabir said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)forbadewriting anything on graves.”

It wasnarrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Prophet (ﷺ) forbadebuildingstructures over graves.

It wasnarrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)offeredthe funeral prayer, then he came to the grave of the deceasedandscattered three handfuls of earth from the side of (thedeceased’s)head.

It wasnarrated from Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said:“If one of you were to sit on a live coal that burns him, thatwould be better for him than if he were to sit on a grave.”

It wasnarrated from ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)said: ‘If I were to walk on a live coal or a sword, or if I weretosew shows to my feet, that would be better for me than walking onthegrave of a Muslim. And I see no difference between relievingmyselfin the midst of graves or in the middle of the marketplace.”

It wasnarrated that basher bin Khasasiyyah said: “While I waswalkingwith the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) he said: ‘O son ofKhasasiyyah,why are you angry with Allah when you are walking withthe Messengerof Allah?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I am not angrywithAllah at all. Allah has bestowed all good on me.’ Then he passedbythe graves of the Muslims and said: ‘They have caught up with agreat deal of good.’ Then he passed by the graves of the idolatersandsaid: ‘They died before a great deal of good came to them.’Then heturned and saw a man walking between the graves in his showsand hesaid: ‘O you with the shows, take them off.’”

It wasnarrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said: “Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.”

It wasnarrated from ‘Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gavepermission for visiting the graves.

It wasnarrated from Ibn Mas’ud that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said, “Iused to forbid you to visit the graves, but now visit them,for theywill draw your attention away from this world and remind youof theHereafter.”

It wasnarrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Prophet (ﷺ) visitedthegrave of his mother and wept, causing the people around him toweep.Then he said: ‘I asked my Lord for permission to seekforgivenessfor her, but He did not give me permission. Then I askedmy Lord forpermission to visit her grave and He gave me permission.So visit thegraves, for they will remind you of death.’”

It wasnarrated from Salim that his father said: “A Bedouin came totheProphet (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, my father used touphold the ties of kinship, and so and so forth, where is he?’ Hesaid: ‘In the Fire.’ It was as if he found that difficult tobear.Then he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah. Where is your father?’TheMessenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whenever you pass by the graveof anidolater, give him the tidings of Hell-fire.’ The Bedouinlater becameMuslim, and he said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)gave me a difficulttask. I never passed the grave of an idolater butI gave him thetidings of Hell-fire.’”

It wasnarrated from ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Hassan bin Thabit that hisfathersaid: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed women who visitgraves.”

It wasnarrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)cursed women who visit graves.”

It wasnarrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)cursed women who visit graves.”

It wasnarrated that Umm ‘Atiyyah said: “We were prevented fromfollowing the funeral, but that was not made binding on us.”

It wasnarrated that ‘Ali said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wentoutand saw some women sitting, and he said: ‘What are you sittingherefor?’ They said: ‘We are waiting for the funeral.’ He said:‘Areyou going to wash the deceased?’ They said: ‘No.’ Hesaid: ‘Are yougoing to lower him into the grave?’ They said:‘No.’ He said: ‘Then goback with a burden of sin and notrewarded.’”

It wasnarrated from Umm Salamah from the Prophet (ﷺ) regarding: “Andthat they will not disobey you in Ma’ruf (all that is good inIslam);” he said: “(It is about) wailing.”

Jarir,the freed slave of Mu’awiyah, said: “Mu’awiyah delivered asermon in Hims, and in his sermon he mentioned that the Messenger ofAllah (ﷺ) forbade wailing.”

It wasnarrated from Abu Malik Ash’ari that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)said: ‘Wailing is one of the affairs of the Days of Ignorance,andif the woman who wails dies without having repented, Allah willcut agarment of pitch (tar) for her and a shirt of flaming fire.’”

It wasnarrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)said: “Wailing over the dead is one of the affairs of the Days ofIgnorance and if the woman who wails does not repent before she dies,she will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection wearing a shirt ofpitch (tar), over which she will wear a shirt of flaming fire.”