Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz)

كتاب الجنائز

Chapter 34: About Shrouding

Narrated Jabir b. 'Abd Allah

The Prophet (ﷺ) made a speech one day and mentioned a man from among his Companions who died and was shrouded in a shroud of bad quality, and was buried at night. The Prophet (ﷺ) rebuked that man be buried at night until prayer was offered over him, except that a man was forced to do that. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When one of you shrouds his brother, he should use a shroud of good quality.

Narrated 'Aishah

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was shrouded in a garment of Yemeni stuff, it was then removed from him.

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When one of you dies, and he possesses something, he should be shrouded in the garment of the Yemeni stuff.

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was shrouded in three garments of white Yemeni stuff, among which was neither a shirt nor a turban.

A similar tradition has been transmitted by 'Aishah through a different chain of narrators. This version adds

The narrator said: Aisha was told that the people said that he was shrouded in two garments and one cloak. She replied: A cloak was brought but they returned it and did not shroud him in it.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was shrouded in three garments made in Najran: two garments and one shirt in which he died.

Abu Dawud said: The narrator 'Uthman said: In three garments: two red garments and a shirt in which he died.

Chapter 35: It Is Disliked To Be Extravagant In Shrouding

Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib

Do not be extravagant in shrouding, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Do not be extravagant in shrouding, for it will be quickly decayed.

Narrated Khabbab

Mus'ab b. 'Umari was killed on the day of Uhud. He had only a striped cloak. When we covered his head with it, his feet appeared, and when we covered his feet, his head appeared. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Cover his head with it, and cover his feet with some grass.

Narrated Ubadah ibn as-Samit

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The best shroud is a lower garment and one which covers the whole body, and the best sacrifice is a horned ram.

Chapter 36: Shrouding A Woman

Narrated Layla daughter of Qa'if ath-Thaqafiyyah

I was one of those who washed Umm Kulthum, daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ), when she died. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) first gave us lower garment, then shirt, then head-wear, then cloak (which covers the whole body), and then she was shrouded in another garment. She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sitting at the door, and he had shroud with him. He gave us the garments one by one.

Chapter 37: Musk For The Deceased

Narrated Abu Sa’id Al Khudri

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: The best of your perfumes is musk.

Chapter 38: Hastening With The Janazah, And It Is Disliked To Delay It

Narrated Al-Husayn ibn Wahwah

Talhah ibn al-Bara' fell ill and the Prophet (ﷺ) came to pay him a sick-visit. He said: I think Talhah has died; so tell me (about his death), and make haste, for it is not advisable that the corpse of a Muslim should remain withheld among his family.

Chapter 39: Ghusl For The One Who Has Washed A Deceased Person

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to take a bath on account of sexual defilement, on Friday, for cupping and washing the dead.

Narrated AbuHurayrah

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who washes the dead should take a bath, and he who carries him should perform ablution.

The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Abu Hurairah through a different chain of narrators to the same effect.Abu Dawud said

Abu Dawud said: The narrator Abu Salih made a mention of the narrator Ishaq, the client of Za'idah between him and Abu Hurairah. He said: The tradition of Mus'ab is weak. It contains many things that are not practised.

Chapter 40: Kissing The Deceased

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he kissed Uthman ibn Maz'un while he was dead, and I saw that tears were flowing (from his eyes).

Chapter 41: Burial At Night

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah

The people saw fire (light) in the graveyard and they went there. They found that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in a grave and he was saying: Give me your companion. This was a man who used to raise his voice while mentioning the name of Allah.

Chapter 42: Moving The Deceased From One Land To Another - Which Is Disliked

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah

On the day of Uhud we brought the martyrs to bury them (at another place), but the crier of the Prophet (ﷺ) came and said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has commanded you to bury the martyrs at the place where they fell. So we took them back.

Chapter 43: Rows In The Funeral Prayer

Narrated Malik ibn Hubayrah

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If any Muslim dies and three rows of Muslims pray over him, it will assure him (of Paradise). When Malik considered those who accompanied a bier to be a few, he divided them into three rows in accordance with this tradition.

Chapter 44: Women Accompanying The Janazah

Narrated Umm 'Atiyyah

We were forbidden accompany the biers, but it was not stressed upon us.