Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 1557
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُبَارَكُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدٌ الطَّوِيلُ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ: لَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ كَانَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَلْحَدُ وَآخَرُ يَضْرَحُ. فَقَالُوا: نَسْتَخِيرُ رَبَّنَا وَنَبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِمَا فَأَيُّهُمَا سَبَقَ تَرَكْنَاهُ . فَأُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمَا فَسَبَقَ صَاحِبُ اللَّحْدِ. فَلَحَدُوا لِلنَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Mahmud ibn Ghailan narrated to us; Hashim ibn al-Qasim narrated to us; Mubarak ibn Fadalah narrated to us; Humayd al-Tawil narrated to me, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: ‘When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) died, there was a man in Medina who made side-niche graves and another who dug straight trench graves. They said, “Let us seek our Lord’s guidance and send for both men; whichever one arrives first, we will leave the task to him.” They sent for them both, and the man who made side-niche graves arrived first, so they made a side-niche grave for the Prophet.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The account distinguishes the two grave-making practices and says the side-niche gravedigger arrived first after they sought guidance.