Sunan Ibn Majah
Chapters Regarding Funerals
كتاب الجنائز
Chapter 38
مَا جَاءَ فِي إِدْخَالِ الْمَيِّتِ الْقَبْرَ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Hisham ibn Ammar narrated to us; Hammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Kalbi narrated to us; Idris al-Awdi narrated to us, from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, who said: ‘I was present with Ibn Umar at a funeral. When he placed the body in the burial niche, he said, “In the name of Allah, in the path of Allah, and according to the way of the Messenger of Allah.” When they began setting the bricks in the niche, he said, “O Allah, protect her from Satan and from the punishment of the grave. O Allah, widen the earth away from her sides, raise her soul, and grant her welcome from You with good pleasure.” I said, “Ibn Umar, is this something you heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), or did you say it from your own opinion?” He said, “If it were my own opinion, I would certainly be able to speak from my own judgment. Rather, this is something I heard from the Messenger of Allah.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The deceased is referred to with feminine pronouns in the Arabic. Both the words said when placing the body and the supplication while setting the bricks are preserved.
Chapter 39
مَا جَاءَ فِي اسْتِحْبَابِ اللَّحْدِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Numayr narrated to us; Hakkam ibn Salm al-Razi narrated to us; he said: I heard Ali ibn Abd al-A‘la mention, from his father, from Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘The side-niche grave is for us, and the trench grave is for others.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic contrasts al-lahd, a side niche, with al-shaqq, a straight trench grave.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Isma‘il ibn Musa al-Suddi narrated to us; Sharik narrated to us, from Abu al-Yaqzan, from Zadhan, from Jarir ibn Abdullah al-Bajali, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘The side-niche grave is for us, and the trench grave is for others.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report contrasts the side niche (lahd) with the straight trench (shaqq).
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us; Abu Amir narrated to us; Abdullah ibn Ja‘far al-Zuhri narrated to us, from Isma‘il ibn Muhammad ibn Sa‘d, from Amir ibn Sa‘d, from Sa‘d, who said: ‘Make a side-niche grave for me, and set the bricks firmly over me, as was done for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The instruction refers to making a lahd and setting bricks over the niche, following the reported practice for the Messenger of Allah.
Chapter 40
مَا جَاءَ فِي الشَّقِّ
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.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Umar ibn Shabbah ibn Ubaydah ibn Zayd narrated to us; Ubayd ibn Tufayl al-Muqri’ narrated to us; Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Mulaykah al-Qurashi narrated to us; Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrated to us, from Aishah, who said: ‘When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) died, they disagreed over whether to make a side niche or a straight trench in the grave. They discussed it and raised their voices. Umar said, “Do not raise your voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, living or dead”—or words to that effect. They sent for both the side-niche digger and the trench digger. The side-niche digger came and made a niche grave for the Messenger of Allah, then he was buried.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Aishah says Umar spoke ‘or words to that effect’; that qualification is preserved.
Chapter 41
مَا جَاءَ فِي حَفْرِ الْقَبْرِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Zayd ibn al-Hubab narrated to us; Musa ibn Ubaydah narrated to us; Sa‘id ibn Abi Sa‘id narrated to me, from al-Adra‘ al-Sulami, who said: ‘One night I came to guard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and there was a man reciting loudly. The Prophet came out, and I said, “Messenger of Allah, this man is showing off.” Later, the man died in Medina. When they had finished preparing him and were carrying his bier, the Prophet said, “Be gentle with him; may Allah be gentle with him, for he loved Allah and His Messenger.” When his grave was dug, he said, “Make it spacious for him; may Allah make it spacious for him.” Some of his Companions said, “Messenger of Allah, you have grieved for him.” He replied, “Indeed, for he loved Allah and His Messenger.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report preserves the narrator’s initial judgment that the man was showing off alongside the Prophet’s later praise of him.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Azhar ibn Marwan narrated to us; Abd al-Warith ibn Sa‘id narrated to us; Ayyub narrated to us, from Humayd ibn Hilal, from Abu al-Dahma’, from Hisham ibn Amir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Dig the grave deep, make it spacious, and prepare it well.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The three instructions—to dig deeply, make the grave spacious, and prepare it well—are kept as separate directives.
Chapter 42
مَا جَاءَ فِي الْعلَّامَةِ فِي الْقَبْرِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Al-Abbas ibn Ja‘far narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ayyub Abu Hurayrah al-Wasiti narrated to us; Abd al-Aziz ibn Muhammad narrated to us, from Kathir ibn Zayd, from Zaynab bint Nubayt, from Anas ibn Malik: ‘The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) marked Uthman ibn Maz‘un’s grave with a rock.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report says the grave was marked with a rock; it does not give additional detail about the marker.
Chapter 43
مَا جَاءَ فِي النَّهْىِ عَنِ الْبِنَاءِ، عَلَى الْقُبُورِ وَتَجْصِيصِهَا وَالْكِتَابَةِ عَلَيْهَا
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Azhar ibn Marwan and Muhammad ibn Ziyad narrated to us; they said: Abd al-Warith narrated to us, from Ayyub, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade plastering over graves.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The verb تقصيص refers to coating or plastering graves.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abdullah ibn Sa‘id narrated to us; Hafs ibn Ghiyath narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Sulayman ibn Musa, from Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade writing anything on a grave.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Raqashi narrated to us; Wuhaib narrated to us; Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid ibn Jabir narrated to us, from al-Qasim ibn Mukhaymirah, from Abu Sa‘id: ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade building over graves.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic states a general prohibition on building over a grave.
Chapter 44
مَا جَاءَ فِي حَثْوِ التُّرَابِ فِي الْقَبْرِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Al-Abbas ibn al-Walid al-Dimashqi narrated to us; Yahya ibn Salih narrated to us; Salamah ibn Kulthum narrated to us; al-Awza‘i narrated to us, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurayrah: ‘The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed a funeral prayer, then went to the deceased’s grave and cast three handfuls of earth over it from the head end.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source specifies three handfuls and says they were cast from the head side of the grave.
Chapter 45
مَا جَاءَ فِي النَّهْىِ عَنِ الْمَشْىِ عَلَى الْقُبُورِ وَالْجُلُوسِ عَلَيْهَا
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Suwayd ibn Sa‘id narrated to us; Abd al-Aziz ibn Abi Hazim narrated to us, from Suhayl, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘For one of you to sit on a live coal that burns him would be better for him than to sit on a grave.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The simile explicitly says the coal burns the person; that detail is retained.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Isma‘il ibn Samurah narrated to us; al-Muharibi narrated to us, from al-Layth ibn Sa‘d, from Yazid ibn Abi Habib, from Abu al-Khayr Marthad ibn Abdullah al-Yazani, from Uqbah ibn Amir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘For me to walk on a live coal or a sword, or to mend my sandal while it is on my foot, would be dearer to me than walking on the grave of a Muslim. I would not care whether I relieved myself among the graves or in the middle of the marketplace.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The sandal phrase describes mending it while wearing it. The closing comparison concerns relieving oneself and is translated directly.
Chapter 46
مَا جَاءَ فِي خَلْعِ النَّعْلَيْنِ فِي الْمَقَابِرِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ali ibn Muhammad narrated to us; Waki‘ narrated to us; al-Aswad ibn Shayban narrated to us, from Khalid ibn Sumayr, from Bashir ibn Nahik, from Bashir ibn al-Khasasiyyah, who said: ‘As I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he said, “Son of al-Khasasiyyah, what do you resent against Allah, when you have reached the morning walking alongside the Messenger of Allah?” I replied, “Messenger of Allah, I resent nothing against Allah. Allah has granted me every good.” He passed by the graves of the Muslims and said, “These have attained much good.” Then he passed by the graves of the idolaters and said, “Much good passed them by.” He turned and saw a man walking between the graves in his shoes. He said, “You wearing the two leather sandals, take them off.”’ Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us; Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi said: Abdullah ibn Uthman used to say, ‘A good hadith and a trustworthy man.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source includes both the narrative and a separate compiler-era comment on the report and a narrator; both are retained. The command addresses a man wearing two leather sandals (sibtiyyah).
Chapter 47
مَا جَاءَ فِي زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ubayd narrated to us, from Yazid ibn Kaysan, from Abu Hazim, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Visit graves, for they remind you of the Hereafter.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source gives the visit to graves as a reminder of the Hereafter.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibrahim ibn Sa‘id al-Jawhari narrated to us; Rawh narrated to us; Bistam ibn Muslim narrated to us and said: I heard Abu al-Tayyah say: I heard Ibn Abi Mulaykah, from Aishah: ‘The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) granted permission to visit graves.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report briefly states that permission was granted for grave visits.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Yunus ibn Abd al-A‘la narrated to us; Ibn Wahb narrated to us; Ibn Jurayj informed us, from Ayyub ibn Hani’, from Masruq ibn al-Ajda‘, from Ibn Mas‘ud: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘I had forbidden you to visit graves; now visit them, for they make you less attached to this world and remind you of the Hereafter.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source contrasts the earlier prohibition with the current permission and states two benefits: reduced attachment to worldly life and remembrance of the Hereafter.
Chapter 48
مَا جَاءَ فِي زِيَارَةِ قُبُورِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ubayd narrated to us; Yazid ibn Kaysan narrated to us, from Abu Hazim, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visited his mother’s grave and wept, causing those around him to weep. He said, “I asked my Lord for permission to seek forgiveness for her, but He did not permit me. I asked my Lord for permission to visit her grave, and He permitted me. So visit graves, for they remind you of death.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report distinguishes permission to visit the grave from permission to seek forgiveness for his mother; both are stated explicitly.