The Book of Prayer - Funerals

كتاب الجنائز

Chapter 17: The virtue of offering the funeral prayer and following the bier

This hadith is narrated on thp authority of Abu Huraira through another chain of transmitters (with these words)

" He who followed it (the bier) till he (the dead) is buried."

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying

He who offered prayer over the dead, but did not follow the bier, for him is the reward of one qirat, and he who followed it, for him is the reward of two qirats. It was asked what the qirats were. He said: The smaller amongst the two is equivalent to Uhud.

Chapter 18: If one hundred (people) pray for a person, they will intercede for him

'A'isha reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) saying

If a company of Muslims numbering one hundred pray over a dead person, all of them interceding for him, their intercession for him will be accepted.

Chapter 22: Saying the takbir over the deceased

Abu Huraira reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave us the news of the death of Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia, on the day when he died, and he said (to us): Beg pardon for your brother. Ibn Shihab said that Sa'id b. Musayyib had told that Abu Huraira had narrated to him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) drew them up in a row in a place of prayer, and offered prayer and recited four takbirs for him.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

A brother of yours has died, so stand up and offer prayer over him. So we stood up and drew ourselves up into two rows.

Chapter 24: Standing for funerals

It is reported on the authority of Ibn Juraij that the Prophet (ﷺ) said

Should anyone amongst you see a bier he must stand up so long as it is within sight in case he does not intend to follow it.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri that the Prophet (ﷺ) said

When you follow a bier, do not sit until it is placed on the (ground).

It is narrated on the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah

There passed a bier and the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up for it and we also stood up along with him. We said: Messenger of Allah, that was the bier of a Jewess. Upon this he remarked: Verily, death is a matter of consternation, so whenever you come across a bier stand up.

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abu Laila that while Qais b. Sa'd and Sahl b. Hunaif were both in Qadislyya a bier passed by them and they both stood up. They were told that it was the bier of one of the people of the land (non-Muslim). They said that a bier passed before the Prophet (ﷺ) and he stood up. He was told that he (the dead man) was a Jew. Upon this he remarked

Was he not a human being or did he not have a soul? And in the hadith narrated by 'Amr b. Murra with the same chain of transmitters, (the words) are:" There passed a bier before us."

Chapter 13: Shrouding the deceased

Abu Salama said

I asked 'A'isha with how many garments the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was shourded. She said: With three garments of Sahul.

Chapter 16: Hastening with the funeral

This hadith has been narrated by another chain of transmitters except with this variation (of words) that in the hadith narrated by Ma'mar (the words are)

" I do not know whether the hadith is marfu'."

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger as saying

Hasten at a funeral, for if (the dead person) is good, you would (soon) bring him close to the good. And if it is otherwise, it is an evil of which you are ridding yourselves.

Chapter 17: The virtue of offering the funeral prayer and following the bier

Dawud b. 'Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that while he was sitting along with 'Abdullah b. 'Umar, Khabbab, the owner of Maqsura, said

Ibn 'Umar, do you hear what Abu Huraira says that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:" He who goes out with the bier when taken out from its residence and offers prayer for it and he then follows it till it is buried, he would have two qirats of reward, each qirat being equivalent to Uhud; and he who, after having offered prayer, (directly) came back would have his reward (as great) as Uhud"? Ibn 'Umar sent Khabbab to 'A'isha in order to ask her about the words of Abu Huraira (and also told him) to come back to him (Ibn 'Umar) and inform him what 'A'isha said. (In the meanwhile) Ibn 'Umar took up a handful of pebbles and turned them over in his hand till the messenger (Khabbab) came back to him and told (him) that 'A'isha testified (the statement of) Abu Huraira. Ibn 'Umar threw the pebbles he had in his hand on the ground and then said: We missed a large number of qirats.

Thauban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

He who offered prayer for the dead, for him is the reward of one qirat, and he who attended its burial, he would have two qirats as his reward. And qirat is equivalent to Uhud.

This hadith has been narrated by Qatada with the same chain of transmitters. And in the hadith transmitted by Sa'id and Hisham, (the words are)

" The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about qirat, and he said: It is equivalent to Uhud."

Chapter 22: Saying the takbir over the deceased

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave the people news of the death of Negus on the day he died, and he took them out to the place of prayer and observed four takbirs.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

There died today the pious servant of Allah, Ashama. So he stood up and led us in (funeral prayer) over him.

Chapter 23: Praying over the grave

The hadith as narrated by Shaibani has been narrated through another chain of transmitters.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that a dark-complexioned woman (or a youth) used to sweep the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) missed her (or him) and inquired about her (or him). The people told him that she (or he) had died. He asked why they did not inform him, and it appears as if they had treated her (or him) or her (or his) affairs as of little account. He (the Holy Prophet) said

Lead me to her (or his) grave. They led him to that place and he said prayer over her (or him) and then remarked: Verily, these graves are full of darkness for their dwellers. Verily, the Mighty and Glorious Allah illuminates them for their occupants by reason of my prayer over them.

Chapter 24: Standing for funerals

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri that the Prophet (ﷺ) said

Whenever you come across a bier you should stand up, and he who follows it should not sit down till it is placed on the ground.