Hadith Text

"I heard Anas bin Malik say: The Messenger of Allah said: 'The dead person is followed by three: His family, his wealth and his deeds. Then two of them come back: His family and his wealth, and there remain only his deeds."'

Source Reference

The Book of Funerals - Sunan an-Nasa'i 1937

Scholarly Commentary

This profound hadith illustrates the ultimate reality that confronts every soul after death. The three companions mentioned - family, wealth, and deeds - accompany the deceased only until the burial is complete.

Family and wealth, being worldly attachments, return to the temporal realm. They cannot cross the barrier into the eternal world. Only one's deeds - both righteous and sinful - remain as eternal companions in the grave and hereafter.

This serves as a powerful reminder that worldly attachments are temporary, while spiritual investments are permanent. The wise believer therefore prioritizes accumulating good deeds that will benefit them in their eternal journey.

Spiritual Lessons

One should not be deceived by temporary worldly attachments that will inevitably abandon them.

The ultimate preparation for death is through righteous deeds that become one's eternal companions.

This hadith encourages believers to constantly evaluate what they are sending ahead for their eternal life.