The Book of Funerals

Muhammad ibn Mansur narrated to us, saying: Sufyan narrated to us, saying: Ayyub narrated to us, from Humayd ibn Hilal, from Hisham ibn ‘Amir, who said: My father was killed on the day of Uhud, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘Dig graves, make them spacious and well prepared, bury two or three in one grave, and place first the one who knew the most Qur’an.’ My father was one of three in a grave, and since he knew the most Qur’an, he was placed first.

Al-Harith ibn Miskin recited to us while I listened, from Sufyan, who said: ‘Amr heard Jabir say: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to ‘Abd Allah ibn Ubayy after he had been placed in his grave. He ordered that he be brought out, placed him across his knees, blew lightly over him with some of his saliva, and clothed him in his shirt. Allah knows best.

Al-Husayn ibn Hurayth informed us, saying: Al-Fadl ibn Musa narrated to us, from al-Husayn ibn Waqid, who said: ‘Amr ibn Dinar narrated to us, saying: I heard Jabir say: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered that ‘Abd Allah ibn Ubayy be brought out of his grave. He placed his head on his knees, spat lightly over him from his saliva, and clothed him in his shirt. Jabir said: He prayed over him. Allah knows best.

Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azim informed us, from Sa‘id ibn ‘Amir, from Shu‘bah, from Ibn Abi Najih, from ‘Ata’, from Jabir, who said: A man was buried in the grave with my father, and I could not be at ease until I had taken him out and buried him separately.

‘Ubayd Allah ibn Sa‘id Abu Qudamah informed us, saying: ‘Abd Allah ibn Numayr narrated to us, saying: ‘Uthman ibn Hakim narrated to us, from Kharijah ibn Zayd ibn Thabit, from his paternal uncle, Yazid ibn Thabit: They went out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) one day, and he saw a fresh grave. He asked, ‘What is this?’ They replied, ‘So-and-so, the freedwoman of such-and-such clan.’ The Messenger of Allah recognized her. She had died at midday while you were taking a nap, and we did not want to wake you for her. The Messenger of Allah stood, the people formed rows behind him, and he said four takbirs over her. Then he said, ‘If anyone among you dies while I am still among you, inform me, for my prayer over him is a mercy.’

Isma‘il ibn Mas‘ud informed us, saying: Khalid narrated to us, from Shu‘bah, from Sulayman al-Shaybani, from al-Sha‘bi, who said: Someone who had accompanied the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed me that he passed by a remote grave with the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet led them in prayer, and they formed rows behind him. I asked, ‘Who was it, Abu ‘Amr?’ He replied, ‘Ibn ‘Abbas.’

Ya‘qub ibn Ibrahim informed us, saying: Hushaym narrated to us. Al-Shaybani said: Al-Sha‘bi informed us that someone who saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told me: The Prophet passed by a remote grave, prayed over it, and lined his Companions up behind him. He was asked, ‘Who told you this?’ He replied, ‘Ibn ‘Abbas.’

Al-Mughirah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman informed us, saying: Zayd ibn ‘Ali—namely, Abu Usamah—narrated to us, saying: Ja‘far ibn Burqan narrated to us, from Habib ibn Abi Marzuq, from ‘Ata’, from Jabir: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed at the grave of a woman after she had been buried.

Ahmad ibn Sulayman informed us, saying: Abu Nu‘aym and Yahya ibn Adam narrated to us, saying: Malik ibn Mighwal narrated to us, from Simak, from Jabir ibn Samurah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out to the funeral of Abu al-Dahdah. When he returned, an unsaddled horse was brought to him, so he rode, and we walked alongside him.

Harun ibn Ishaq informed us, saying: Hafs narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Sulayman ibn Musa and Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade building over a grave, adding to it, or plastering it. Sulayman ibn Musa added: or writing on it.

Yusuf ibn Sa‘id informed us, saying: Hajjaj narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, who said: Abu al-Zubayr informed me that he heard Jabir say: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade plastering graves, building over them, or anyone sitting on them.

‘Imran ibn Musa informed us, saying: ‘Abd al-Warith narrated to us, saying: Ayyub narrated to us, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade plastering graves.

Sulayman ibn Dawud informed us, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: ‘Amr ibn al-Harith informed me that Thumamah ibn Shufa related to him: We were with Fadalah ibn ‘Ubayd in the land of the Romans when one of our companions died. Fadalah ordered that his grave be leveled. Then he said, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) instructing that graves be leveled.’

‘Amr ibn ‘Ali informed us, saying: Yahya narrated to us, saying: Sufyan narrated to us, from Habib, from Abu Wa’il, from Abu al-Hayyaj, who said: ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any elevated grave without leveling it, or any image in a house without erasing it.’

Muhammad ibn Adam informed me, from Ibn Fudayl, from Abu Sinan, from Muharib ibn Dithar, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Buraydah, from his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘I had forbidden you to visit graves, but now visit them. I had forbidden you to eat sacrificial meat after three days, but now keep it as long as you wish. I had forbidden you to prepare nabidh except in a waterskin; now drink it from any kind of vessel, but do not drink anything intoxicating.’

Muhammad ibn Qudamah informed me, saying: Jarir narrated to us, from Abu Farwah, from al-Mughirah ibn Subay‘, who related to me from ‘Abd Allah ibn Buraydah, from his father: He was in a gathering with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: ‘I had forbidden you to eat sacrificial meat beyond three days. Now eat, feed others, and store it as you wish. I had told you not to prepare nabidh in the gourds, pitch-coated vessels, hollowed logs, or green jars. Prepare nabidh in whatever vessels you choose, but avoid everything intoxicating. I had forbidden you to visit graves; whoever wishes to visit may do so, but do not utter anything indecent.’

Qutaybah informed us, saying: 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 of Allah be upon him) visited his mother’s grave and wept, causing those around him to weep. He said: ‘I asked my Almighty Lord for permission to seek forgiveness for her, but I was not granted permission. I asked His permission to visit her grave, and He granted it. So visit graves, for they remind you of death.’

Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-A‘la informed us, saying: Muhammad—namely, Ibn Thawr—narrated to us, from Ma‘mar, from al-Zuhri, from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyab, from his father, who said: When Abu Talib was near death, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered to see him, with Abu Jahl and ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Umayyah present. He said, ‘Uncle, say: There is no god but Allah—a statement by which I can plead for you before Allah, the Almighty.’ Abu Jahl and ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Umayyah said to him, ‘Abu Talib, will you turn away from the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib?’ They continued speaking to him until his final words to them were that he remained upon the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib. The Prophet said to him, ‘I will surely seek forgiveness for you as long as I have not been forbidden to do so.’ Then the verse was revealed: ‘It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for the polytheists,’ and the verse was revealed: ‘Indeed, you do not guide whom you love.’

Ishaq ibn Mansur informed us, saying: ‘Abd al-Rahman narrated to us, from Sufyan, from Abu Ishaq, from Abu al-Khalil, from ‘Ali, who said: I heard a man seeking forgiveness for his parents, who were polytheists. I asked him, ‘Are you seeking forgiveness for them even though they are polytheists?’ He replied, ‘Did Ibrahim not seek forgiveness for his father?’ I went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him about it. Then this verse was revealed: ‘Abraham’s seeking forgiveness for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him.’

Yusuf ibn Sa‘id informed us, saying: Hajjaj narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, who said: ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Mulaykah informed me that he heard Muhammad ibn Qays ibn Makhramah say: I heard ‘A’ishah relate: ‘Shall I tell you about what happened between me and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?’ We said, ‘Yes.’ She said: ‘On the night he was with me, the Prophet turned over, placed his sandals by his feet, and spread the edge of his waist-wrapper on his bed. He remained only long enough to think that I had fallen asleep. Then he put on his sandals slowly, took his cloak slowly, opened the door slowly, and went out slowly. I put my shift over my head, veiled myself, wrapped my waist-wrapper around me, and followed him until he reached al-Baqi‘. He raised his hands three times and stood for a long time. Then he turned, and I turned; he quickened his pace, and I quickened mine; he jogged, and I jogged; then he hurried, and I hurried. I overtook him and went inside. I had barely lain down when he entered and said, ‘Why are you panting, with your chest rising, ‘A’ishah?’ She said, ‘Nothing.’ He said, ‘You must tell me, or the Subtle, the All-Aware will inform me.’ I said, ‘May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah,’ and told him what had happened. He said, ‘So you were the dark figure I saw in front of me?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ He gave me a painful poke in the chest, then said, ‘Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would treat you unjustly?’ I said, ‘Whatever people conceal, Allah knows.’ He said, ‘When you saw me, Gabriel came to me but did not enter upon me, for you had laid aside your clothes. He called to me discreetly, and I answered him discreetly, so you would not know. I thought you had fallen asleep and did not want to wake you. I feared you might feel lonely, so he instructed me to go to al-Baqi‘ and seek forgiveness for its inhabitants.’ I asked, ‘What should I say, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Say: Peace be upon the inhabitants of these dwellings among the believers and Muslims. May Allah have mercy on those of us who have gone ahead and those who come later. And, if Allah wills, we shall join you.’