The Book of Funerals

كتاب الجنائز

Chapter 14: Prohibition of weeping for the dead

It was narrated that 'Aishah said

'When news of the death of Zaid bin Harithah, Ja'far bin Abi Talib and 'Abdullah bin Rawahah was announced, the Messenger of Allah sat down and it could be seen that he was grieving. I was looking through a crack in the door, and a man came and said: 'Ja'far's womenfolk are weeping.' The Messenger of Allah said: 'Go and prevent them.' He went away, then he came back, and said: I told them not to do that, but they refused to stop; He said: Go and prevent them; He went away then he came back, and said: I told them not to do that, but they refused to stop. He said: 'Throw dust in their mouths.'" Aishah said: "I said: 'May Allah rub his nose in the dust, the one who is over there! You did not leave the Messenger of Allah alone but you were not going to do (what he told you to do).""

Chapter 15: Wailing over the Dead

It was narrated from 'Amrah that she heard 'Aishah say

, when she was told that Ibn 'Umar said that the deceased is punished due to the weeping of the living for him, 'Aishah said: "May Allah forgive Abu 'Abdur-Rahman; he is not lying, but he has forgotten or made a mistake. The Messenger of Allah passed by a (deceased) Jewish woman for whom people were weeping and he said: 'They are weeping for her and she is being punished."'

Chapter 23: The Reward of one who is Patient and seeks Reward

'Amr bin sa'eed bin Abi Husain told us that

'Amr bin Shu'aib wrote to 'Abdullah bin 'Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Husain to offer condolences for a son of his who had died. In his letter he mentioned that he had heard his father narrate, that his grandfather, 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-As said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Allah does not approve for His believing slave, if He takes away his loved one from among the people of the Earth, and he bears that with patience and seeks reward, and says that which he is commanded any reward less than Paradise."'

Chapter 25: One who Loses Three

It was narrated that Anas said

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'There is no Muslim, three of whose children die before reaching puberty, but Allah will admit him to Paradise by virtue of His mercy towards them."'

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said

"There are no two Muslims, three of whose children die before reaching puberty, but Allah will admit them to Paradise by virtue of His mercy toward them. It will be said to them: 'Enter Paradise.' They will say: 'Not until our parents enter.' So it will be said: 'Enter Paradise, you and your parents."'

Chapter 27: Announcement of Death

Rabiah bin Saif Al-Mu'afiri narrated from Abu 'Abdur-Rahman Al-Hubuli, from 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, who said

"while we were traveling with the Messenger of Allah, he saw a woman, and did not think that he knew her. When she was halfway to him, he stopped until she reached him, and it was Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah. He said to her: 'What brought you out of your house, O Fatimah?' She said: 'I came to the people of this deceased one to pray for mercy for them, and to offer my condolences to them.' He said: 'Perhaps you went with them to Al-Kuda?" She said: 'Allah forbid that I should go there. I heard what you said about that.' He said: If you had gone there with them, you would never have seen Paradise until the grandfather of your father saw it."'

Chapter 33: Washing the Deceased more than five times

It was narrated that Umm 'Atiyyah said

"The Messenger of Allah entered upon us when we were washing his daughter and said: 'Wash her three times or five, or more if you think (that is necessary), with water and lotus leaves, and put camphor, or some camphor in it the last time. And when you have finished, inform me.' When we finished, we informed him, and he threw his waist-wrap to us and said: 'Shroud her in it."'

Chapter 35: Camphor for washing the Deceased

It was narrated from Ayyub, from Muhammad, that Umm 'Atiyyah said

"The Messenger of Allah came to us when we were washing his daughter. He said: 'Wash her three times, or five, or more than that if you think that (is necessary), with water and lotus leaves, and put camphor, or some camphor in (the water) the last time. And when you have finished, inform me.' When we finished, we informed him and he threw his waist-wrap to us and said: 'Shroud her in it."' He said: "Hafsah said: 'We washed her three, or five, or seven times.' Umm 'Atiyyah said: 'We combed her hair into three braids."'

Chapter 39: The Shroud Of The Prophet

It was narrated from Samurah that the Prophet said

"Wear white clothes for they are purer and better, and shroud your dead in them."'

It was narrated that Aishah said

"The Prophet was shrouded in three white Suhuli garments."

Chapter 40: A Shirt As A Shroud

It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin 'Umar said

"When 'Abdullah bin Ubayy died, his son came to the Prophet and said: 'Give me your shirt so that I may shroud him in it, and (some and) offer the (funeral) prayer for him, and pray for forgiveness for him'. So he gave him his shirt then he said: 'When you have finished, inform me and I will offer the (funeral) prayer for him.' But 'Umar stopped him and said: 'Hasn't Allah forbidden you to offer the (funeral) prayer for the hypocrites?' He said: 'I have two options. Whether you ask forgiveness for them (hypocrites) or ask no forgiveness for them." So he offered the (funeral) prayer for him. Then Allah, Most High, revealed: 'And never pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave.' So he stopped offering the (funeral) prayer for them."

Khabbab said

"We emigrated with the Messenger of Allah, seeking the Face of Allah, the Most High, so our reward became due from Allah. Some of us died without enjoying anything of his reward (in this world) among them is Mus'ab bin Umair. He was matyred on the day of Uhud and we could not find anything to shroud him in except a Namirah; if we covered his head with it, his feet were uncovered, and if we covered his feet with it, his head became uncovered. The Messenger of Allah told us to cover his head with it and to put Idhkhir over his feet. And for some of us, the fruits of our labor have ripened and we are gathering them." This is the wording of Isma'il

Chapter 44: Hastening With The Janazah

Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'When the Janazah (prepared body) is placed (on the bier) and the men lift it onto their shoulders, if it was a righteous person it says: Take me quickly, take me quickly. And if it was not a righteous person it says: Woe to me! Where are you taking me! And everything hears its voice except man, and if man heard it he would faint."'

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah, who attributed it to the Prophet

"Hasten with the Janazah, for if it was righteous then your are taking it toward something good, and if it was otherwise, then it is an evil of which you are relieving yourselves."

Uyaynah bin 'Abdur-Rahman bin Jawsh said

"My father told me: I witnessed the funeral of 'Abdur-Rahamn bin Samurah. Ziyad came out, walking in front of the bier, and some men from the family of 'Abdur-Rahman and their freed slaves came out, facing the bier and walking backward, saying: 'Slow down, slow down, may Allah bless you.' And they were walking slowly. Then when they were partway to Al-Mrbad, Abu Bakrah joined us on his mule. When he saw what they were doing, he rushed to them on his mule, brandishing his whip, and said: 'Move on, for by the One Who honored the face of Abu Al-Qasim, I remember when we were with the Messenger of Allah, we were walking fast, so the people speeded up."'

It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said

"I remember when we were with the Messnger of Allah, and we were walking fast with it (the Janazah)." This is the wording of Hushaim.

It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed that the Messenger of Allah said

"When a funeral passes by you, stand up, and whoever follows it, let him not sit down until it is put down (in the grave)."

Chapter 45: The Command To Stand Up for A Funeral

It was narrated from 'Amir bin Rabi'ah that the Prophet said

"When any one of you sees a funeral and is not walking with it, let him stand up until it has passed him, or until (the body) is placed (in the grave) before if passes him."

It was narrated form 'Amir bin Rabi'ah Al-'Adawi that the Messenger of Allah said

"When you see a funeral, stand up until it has passed you, or (the body) is placed (in the grave)."

Chapter 10: One who loves to meet Allah

It was narrated that 'Ubadah bin As-Samit said

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him, and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah, hates to meet him."'