The Book of Funerals

Yusuf ibn Sa‘id narrated to us, saying: Hajjaj narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Ibn ‘Ajlan, from Sa‘id, from Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa‘id, who both said: We never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) attend a funeral and sit down before it was set down.

‘Amr ibn ‘Ali narrated to us, saying: Yahya ibn Sa‘id narrated to us, saying: Zakariyya narrated to us, from al-Sha‘bi, who said: Abu Sa‘id said… (Another route:) Ibrahim ibn Ya‘qub ibn Ishaq narrated to us, saying: Abu Zayd—Sa‘id ibn al-Rabi‘—narrated to us, saying: Shu‘bah narrated to us, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi al-Safar, who said: I heard al-Sha‘bi relating from Abu Sa‘id that a funeral passed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he stood. ‘Amr said: When a funeral passed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he would stand.

Ayyub ibn Muhammad al-Wazzan informed me, saying: Marwan narrated to us, saying: ‘Uthman ibn Hakim narrated to us, saying: Kharijah ibn Zayd ibn Thabit informed me, from his uncle Yazid ibn Thabit, that they were sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when a funeral bier came into view. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood, and those with him stood. They remained standing until it had passed.

Isma‘il ibn Mas‘ud narrated to us, saying: Khalid narrated to us, saying: Shu‘bah narrated to us, from ‘Amr ibn Murrah, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla, who said: Sahl ibn Hunayf and Qays ibn Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah were in al-Qadisiyyah when a funeral bier passed by them. They stood, and someone told them, ‘It is one of the local people.’ They replied: A funeral passed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he stood. Someone told him, ‘He is a Jew.’ He said: ‘Is he not a soul?’

‘Ali ibn Hujr narrated to us, saying: Isma‘il narrated to us, from Hisham. (Another route:) Isma‘il ibn Mas‘ud narrated to us, saying: Khalid narrated to us, saying: Hisham narrated to us, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Miqsam, from Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah, who said: A funeral passed by us, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood. We stood with him. I said: ‘Messenger of Allah, it is the funeral of a Jewish woman.’ He said: ‘Death is terrifying, so when you see a funeral bier, stand.’ This is Khalid’s wording.

Muhammad ibn Mansur narrated to us, saying: Sufyan narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, from Abu Ma‘mar, who said: We were with ‘Ali when a funeral passed by, and they stood for it. ‘Ali said: ‘What is this?’ They replied: ‘It is Abu Musa’s instruction.’ He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood only for a Jewish funeral, and he did not do so again afterward.’

Qutaybah narrated to us, saying: Hammad narrated to us, from Ayyub, from Muhammad, that a funeral bier passed by al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali and Ibn ‘Abbas. Al-Hasan stood, but Ibn ‘Abbas did not. Al-Hasan said: ‘Did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) not stand for the funeral of a Jew?’ Ibn ‘Abbas replied: ‘Yes; then he sat down.’

Ya‘qub ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, saying: Hushaym narrated to us, saying: Mansur informed us, from Ibn Sirin, who said: A funeral bier passed by al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali and Ibn ‘Abbas. Al-Hasan stood, but Ibn ‘Abbas did not. Al-Hasan said to Ibn ‘Abbas: ‘Did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) not stand for it?’ Ibn ‘Abbas replied: ‘He stood for it, then sat down.’

Ya‘qub ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, from Ibn ‘Ulayyah, from Sulayman al-Taymi, from Abu Mijlaz, from Ibn ‘Abbas and al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali: A funeral bier passed by the two of them. One stood, and the other sat. The one who stood said: ‘By Allah, I know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood.’ The one who sat replied: ‘I know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sat.’

Ibrahim ibn Harun al-Balkhi narrated to us, saying: Hatim narrated to us, from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, from his father, that al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali was sitting when a funeral bier was carried past him. The people stood until it had passed. Al-Hasan said: ‘It was only when a Jewish funeral passed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) while he was sitting in its path that he disliked a Jewish funeral passing over his head, so he stood.’

Muhammad ibn Rafi‘ narrated to us, saying: ‘Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us, saying: Ibn Jurayj informed us, saying: Abu al-Zubayr informed me that he heard Jabir say: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood for the funeral of a Jew that passed by him, until it disappeared from view. Abu al-Zubayr also informed me that he heard Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) say: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his Companions stood for the funeral of a Jew until it disappeared from view.

Ishaq narrated to us, saying: Al-Nadr informed us, saying: Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us, from Qatadah, from Anas: A funeral bier passed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he stood. Someone said: ‘It is the funeral of a Jew.’ He replied: ‘We stood only for the angels.’

Qutaybah narrated to us, from Malik, from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn Halhalah, from Ma‘bad ibn Ka‘b ibn Malik, from Abu Qatadah ibn Rib‘i, who used to relate that a funeral bier was brought past the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he said: ‘One who has found rest, and one from whom others have found rest.’ They asked: ‘Who is the one who has found rest, and who is the one from whom others have found rest?’ He replied: ‘The believing servant finds rest from the hardship and harm of this world. As for the wicked servant, people, lands, trees, and animals find rest from him.’

Muhammad ibn Wahb ibn Abi Karimah al-Harrani narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Salamah—the Harrani—narrated to us, from Abu ‘Abd al-Rahim, who told me: Zayd narrated to me, from Wahb ibn Kaysan, from Ma‘bad ibn Ka‘b, from Abu Qatadah, who said: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when a funeral bier came into view. The Messenger of Allah said: ‘One who has found rest, and one from whom others have found rest. When a believer dies, he finds rest from the afflictions, hardship, and harm of this world. When a wicked person dies, the people, lands, trees, and animals find rest from him.’

Ziyad ibn Ayyub informed me, saying: Isma‘il narrated to us, saying: ‘Abd al-‘Aziz narrated to us, from Anas, who said: A funeral bier passed by, and people spoke well of the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘It is confirmed.’ Another funeral bier passed by, and people spoke ill of the deceased. The Prophet said: ‘It is confirmed.’ ‘Umar said: ‘May my father and mother be your ransom! A funeral passed by and people spoke well of its deceased, and you said, “It is confirmed.” Then another funeral passed by and people spoke ill of its deceased, and you said, “It is confirmed.”’ He replied: ‘For whomever you speak well, Paradise is confirmed; and for whomever you speak ill, the Fire is confirmed. You are Allah’s witnesses on earth.’

Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us, saying: Hisham ibn ‘Abd al-Malik narrated to us, saying: Shu‘bah narrated to us, saying: I heard Ibrahim ibn ‘Amir—and his grandfather Umayyah ibn Khalaf—say: I heard ‘Amir ibn Sa‘d, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: A funeral bier passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and the people spoke well of the deceased. The Prophet said: ‘It is confirmed.’ Then another funeral bier passed by, and they spoke ill of the deceased. The Prophet said: ‘It is confirmed.’ They asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, you said “It is confirmed” in both cases?’ The Prophet replied: ‘The angels are Allah’s witnesses in heaven, and you are Allah’s witnesses on earth.’

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, saying: Hisham ibn ‘Abd al-Malik and ‘Abd Allah ibn Yazid narrated to us; they both said: Dawud ibn Abi al-Furat narrated to us, saying: ‘Abd Allah ibn Buraydah narrated to us, from Abu al-Aswad al-Du’ali, who said: I came to Madinah and sat with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. A funeral bier passed by, and people spoke well of its deceased. ‘Umar said: ‘It is confirmed.’ Then another passed by; people spoke well of its deceased, and ‘Umar said: ‘It is confirmed.’ Then a third passed by; people spoke ill of its deceased, and ‘Umar said: ‘It is confirmed.’ I asked: ‘What is confirmed, Commander of the Faithful?’ He replied: ‘I said what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Any Muslim for whom four people testify, speaking well, Allah will admit to Paradise.”’ We asked: ‘Or three?’ He said: ‘Or three.’ We asked: ‘Or two?’ He said: ‘Or two.’

Ibrahim ibn Ya‘qub narrated to us, saying: Ahmad ibn Ishaq told me, saying: Wuhayb narrated to us, saying: Mansur ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman narrated to us, from his mother, from ‘A’ishah, who said: Someone who had died was spoken of disparagingly in the Prophet’s presence. He said: ‘Do not speak of your deceased except in good terms.’

Humayd ibn Mas‘adah narrated to us, from Bishr—who is Ibn al-Mufaddal—from Shu‘bah, from Sulayman al-A‘mash, from Mujahid, from ‘A’ishah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Do not revile the dead, for they have arrived at what they sent ahead.’

Qutaybah narrated to us, saying: Sufyan narrated to us, from ‘Abd Allah ibn Abi Bakr, who said: I heard Anas ibn Malik say: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Three things follow the deceased: his family, his wealth, and his deeds. Two return—his family and his wealth—and one remains: his deeds.’