Contemplation of death and preparation for it by good deeds
Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, encourage us to
contemplate death and be ready for it with good deeds. This is
regarded as a sign of goodness. Ibn ' Umar reports: "I
came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and I was the tenth of
the first ten people (who embraced Islam). A man from among
the Ansar got up and said: "O Prophet of Allah, who is
the most sagacious and the most prudent among the
people?" He replied: "Those who are most aware of
death and prepare themselves for it. They are the wisest of
people and will have honor in this world and a generous reward
in the Hereafter'." Ibn 'Umar also said that Allah's
Messenger, peace be upon him, said: "You should remember
the reality that brings an end to all worldly joys and
pleasures, namely, death." (Both hadith are narrated by
At-Tabarani with a sound chain of narrators)
Ibn Mas'ud narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be
upon him, explained the following words of Allah, the Exalted:
"The hearts of those whom Allah wills to guide, He opens
to Islam." (Qur'an 6.125) This means, the Messenger
explained, that, "When the light (of truth) enters the
heart it expands and opens up." The Companions asked:
"Is there any evidence of this (in the life of a
Muslim)?" He replied: "Being ever mindful of the
eternal life of the Hereafter, and remaining at guard in this
life of delusion, and preparing oneself for death before it
comes." This is reported by Ibn Jarir through different
chains each of which strengthens the other.
It is makruh or "disliked" to wish for one's
death, or pray to Allah for it, due to poverty, distress,
illness, or the like. The six canonical compilers of hadith
narrate on the authority of Anas that the Prophet, peace be
upon him, said: "Let no one among you wish for death due
to any hardship that may befall him. But if one has no other
choice, but to do so, one should say: "O Allah! Grant me
life as long as life is good for me, and cause me to die when
death is better for me."
The wisdom in the prohibition against wishing for death
becomes obvious from a hadith narrated by Umm al-Fadl:
"The Prophet, peace be upon him, went to see Al-'Abbas.
He found him wishing for death. Thereupon the Prophet said: 'O
Abbas! O Uncle of Allah's Messenger! Do not wish for death. If
you do good and live long, your good deeds will multiply. Then
that is better for you. If you are not good and your death is
delayed, you may seek Allah's forgiveness. That is better for
you. So do not wish for death'." (Narrated by Ahmad and
Al-Hakim, who says it is sound according to Muslim's criteria)
It is permissible, however, to wish for death, and there is
no harm in doing so, when one fears persecution that puts
one's faith at risk, as is indicated by the following
supplication of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:
Allahumma inni as'aluka fi'lal khairat wa tarkal munkarat wa
hubbal masakin wa an taghfarali wa tarhamani wa izha aradata
fitnatan fi qaumi fatawafani ghaira maftunin wa as'aluka
hubbaka wa hubba man yuhibbuka wa hubba 'amalin yuqaribu ila
hubbika "O Allah! I ask You for the means to do good, to
avoid evil, and to love the poor, and I beseech You to forgive
me and have mercy on me. When You subject my people to a
trial, cause me to die without being affected by it. O Allah!
I ask Your love, the love of those who love You, and the love
of all such actions that bring one closer to Your
Love."(Narrated by Tirmizhi who said it is a good and
sound hadith)
'Umar used to pray in these words: Allahumma kabirat sinni
wa da'ufat quwwati wa anshrat ra'i-atifaqbidni ilaika ghaira
mudayi' wa la mufaratti "O Allah! I have grown old, I
have become weak, and my flock has spread far and wide.
Therefore, O Allah, take me to You before I fall short of
doing my duties or transgress my limits." This is
reported by Malik.
It is reported by Abdurrahman ibn Abu Bakrah on the
authority of his father that a man asked: "O Messenger of
Allah ! Who is the best of all people?" He replied,
"He who lives long and does good deeds." The man
asked, "And who is the worst of men?" The Prophet,
peace be upon him, replied: "He who lives long but
commits evil." (Narrated by Ahmad and at-Tirrnizhi, who
says it is a sound hadith) Abu Hurairah reported that the
Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Shall I tell you who
is the best among you?" The Companions said, "Yes, O
Allah's Messenger." Thereupon he said, "The best
among you are those who live long and are best in deeds."
(Narrated by Ahmad and others with a sound chain)
Anas reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"When Allah intends good for a servant of His, He uses
him for good." They asked: "How does Allah use
him?" The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied: "He
enables him to do good deeds and makes it easy for him before
his death and then causes him to die while he is in that state
of goodness." (Ahmad, Tirrnizhi, Al-Hakim, and Ibn Hibban)
The patient should remember the boundless mercy of Allah
and have a good opinion about his Sustainer. Jabir reported:
"I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
saying, three nights before his death, 'Let none of you die
unless he has a good opinion of Allah'." (Muslim) This
hadith encourages the triumph of hope and expectation of
forgiveness when one meets Allah, the Exalted. One should be
in the state most loved by Allah, since He is the most
Gracious, the most Merciful, the most Beneficent, and the most
Generous. He loves to forgive those with hope. In the words of
a hadith: "Everyone will be raised on the Resurrection
Day in the condition in which he died."
It is reported by Anas that "the Prophet, peace be
upon him, went to see a young man who was on his deathbed. The
Prophet, peace be upon him, asked him: 'How are you?' The
young man said: 'I hope for Allah's pardon, but I am fearful
because of my sins. ' The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
'These two things never gather in the heart of a person at
such a time without Allah granting him what he hopes for and
sheltering him from what he dreads'." (Ibn Majah and
Tirmizhi)
It is desirable that righteous people visit patients on
their deathbeds and remember Allah.
Umm Salamah reported: "Allah's Messenger, peace be
upon him, said, 'When you visit someone who is ill or is
dying, say good things about him. Indeed, the angels (present
there) say "amen" to whatever you utter'." She
added:"When Abu Salamah passed away, I went to the
Prophet, peace be upon him, and said, 'Oh Messenger of Allah!
Indeed, Abu Salamah has died.' The Prophet said: 'Say: "O
Allah! Forgive me and him. Give me in his place a better
substitute".' So, I did so and Allah gave me someone
better than he. He gave me Muhammad, peace be upon him."
(Recorded by Ahmad, Muslim, and the five compilers of the
sunan)
In another report she said: "The Messenger of Allah,
peace be upon him, came to see Abu Salamah when his sight had
become fixed (he had passed away). So the Prophet, peace be
upon him, closed his eyes and said: 'When the soul is seized
and it leaves the body, the sight follows it.' Some of Abu
Salamah's family wept and wailed, whereupon the Prophet, peace
be upon him, said: ' Supplicate to Allah only to seek good for
yourselves, because the angels (who are present) say
"amen" to whatever you utter.' Then he said: 'O
Allah! Forgive Abu Salamah; raise his station among (Your)
rightly guided servants; and take good care of his family that
he has left behind. O Lord of the Worlds ! Forgive him and us,
make his grave spacious, and put light therein for him."
(Muslim)
It is sunnah to do the following when a person dies:
-1- Advise the dying person to say: "La ilaha illa-Allah"
(there is no god but Allah). It is narrated on the authority
of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
said: "Prompt your dying people to say: 'La ilaha illa-Allah'."
(Muslim, Abu Daw'ud, Tirmizhi) Another report on the authority
of Mu'azh ibn Jabal states that the Messenger of Allah, peace
be upon him, said: "He whose last words are 'La ilaha
illa- Allah' shall enter Paradise." (Narrated by Abu
Daw'ud; Al-Hakim considers it a sound hadith)
This prompting (talqin) is necessary only when the dying
person is unable to utter the shahadah (La ilaha illa- Allah .
. . ). If such a person is able to utter these words then
there is no need for prompting, but he should rather be
advised to do so. Such advice is useful in cases of persons
who are in possession of their faculties of reason and speech.
If one is already mentally impaired such advice cannot be of
benefit. But one who is unable to speak might say these words
in his heart. The scholars are of the opinion that no pressure
should be put on the dying person. So one should not say to
him, "Say, 'La ilaha ill-Allah'," lest he should
become annoyed and utter something improper. One may say the
shahadah, however, in such a way that the dying person might
be able to hear it and repeat it. If he utters it once, he
should not be asked to repeat it unless he says some words
after it. In such a case he should be asked to repeat shahadah
to ensure that it be his last utterance.
Most scholars are of the opinion that one attending a dying
person may repeat only the words: "La ilaha
ill-Allah," according to the apparent meaning of the
hadith. Others are of the opinion that the dying person should
be prompted to utter the two testimonies (that is, "I
bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear
witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger"). The
purpose is to remind him of the Oneness of Allah, which
includes both of the two testimonies.
-2- Lay the dying person so that the qibla is on his right
side. To this effect it is recorded that Abu Qatadah said:
"Upon arrival in Madinah, the Prophet, peace be upon him,
enquired about a person called al-Bara ibn Ma'rur. The people
told the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he had died, and had
willed one-third of his property to the Prophet, peace be upon
him, and that his face be turned toward the Ka'bah at the time
of his death. Hearing this, the Prophet, peace be upon him,
said: 'He has been true to his innate nature. I return the
one-third of his property to his children. ' Then the Prophet,
peace be upon him, left and offered a prayer for him and
prayed, saying: 'O Allah! Forgive him, have mercy on him, and
cause him to enter Your Paradise. Indeed, You have accepted
this prayer'." (Narrated by Al-Baihaqi and Al-Hakim, who
observes: "I know of no hadith, other than this one, with
regard to turning the face of a dying person toward Ka'bah.")
Ahmad reported that Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet,
peace be upon him, at the time of her death, turned toward the
Ka'bah and placed her right hand under her head. This is the
sleeping position recommended by the Prophet, peace be upon
him, and in a grave, a dead body should also be placed in the
same position. A report recorded from Ash-Shafi'i says: The
body of the deceased should be laid flat on his back with his
feet toward the Ka'bah, and his face raised a little, facing
it. The majority of scholars, however favor the first position
and hold it to be preferable.
-3- Recite Surah Ya Sin from the Qur'an. (Surah 36 of the
Qur'an) This is reported by Ahmad, Abu Daw'ud, Nasa'i, Al-Hakim,
and Ibn Hibban, and the last two of them grade it as a sound
hadith. They report also on the authority of M'aqil ibn Yasar,
that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Ya Sin is the
heart of the Qur'an. Whoever recites it seeking the pleasure
of Allah and the hereafter will receive Allah's forgiveness.
So recite it to your dead." (Ibn al-Qattan considers this
hadith weak and manifests some confusion, doubt, and even
ignorance about some of its narrators. Ad-Dar al-Qutni is
reported to have said: "In the chain of narrators of this
hadith there is confusion. Its text is obscure and is not
correct.")
Ibn Hibban observes: This hadith refers to the recitation
of Ya Sin for those on the eve of death and not for those
already dead. This interpretation is supported by Ahmad, who
recorded in his Al-Musnad that Safwan states: "The most
eminent scholars say: 'The recitation of Surah Ya Sin at the
time of a person's death makes death easy for him'. "The
compiler of Musnad al-Firdaus attributes this hadith to Abu
ad-Darda and Abu Zharr. They both narrated: "The Prophet,
peace be upon him, said: 'If any person is on his deathbed and
Ya Sin is recited to him, Allah makes his suffering
easier'."
-4- Close the eyes of the deceased. It is narrated by
Muslim that the Prophet, peace be upon him, went to visit Abu
Salmah. He saw that his eyes were wide open and blank with the
stare of death. So the Prophet, peace be upon him, closed his
eyes and said: "Verily, when a soul is seized, the
eyesight follows it."
-5- Cover the deceased: 'Aishah said: "When the
Messenger of Allah died, he was covered with a piece of cloth
that had some designs on it." This is reported by Bukhari
and Muslim. The objective here is clearly to safeguard the
respect and dignity of the deceased in death against prying
eyes and against the exposure of his or her body to the idle
curiosity of those looking for changes in its physical
condition and features.
There is a consensus among scholars regarding the
permissibility of kissing a dead person. The Prophet, peace be
upon him, kissed 'Uthman ibn Maz'un after his death.
Similarly, when the Prophet died, Abu Bakr leaned over him and
kissed him between his eyes saying: "O my Prophet! O my
best friend! !"
-6- Prepare the body for burial without delay, as soon as
death is confirmed (by specialists i. e., a qualified
physician or the like).
The guardian of the deceased should wash, wrap, and arrange
for the burial of the body soon after the funeral prayer for
the deceased, because the body might deteriorate if burial is
delayed. This is based on a report, recorded by Abu Daw'ud
from al-Husayn ibn Wujuh that when Talhah ibn al-Bara fell
ill, the Prophet, peace upon him, said: "I see that
Talhah is on the verge of death. Inform me about him (when he
passes away) and make immediate preparations for his burial,
for a Muslim's remains should not be left long with his family
after his death."
The burial may be delayed only for the guardian, provided
no physical deterioration in the condition of the body is
feared from such delay. Ahmad and Tirmizhi report on the
authority of Ali ibn Abu Talib that the Prophet, peace be upon
him, said: "O Ali, never delay three things: prayer when
its time approaches, the funeral when death is confirmed, and
marrying a widow or a divorcee when a suitable match is found
for her."
-7- Settle the debt of the deceased. Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and
Tirmizhi have recorded a hadith on the authority of Abu
Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: "A believer's
soul remains in suspense until all his debts are paid
off." Tirmizhi considers this a sound hadith.
This means that the judgement regarding a soul's salvation
or perdition or its entry into Paradise is held in abeyance
until its debts are fully paid off and settled. This applies
to a person who leaves some property upon his death. His debt
should be paid out of the property that he leaves behind. In
the case of a person who dies in debt which he sincerely
intended to pay, but has no property (nor leaves any behind to
pay his debt), according to a confirmed report, his debt will
be settled by Allah, the Exalted. Concerning a person who dies
in debt with sufficient means to pay it and was willing to do
so, but his heirs do not pay it, Bukhari records on the
authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
said: "If anyone takes other people's money with the
intention to repay it and then he or she should die without
settling the debt, Allah will pay the debt on his behalf. And
if anyone takes money or property (of others) with the
intention of destroying it, Allah will destroy him."
A hadith recorded by Ahmad, Abu Nu'aym, Al-Bazzar, and At-Tabarani
from the Prophet, peace be upon him, says: "The debtor
will be summoned before Allah on the Day of Judgement. Then
Allah will ask him: 'O Son of Adam ! Why did you incur debt
and infringe on others ' rights? ' The man would reply: 'My
Lord! You know I took it, but I neither abused nor lost it. It
was stolen or bumed in a fire or lost its value.' Allah, the
Almighty and Exalted, will say: 'My slave has told the truth,
and I am more entitled (than anyone else) to settle his debt.
Then Allah will issue a command and something will be placed
on his scales causing his good deeds to outweigh his bad ones.
And so, by Allah's Grace, he will enter Paradise'."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not perform funeral
prayers for those who had died in debt. When, however, Allah
the Almighty, granted him certain lands as a result of
conquests, and the community's wealth increased, he offered
funeral prayer for them and settled their debts.
Bukhari reports that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon
him, said: "I am nearer to the believers than their own
selves. So if someone dies leaving behind debt, but no
wherewithal to settle it, we shall pay his debt, and if
someone dies and leaves some estate behind him, it is for his
heirs (to pay his debt)."
This hadith shows that the debt of a deceased Muslim may be
paid from the public exchequer out of the zakah funds
specified as the portion for the people in debt. This is one
of the prescribed categories of zakah recipients. Death by
itself does not annul one's debt or other responsibilities to
the living.
Saying: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un" (We
belong to Allah and truly to Him we shall Return)
A believer should, at the death of a relative or a friend,
invoke Allah and say: "Verily we belong to Allah, and
truly to Him shall we return." The following reports show
that to do so is commendable.
Ahmad and Muslim reported from Umm Salmah that she said:
"I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying: "If
a servant of Allah is afflicted with a misfortune and says:
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un, Allahumma ajirni fi
musibati wa akhlif li khairan minha 'Verily we belong to Allah
and truly to Him shall we return. O Allah! Protect me in this
calamity that has befallen me and replace it with something
better,'
Allah will accept his prayer, grant him reward for his
affliction, and replace it with something better." She
added: "When Abu Salmah (her husband) died, I invoked
Allah in the words taught to me by the Prophet, peace be upon
him, and Allah did grant me someone better than he, i.e., (He
gave me) the Messenger of Allah (as a husband)."
Tirmizhi reports from Abu Musa al-Ash'ari that the Prophet,
peace be upon him, said: "When a child of a servant of
Allah passes away, Allah says to the angels: 'Did you take the
soul of My servant's child?' They say: 'Yes.' He, the
Almighty, says: 'Did you take away the apple of my servant's
eye?' They say: 'Yes.' He, the Almighty says: 'What did My
servant say at this?' They say: 'He praised You and said:
"Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'a un (Verily we belong
to Allah and to Him shall we return)." At this Allah
says: ' Build for My servant a mansion in Paradise and call it
the House of Praise (bayt al-hamd)'." Tirmizhi says this
is a sound hadith.
Bukhari has reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet,
peace be upon him, said: "Allah, the Exalted and Glorious
says: 'I have no better reward than Paradise for a believing
servant of Mine who is patient and resigned when I take away
one of his beloved, one among those he most cherishes in the
world."
"Those who say, when afflicted with calamity, 'To
Allah we belong, and to Him is our return,' are those on whom
descend blessings from Allah, and mercy, and they are the ones
who receive guidance." 55 Commenting on these verses of
the Qur'an, Ibn Abbas said: "Allah, the Almighty and the
Exalted, informs us that when a believer is patient and
resigned after a misfortune visits him and invokes Allah,
Allah will grant him three (good) merits: blessings, mercy,
and guidance to the right path."
The scholars consider it desirable that the deceased's
family, friends, and other good people be informed about his
death, so that they may share in the reward of participating
in his funeral. It is reported in Sihah Sittah on the
authority of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
informed his companions about the death of Negus (Najashi),
the King of Abyssinia, the day that he passed away. And then
the Prophet, peace be upon him, led them to the prayer ground
where he lined them up and offered funeral prayer (for him)
with four takbirs.
Ahmad and Bukhari narrate from Anas that the Prophet, peace
be upon him, informed the people about the death of his
companions, Zaid, J'afar, and Ibn Rawahah, commanders of the
Muslim army in the Battle of Mu' tah, before they received any
news from the battlefield. Tirmizhi observes that there is no
harm in informing the family and close relations of the
deceased person about his death. Al-Baihaqi says he was told
that Malik ibn Anas disliked announcing someone's death at the
gates of the mosque, but found nothing wrong with going around
inside the mosque to the various groups of students there and
informing them of someone's death.
A report, recorded by Ahmad and Tirmizhi on the authority
of Huzhaifah, says that Huzhaifah said: "When I pass
away, let no one vex me, for I am afraid (my death will be
announced) and it may be regarded (as an invitation to)
mourning. And I heard that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
forbade announcing the death of a person as an invitation to
mourning. This refers to a practice of the pre-Islamic period.
In those days when a noble died they would send a horseman to
various tribes to inform them about his death saying: 'The
people are devastated on account of the death of so and so.'
Such an announcement was (always) accompanied by crying and
weeping."
Muslim scholars are agreed that weeping for the dead is
permissible, whereas crying and wailing are not. It is
reported in a sound hadith that the Prophet, peace be upon
him, said: "Allah does not punish a person for shedding
tears or feeling pain in his heart. But He does punish, though
he may show mercy, because of (what he utters with)
this," and then he pointed to his tongue.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, wept on the death of his
son, Ibrahim, and said: "The eyes shed tears and the
heart feels pain, but we utter only what pleases our Lord. O
Ibrahim! We are aggrieved at your demise." He also wept
when his grand daughter, Umaymah, daughter of Zainab, died. At
this Sa'ad ibn 'Ubadah said: "O Messenger of Allah! Are
you weeping? Did you not forbid Zainab from weeping?" The
Prophet, peace be upon him, replied: "This (weeping) is
the mercy that Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants.
And surely Allah bestows mercy upon those who are merciful
among His servants." A report is transmitted by
At-Tabarani on the authority of Abdullah ibn Zaid to the
effect that weeping without wailing is permitted.
Weeping aloud and wailing cause pain and suffering to the
dead person. It is reported from Ibn 'Umar that when 'Umar was
stabbed and he became unconscious the people around him began
crying loudly. When he regained consciousness he said to them:
"Don't you know that the Messenger of Allah said: 'A dead
person is tormented by the wailing of the living'."
Abu Musa reports that when 'Umar was wounded Suhaib cried:
"O my dear brother!" At this 'Umar said: "O
Suhaib! Don't you know that the Messenger of Allah said: 'A
dead person is tormented by the wailing of the living
people'."
Al-Mughirah ibn Sh'ubah reports that he heard the Prophet,
peace be upon him, saying: "The one who is wailed for is
tortured on account of it." The above hadith are reported
by Bukhari and Muslim.
These hadith mean that a dead person feels pain and
displeasure when his family wails over him, for he hears their
wailing and their deeds are shown to him. This does not mean
that the dead are actually punished and tormented because of
the wailing of their families for them, because the Qur'an
says that a person is not accountable for the actions of
others.
Ibn Jarir reported from Abu Hurairah that he said:
"Your deeds are shown to your dead relatives. So if these
are good, they are pleased, and if these are bad, they despise
them."
Ahmad and Tirmizhi reported on the authority of Anas that
the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Your deeds are
shown to your dead relatives and kinsfolk. So if these are
good they are pleased, and if these are bad they say: 'O
Allah! Let them not die until You have guided them to the
right path as You guided us before'."
An-N'uman ibn Bashir reports: "Abdullah ibn Rawahah
fainted and his sister, 'Amrah, started wailing: 'O my
monumental loss!' 'O, my this and that!' When he regained
consciousness, he said to her: 'Every time you said something
(about me) i was asked, "Are you really what she
said?"'." This is narrated by Bukhari.
Wailing refers to mourning in a loud voice and crying in a
high pitch, which was prohibited by the Prophet, peace be upon
him, . Abu Malik alAsh'ari reported that the Prophet, peace be
upon him, said: "Four practices of the pre-Islamic days
of Ignorance will continue to be practiced by my ummah: taking
pride in one's parentage, giving a person a father other than
his own genealogical father, believing that rain is caused by
some stars, and wailing over the dead." He further said:
"A (professional) mourner, unless she repents before her
death, will be raised on the Day of Judgement wearing a
garment of tar and an armor of blistering puss." This is
narrated by Ahmad and Muslim.
Umm 'Atiyyah reports: "The Messenger of Allah made us
pledge that we will not wail over (the dead)" (Bukhari
and Muslim). Al-Bazzar has transmitted, through a sound chain
of authorities the report that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
said: "Two sounds are accursed in this world and in the
hereafter: the sound of wind instruments (to celebrate) good
fortune, and of moaning aloud when afflicted with a
misfortune."
Abu Musa is reported to have said: 'I declare my disavowal
of all that Allah's Messenger disavowed. The Messenger of
Allah disavowed publically a woman who mourns loudly, one who
shaves her head, and one who tears her clothes in
mourning" (Bukhari and Muslim).
Ahmad narrates from Anas that he said: "The Prophet,
peace be upon him, made the women pledge, while giving their
allegiance to him, not to mourn loudly for the dead. Thereupon
they asked him, 'O Messenger of Allah, some women helped us
(in mourning our dead) during the pre-Islamic days. Should we
(also in return) help them (in mourning their dead) now that
we are Muslims? ' He replied: 'There is no such thing in Islam
(i. e., helping each other to mourn the dead loudly)'."
It is permissible for a woman to mourn for a period of
three days on the death of a near relative, provided that her
husband does not object to her doing so. It is not permissible
for her to mourn for more than three days, except in the case
of her husband's death, when she is to mourn for four months
and ten days, which is a legally prescribed period of waiting
or "iddah". This is reported by the group, (The
compilers of the six most reliable hadith books generally
known as Sihah Sitta) except Tirmizhi. They report from Umm
'Atiyyah, that the Messenger of Allah said: "A woman
should not mourn for any deceased person for more than three
days, except in the case of her husband's death, which she may
mourn for a period of four months and ten days. Such a woman
(in mourning) is not to wear any (brightly) colored dress. She
may wear only plain dress. During this period she should not
use any adornment or eye makeup, nor wear any perfume, nor dye
her hands and feet with henna, nor comb her hair, except at
the end of her menstruation period, when she may use some
cleaning or refreshing agents (such as perfume, etc. ) to get
rid of any offensive smell left over from her period."
Accordingly, when a widow mourns, she must not use any
adornment, such as jewelry, kohl, 58 silk, perfume, or henna
dye on her hands and feet. A widow must observe this waiting
period in deference to her late husband's memory and to
fulfill her obligations toward him.
Abdullah ibn Ja'far reported that the Messenger of Allah,
peace be upon him, said: "Prepare some food for the
family of Ja'far, for what has befallen them is keeping them
preoccupied." This is narrated by Abu Daw'ud, Ibn Majah
and Tirmizhi, who grades it as a sound hadith.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, recommended this practice
for it is an act of virtue and kindness and brings friends and
neighbors closer to each other.
Ash-Shafi'i said: "It is recommended that the
relatives of the deceased prepare enough food to feed all the
deceased's family for one day and night, for it is the sunnah
of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and a practice of good
people."
The scholars hold it commendable to urge the deceased's
family to eat so that their sorrow or excessive grief will not
cause them to avoid food and thereby become weak. These
scholars also hold that to offer food to the women while they
are mourning loudly is not permissible, for it would be
helping them in something sinful.
All the schools of Islamic law disapprove of the deceased's
family preparing food for the people coming to pay their
condolences, for it adds to their grief and further encumbers
them unnecessarily. Such a practice would also resemble the
custom of the Arabs before Islam. Referring to this practice,
Jarir says: "(In those days) we considered it a part of
mourning to assemble at the deceased's house and prepare food
after burial for those gathered there." Some scholars
consider this to be absolutely forbidden (haram).
Ibn Qudamah observes: 'It is permissible, however, when
there is genuine need for it, since sometimes people attending
the funeral may be from distant places, and they have to stay
with the family of the deceased, in which case the family has
to host such guests.
Bukhari deals with this subject in a chapter entitled:
"Those Who Prepared the Kafan in the Prophet's Days
without him objecting to it. Reporting on the authority of
Sahl, Bukhari says: "A woman came to the Prophet, peace
be upon him, with a woven piece of cloth that had two seams on
its edges. She said: 'I wove it with my own hands in order to
wear it. ' The Prophet, peace be upon him, took it because he
needed it. He wrapped it around his waist so that it covered
the lower half of his body, and he came toward us. A man
praised it, saying: 'This is a very nice cloth! Why don't you
give it to me to wear?' Some of the people present there
reproached the man for they knew that the Prophet needed that
cloth and that he never denied anyone's request. The man
replied: 'By Allah, I asked him for it not to wear it, but to
save it and use it as my kafan'." Sahl continues:
"And (later when he died) that same piece of cloth was
used as his kafan."
Commenting on the above chapter of Bukhari, Al-Hafiz ibn
Hajar says: "Bukhari phrased it so as to show that though
(initially) the companions disliked the man's request for the
cloth from the Prophet, they did not disapprove of it when he
explained to them the reason for his request. This proves that
it is permissible for a person to arrange during his lifetime
for the things he will need after his death, such as a kafan
or a grave." He cites Ibn Battal who said it is
permissible to arrange for something before it is actually
needed. Furthermore Al-Hafiz observes: "Some righteous
people did indeed have their graves dug and prepared for them
during their lifetime." Al-Zain ibn al-Munir criticized
him, saying that the companions of the Prophet, peace be upon
him, did not do so, and that if doing so (preparing one's
grave during one's lifetime) were desirable most of them would
have done so.
Commenting on this Al-'Aini says: "The fact that it
was not done by the companions of the Prophet does not imply
that doing so is not permissible, for if an act is deemed good
by Muslims, then it is also good in the sight of Allah,
especially when it is practiced by some of the most pious
scholars."
Ahmad said: "There is nothing wrong if a person
purchases a site for his burial and makes a will to the effect
that he is to be buried there. 'Uthman, 'Aishah, and 'Umar ibn
Abd al-'Aziz, all did so."
The desire to die in either of the sanctuaries in Makkah
and Madinah is commendable. Bukhari has reported on the
authority of Hafsah that 'Umar said: "O Allah ! Grant me
martyrdom in Your cause, and cause me to die in the city of
Your Prophet, peace be upon him." Thereupon Hafsa asked
him: "Why do you pray for such a thing?" He said:
"Allah willing, I shall get what I have prayed for."
At-Tabarani reported on the authority of Jabir that the
Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "He who dies in one of
the two sanctuaries will be raised in peace on the Day of
Resurrection." Among the narrators of this hadith are
Musa ibn Abdul al-Rahman, who is mentioned as trustworthy by
Ibn Hibban and Abdullah ibn al-Mu'amil. Ahmad regards the
hadith as weak, while Ibn Hibban considers it sound.
Abu Daw'ud reported from 'Ubaid ibn Khalid al-Sullami, a
companion of the Prophet, peace be upon him, that once he
narrated from ' Ubaid and another time from the Prophet
himself, peace be upon him, saying: "Being caught
unawares by a sudden death is a grievous misfortune."
This hadith has been reported by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Anas ibn
Malik, Abu Hurairah and 'Aishah, but all these narrations are
weak for one or another reason. Al-Azdi says: This hadith has
been reported through diverse chains of narrators, but none
are reported on sound authority from the Prophet, peace be
upon him.
Bukhari reported from Anas that the Prophet, peace be upon
him, said: "A Muslim who loses three of his children
before they come of age will be brought to Paradise by Allah
as a mercy to him for losing them."
Bukhari and Muslim reported from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri that
he said: "Some women asked the Prophet, peace be upon
him: 'Appoint a (separate) day to (admonish) us.' The Prophet,
peace be upon him, told them: 'If a (Muslim) woman's three
children die, they will be a protection for her from Hell.' A
woman asked him, 'And what if two of her children die?' He
replied: 'And (even) if two of her children die'."
Tirmizhi reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet, peace
be upon him, said: "The life-span of those in my ummah is
60 to 70 years. And a very few of them will exceed this
span."
Bukhari and Muslim reported from Abu Qatadah that once,
when the Prophet passed by a funeral, he said: "He is
(now) in peace secure from others and others are in peace
secure from him." The people asked: "O Allah's
Messenger! Who is in peace and from whom are others in
peace?" He said: "A believing servant (of Allah) is
relieved from afflictions of this world upon his death, while
upon the death of a wicked person, other people, land, trees,
and animals are rid of his evil."
The body of the deceased person must be prepared for
burial, washed, and shrouded, and a funeral prayer must be
offered for him. Then he should be buried.
The majority of jurists are of the opinion that washing the
body of a dead Muslim is a fard kifayah or a collective
obligation. If some people attend to it, it is done on behalf
of all, as commanded by Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him,
and practiced by the Muslim community.
There is a difference of opinion among Muslim jurists
concerning washing parts severed from a body. According to
Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad and Ibn Hazm these parts must be washed and
shrouded, and funeral prayer should be offered for the
departed soul.
Ash-Shafi'i said: "We were informed that a bird
dropped a (human) hand in Makkah after the Battle of the
Camel. The people identified it by a ring on one of its
fingers (It was the hand of Abdul al-Rahman ibn 'Itab ibn
Usayd (probably killed in the battle). It was washed and a
(funeral) prayer was offered on it. This was witnessed by many
Companions alive at the time.
Ahmad said: Abu Ayub offered funeral prayer on a (severed)
foot of a dead person, while 'Umar offered prayer on a dead
man's bones.
Ibn Hazm said: "A funeral prayer may be offered on any
organ found from a dead Muslim's body. It should be washed and
shrouded, except when it is part of a martyr' s body."
Ibn Hazm further remarks that offering prayer on any organ
found from a Muslim's body is analogous to praying for the
whole person of the deceased, namely, for body and soul.
Abu Hanifah and Malik say, however, that, "If more
than half of a Muslim 's body is found, then it should be
washed and funeral prayer be offered on it, but otherwise it
should not be washed nor should any funeral prayer be offered
on it.
The body of a martyr, that is, a Muslim killed in a battle
at the hands of disbelievers, may not be washed even though it
is in a state of major ritual impurity. His body should be
enshrouded in the clothes he wore when he died if they are
good enough for the purpose. Otherwise some additional cloth
may be used to enshroud his body according to the sunnah. The
body of such a person should be buried in its blood-stained
state. None of his blood should be washed off.
Ahmad reported: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"Do not wash those who die as martyrs, for their every
wound or drop of blood will exude a fragrance like musk on the
Day of Judgement." The Prophet, peace be upon him,
ordered the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud to be buried in
their bloodstained clothes. They were not washed, nor any
funeral prayer offered for them.
Ash-Shafi'i said: "Burying the martyrs without washing
or offering funeral prayer on them may be explained by the
fact that they shall meet Allah with their wounds exuding
fragrance like musk. The honor bestowed on them by Allah frees
them from the need for funeral prayers by others. Moreover it
makes things easier for the surviving Muslims, who may have
received injuries in battle and fear the enemy's attack, and
may be concerned about the security of their families and
their families' worries about them.
Abdullah ibn Ja'far reported that the Messenger of Allah,
peace be upon him, said: "Prepare some food for the
family of Ja'far, for what has befallen them is keeping them
preoccupied." This is narrated by Abu Daw'ud, Ibn Majah
and Tirmizhi, who grades it as a sound hadith.
It is said that the wisdom behind not offering a funeral
prayer on a martyr is that it is offered for a dead person,
whereas a martyr is not dead but alive. Another reason may be
that since prayer is a kind of intercession, the martyrs do
not need it. In fact they will intercede for others.
Those who are not killed in a battle by disbelievers,
though they may be regarded as martyrs in Islamic law, should
be washed and funeral prayer said for them.
The bodies of such martyrs, during the Prophet's time, were
washed. Later on Muslims, during the days of 'Umar, 'Uthman,
and 'Ali, continued this practice (washing the bodies of such
martyrs). We give below details about these martyrs.
Jabir ibn 'Utaik reported that Allah's Messenger said:
"There are seven kinds of martyrs besides those killed in
the cause of Allah:
-1- a person who is killed in an epidemic,
-2- a person who is drowned,
-3- a person who has bed sores that cause fever and a bad
cough resulting in his death,
-4- a person who dies of a stomach disease,
-5- a person who dies in a fire,
-6- a person who dies under falling debris (in a disaster),
and
-7- a woman who dies during childbirth." Ahmad, Abu
Daw'ud and Nasa'i report this hadith based on sound authority.
Abu Hurairah reported that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon
him, asked: "Who do you consider to be a martyr?"
They said: "O Allah's Prophet, he who is killed fighting
for the cause of Allah." The Prophet, peace be upon him,
said: "(If this is so) then very few in my community will
be martyrs! " They asked: "Who else are they, O
Allah's Messenger?" He said: "He who is killed
fighting for Allah's cause is a martyr, he who dies in the
cause of Allah is a martyr, he who dies in an epidemic is a
martyr, he who dies from a stomach disease is a martyr, and
the one who dies of drowning is (also) a martyr." This
hadith is narrated by Muslim.
Sa'id ibn Zaid reported that the Prophet, peace be upon
him, said: "He who is killed while guarding his property
is a martyr, he who is killed while defending himself is a
martyr, and he who is killed defending his religion is a
martyr, and he who dies protecting his family is (also) a
martyr." This hadith is narrated by Ahmad and Tirmizhi.
The latter considers it a sound hadith.
It is not necessary for a Muslim to wash a disbeliever's
body. Some scholars, however, consider it permissible.
According to the Maliki and Hanbali schools, a Muslim may not
wash a disbeliever' s body even if he is one of his near of
kin. Similarly a Muslim is not permitted to shroud him or bury
him unless it is feared that the body would decompose because
of weather conditions, or that it would attract predatory
beasts, etc. In such a case, he may be buried in a hole and
covered with dust. This opinion is based on a tradition
transmitted by Ahmad, Abu Daw'ud, Nasa'i and Al-Baihaqi on the
authority of Ali who said: "I said to Allah's Messenger
'Your uncle, the old misguided man, has passed away. ' The
Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'Go and bury your father and
do not do anything else until you return to me'." ' Ali
said: "I did as he had told me and went back to him. The
Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered me to take a bath, and
then he prayed for me."
Ibn al-Munzhir says there is nothing specific reported from
the Prophet, peace be upon him, about the procedure of washing
the dead body.
The entire body must be washed with water, at least once,
regardless of whether the deceased is a male and needed a
ritual bath, or a female who was menstruating at the time (of
her death). It is recommended that the body be placed on an
elevated surface i.e., a table or a board. It then should be
stripped of clothes, but his 'awra (private parts) should be
covered. (Ash-Shafi'i says that it is better to wash the body
of the deceased wearing a shirt, if it is thin enough to let
water reach the body. The Prophet, peace be upon him, was
washed this way, but it was done only in his case. The common
practice has been to cover the 'awra and wash the body) At the
washing, only people whose presence is needed may stay.
The washer, male or female, must be a trustworthy and pious
person who will not broadcast what he or she might see except
what is good.
Ibn Majah reports that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
said: "Trustworthy persons should wash your dead." A
washer must utter his or her intention to wash the body of a
specific person. Then he should begin by lightly pressing the
stomach of the deceased so as to expel, if possible, any
remnants from it, and then wash the body of all impurities.
The washer should use a wash cloth or wrap his or her hand
with it, because touching the private parts of the dead is
haram (forbidden). Then he or she should wash the deceased as
in wudu (ablution) for the salah (obligatory prayers). The
Prophet, peace be upon him, is reported to have said:
"Begin washing the dead by washing organs on the right,
and those parts that are washed in ablution." This is in
order to crystalize the mark of the believer's parts of the
body always washed during wudu that will shine forth brightly
on the Day of Judgement. Then beginning from its right side,
the body should be washed with soap and water, three times. If
soap is not available, then washing with ordinary water will
suffice. If the washer feels that three washes are not enough
to cleanse the body properly, then he may wash it five or
seven times. According to a sahih hadith, the Prophet, peace
be upon him, said: "Wash the dead body an odd number of
times, that is, three, five, or seven, or more if you feel it
is necessary." (Ibn Abd al-Barr observes: "I know
about no one who recommended more than seven washes."
Ahmad and Ibn al-Munzhir disliked to exceed beyond seven)
Ibn al-Munzhir said: "The Prophet instructed the
female washers to wash the dead body more than seven times in
case they felt it was necessary to do so, but it must be an
odd number of times. If the deceased is a female, then her
hair should be loosened, washed, redone, and placed behind her
back. According to a hadith narrated by Umm 'Atiyyah the hair
of the Prophet's daughter was done in three plaits. I asked:
'Did they loosen her hair and then redo them in three braids?'
She said: 'Yes'." Muslim reports this in these words:
"We braided her hair in three braids, on both sides and
in front (of her)." In his Sahih, Ibn Hibban says:
"They did so in compliance with the order of the Prophet:
'Do her hair in three plaits'."
After having washed the body, it should be dried with a
clean cloth lest the shroud should get wet. Then some perfume
should be applied to it. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"When you apply perfume (to the dead), apply it an odd
number of times after washing it." This is reported by
AlBaihaqi, Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban, of whom the last two
consider it a sound hadith.
Abu Wa'il said: "Ali had some musk, and he requested
that it be applied to his body upon his death. This was of
what was left from the perfume used on the body of the Prophet
upon his death."
The majority of scholars are of the opinion that clipping a
deceased's finger nails, trimming his mustache, shaving the
hair under his arms or from his private parts is makruh
(disliked). Ibn Hazm, however, considers it permissible.
The scholars are agreed that the body of the deceased be
rewashed if the stomach excrete something (i.e., urine or
stool) after it had been washed and prior to being shrouded.
They differ, however, whether in such a case the entire body
should be rewashed. Some hold that the body must be washed
again in such a case. Others are of the opinion that there is
no need to wash the whole body again, while still others hold
that at least wudu (ablution) must be repeated in such a case.
Some others hold that in such a case the entire washing must
be repeated.
The opinions of most scholars concerning washing of the
dead are based on the hadith transmitted by the group on the
authority of Umm 'Atiyyah who said: "The Prophet came to
our house when his daughter died, and said: 'Wash her three
times, five times, or more than that if you consider it
necessary, with water and sidr (lotus tree leaves), and after
the last wash apply some camphor to the body, and inform me
after you have done so.' So when we finished washing we
informed him. He gave us a cloth that he wore around his
waist, and told us to wrap her in it as a first sheet of
shroud."
The reason for using camphor, as mentioned by some
scholars, is its pleasant smell, since burial is a time when
angels are present. Besides, it is cool and has a soothing
effect, especially when the body stiffens, and helps keep
various insects away from the body, thus preventing its early
decomposition. In case camphor is not available, any other
substance that has these or some of these properties may be
used instead.
If there is no water to wash the dead body, then it may be
cleaned with tayammum (ablution with dust), for Allah says in
the Qur'an: "If you do not find water, then perform
tayammum (ablution with dust)." And the Prophet said:
"The entire earth has been made pure and a mosque for
me." Similarly if it is feared that the body might
deteriorate if it is washed, then it may be given a tayammum.
The same applies to a woman who passes away when there is
no other woman around to wash her, or if a man dies and there
are only women but no man to wash him. Abu Daw'ud in his
collection of Marasil, and Al-Baihaqi on the authority of
Makhul, report that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"If a woman dies while she is with men and there is no
other woman with them, or if a man dies while with woman, and
there is no other man there, then the body of the dead person
may be given a tayammum instead of washing it and then it
should be buried. They both will be regarded as ones who died
when there was no water available to wash (and purify)."
The body of a woman shall be given tayammum by one of her
mahrim consanguine relatives with his hand. If there is no
consanguine relative present, then any other man can give her
a tayammum by wrapping a piece of cloth around his hand. This
is the opinion of Abu Hanifah and Ahmad. Malik and Ash-Shafi'i
are of the view that "if a male relative of the deceased
is available, then he should wash the body of the dead woman,
for in matters of 'awrah ('Awrah (Arabic), those parts of a
person's body which must be covered. A man must cover the
front and back of his pubic region. There is disagreement
about the navel, thighs, and knees. There is, however, no
disagreement over what constitutes a woman's 'awrah. Her
entire body is 'awrah and must be covered, except her hands
and face) (nakedness of the private parts) and being alone
with a woman, she is considered and treated in such a case as
a male person for him.
In Al-Murawwa it is noted that Malik said: "I heard
the scholars saying: 'If a woman dies and there is no other
woman there to wash her, nor any male consanguine relative nor
her husband who could undertake this responsibility, then she
should be given a tayammum, wiping her face and hands with dry
soil'." Malik said: "The same should be done in the
case of a man who dies and there are only women around
him." (Ibn Hazm holds that if a man dies while among
women and there is no man around, or if a woman dies while
among men with no other woman around, then the women may wash
the body of the man and the men the body of the woman while
covered in thick cloth. The water should be poured over the
whole body without any physical contact. He is of the view
that tayamm~m may not be given instead of a wash except when
no water is available)
The jurists are agreed on the permissibility of a wife
washing the body of her dead husband. 'Aishah said: "Had
I known then what I know now, I would not have allowed anyone,
except his wives, to wash the body of the Prophet." This
has been transmitted by Ahmad and Abu Daw'ud, and by al-Hakim,
who considers it a sound hadith.
There is a difference of opinion, however, on the
permissibility of the husband washing the body of his dead
wife. The majority of scholars, nonetheless, consider it
permissible, as is shown by a report, narrated by ad-Daraqutni
and Al-Baihaqi, that Ali washed the body of Fatimah on her
death. This is also supported by a hadith that the Prophet,
peace be upon him, said to 'Aishah: "If you die before
me, I will myself wash you and enshroud you." Ibn Majah
records this hadith.
The Hanafi school holds that it is not permissible for a
husband to wash his wife's dead body, and if there is no other
woman available then he should give her tayammum. However, the
above hadith prove the contrary of this view.
The
materials provided here are ONLY
extracts of Arabic-English
Dictionary Of Sheikh Adelabu
(Ph. D. Damas). Fully
edited versions and better
formats are available upon
written requests from awqafafrica.com
and Awqaf Africa Muslim Open
College, London.
Alphabetical
Entries Indexed For
Arabic-English Dictionary Of
Sheikh Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas) ::
ألفبيات
مادّات
مفهرسة
للقاموس
العربي
الإنجليزي
للشيخ
أديلابو
-
دكتوراه
من
دمسق
Studying
Grammars And Linguistics Of The
Kitaab And Sunnah Under Sheikh
Adelabu, Ph. D. Damas
Users
or reproducers of this
Arabic-English Dictionary Of
Sheikh Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas)
for the purposes of Da'wah and
Islamic Studies do not need a
permission. However, awqafafrica.com
suggests users or reproducers
quote this site and/or the sole
author of this dictionary -
Sheikh Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas).
This dictionary is not for
commercial gains or profit
making. It's intended by
our Sheikh to be an act of 'Iba^dah.
May Allah accept it from our
Sheikh
The Encyclopedic Dictionary Of As-Sunnah
- Hadith By Sheikh Adelabu
(Ph. D. Damas) is only available
on this portal to proven Du'aat
and known or recommended students
of Knowledge. Learned
individuals can acquired all
volumes and full packages of the
Encyclopedia.
Arabic
English Dictionary Of Sheikh
Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas) ::
قاموس
عربي -
إنجليزي
للشيخ
أديلابو
-
دكتوراه
من
دمشق -