Chapters Regarding Funerals

"‏ خَيْرُ الْكَفَنِ الْحُلَّةُ ‏"

“The best of shrouds is the Hullah (two-piecer).”

"‏ إِذَا وَلِيَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ فَلْيُحْسِنْ كَفَنَهُ ‏"

“If anyone of you is charged with taking care of his brother (after death), let him shroud him well.”

"‏ لاَ تُدْرِجُوهُ فِي أَكْفَانِهِ حَتَّى أَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِ ‏"

“When Ibrahim the son of the Prophet (ﷺ) died, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to them: ‘Do not wrap him in his shroud until I look at him.’ He came to him, bent over and wept.”

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ بِلاَلِ بْنِ يَحْيَى، قَالَ كَانَ حُذَيْفَةُ إِذَا مَاتَ لَهُ الْمَيِّتُ قَالَ لاَ تُؤْذِنُوا بِهِ أَحَدًا إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يَكُونَ نَعْيًا إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ بِأُذُنَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ يَنْهَى عَنِ النَّعْىِ ‏.‏

“If one of the members of his family died, Hudhaifah would say: ‘Do not inform anyone of it, for I am afraid that that would be a public death announcement. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with these two ears of mine forbidding making public death announcements.’”

"‏ أَسْرِعُوا بِالْجِنَازَةِ فَإِنْ تَكُنْ صَالِحَةً فَخَيْرٌ تُقَدِّمُونَهَا إِلَيْهِ وَإِنْ تَكُنْ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَشَرٌّ تَضَعُونَهُ عَنْ رِقَابِكُمْ ‏"

‘Hasten with the funeral (procession), for if the person was righteous then you are advancing him towards good, and if he was otherwise then it is evil which you are taking off of your necks.”

حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ نِسْطَاسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ جِنَازَةً فَلْيَحْمِلْ بِجِوَانِبِ السَّرِيرِ كُلِّهَا فَإِنَّهُ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ ثُمَّ إِنْ شَاءَ فَلْيَتَطَوَّعْ وَإِنْ شَاءَ فَلْيَدَعْ ‏.‏

“ ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud said: ‘Whoever follows a funeral (procession), let him carry all (four) corners of it (in turn), for that is Sunnah. Then if he wishes let him voluntarily carry it, and if he wishes let him not do so.’”

"‏ لِتَكُنْ عَلَيْكُمُ السَّكِينَةُ ‏"

“You should move with tranquility.”

"‏ أَلاَ تَسْتَحْيُونَ أَنَّ مَلاَئِكَةَ اللَّهِ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى أَقْدَامِهِمْ وَأَنْتُمْ رُكْبَانٌ ‏"

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw some people riding on their animals in a funeral (procession). He said: ‘Do you not feel ashamed that the angels of Allah are walking on foot and you are riding?’”

"‏ الرَّاكِبُ خَلْفَ الْجِنَازَةِ وَالْمَاشِي مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شَاءَ ‏"

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘The rider should travel behind the funeral (procession) but the one who is walking may walk wherever he wants.”

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَهِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، وَسَهْلُ بْنُ أَبِي سَهْلٍ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ يَمْشُونَ أَمَامَ الْجِنَازَةِ ‏.‏

“I saw the Prophet (ﷺ), Abu Bakr and ‘Umar walking ahead of the funeral (procession).”