Fiqh-Us-Sunnah Notes, Janaa’iz (Funerals), Ch. 4: What Should Be Done When Someone Dies

Fiqh-Us-Sunnah, Volume 4, Janaa’iz (Funerals)

CHAPTER 4: What Should be Done When Someone Dies

{{All Notes are between these double curled brackets.}}

It is sunnah to do the following when a person dies:

{{Note: Sub-Chapter: What to do when someone is on his/her deathbed:}}

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.”) {{Note: This is unauthentic. However please read this (from IslamQA).}}

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’.”

{{Note: Sub-Chapter: What to do when someone dies:}}

1 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.”

2 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! !”

3 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 {{Note: “Wahwah” not 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.” {{Note: AD 3159 – Unauthentic, but the meaning is sound}}

{{Note: The burial cannot be delayed under any circumstances unless and only if you need water for the ghusl (and it will take time for getting the water) or it will take time to dig the grave etc (only for the compulsory things needed to do when a person dies). You should bury it in the place where it died, nearest Muslim cemetary. It is against the sunnah to transport it to a different country! Hadith: “Hurry up in the burial”}}

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.” {{Note: T 171 and its unauthentic}}

{{Note: After passing the bridge of siraat, there is a place where you will not proceed untill all complaints against you are settled (including debts) – This is still on the day of Judgement.

You should bury a person ASAP because (a) it is forbidden to make the body decomposed and (b) because the prophet (saw) said ‘Don’t delay the burial”}}

4 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. {{Note: T 1078}}

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.”{{Note: B 2387}}

{{Note: When someone dies leaving behind money, that money first goes to (a) the payment of the funeral, then (b) any debt he hasn’t paid off, then (c) on his will (the one third he can give away to anyone other than those who he is already obliged to give to), and finally to (d) his inheritors.}}

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’.” {{Note: A 1/198}}

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).”{{Note: B 6731}}

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.

CHAPTER 4a: On invoking Allah upon witnessing Death

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.” {{Note: This will only happen when you say it straight away.}} 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).” {{Note: M 919. There is a hadith where a woman sahaabi’s son (or daughter(?)) passed away, and she was weeping over him (or her) at the grave side. The prophet (saw) passed by and said “have patience” (or words 2 that effect) at which she replied “Go away, you dont know how it feels like.” (or words to that effect), she was then told that he was the Messenger of Allaah, at which she was shocked that she spoke such words. She immediately hurried to the prophet (saw)’s house and entered to appolagise to him for not showing him respect, and said ythat she would say those words (Inna lilaahi wa inna ilayi raji’un) but the prophet (saw) said “You had your chance.” (this is what i remember of the story, tho it may need tweeking). From THIS story (just mentioned) we can see how easy it was for the common folk to get acces to their leader (Rasool Allaah) unlike nowadays where you have to go through 100’s of ppl!}}

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. {{Note: T 1021, Hadith qudsi. Hadith qudsi differs with the Qur’an in many ways. Qudsi= Allaah to Gibrael to Muhammad (saw), Qur’an = Allaah to Muhammad (saw). Qudsi = Unauthentic as well as authentic narrations. Qur’an = 100% authentic. Qudsi = No rewards for each letter. Qur’an = 10 rewards per letter. Many other differences.

“Apple” mentioned in the above hadith qudsi mean “fruit”, refering to something very close and dear to him.}}

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.”{{Note: B 6424}}

“Those who say, when afflicted with calamity, ‘To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return,’ are those on whom descend (a) blessings from Allah, and (b) mercy, and they are the ones who (c) 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.”

“Who, when afflicted with a calamity say ;’Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly to Him we shall return’ They are those on whom are the salawaat (i.e. blessings etc.)(i.e. who are belssed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) recieve His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:157)

CHAPTER 4b: Informing the Deceased’s Family and Friends

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.{{Note: B 1245 & M 951.

The king of Abyssinia reverted to Islam but did not inform anyone about it (the prophet (saw) knew through wayi (revelation)) while he was still the king ruling the Christians. The prophet (saw) done salaat ul-Janaaza over him form Madinah, this will be discussed further.

The more people come for the janaza prayer, the better it is for the deceased, as we shall soon see in the following chapters.}}

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. {{Note: B 1246

The prophet was in the masjid at the time, and through revelation was informing his companions about the deaths of the mujaahids one by one exactly when they died. After Ibn Rawaahah, the flag was given to Khalid Bin Walid. The Muslims then took victory.

Khalid Bin Waleed was named the “Sword Of Allaah” by … (Allaah ?). Unknown to many people, he did not die as a shaheed, the reason (and Allaah knows best) for this being that no-one is capable of putting a end to the “Sword Of Allaah”. He cried on his deathbed saying “How far/long I have searched for becoming a shaheed, yet here I am dying on my bed!” }}

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 Tirmidhi on the authority of Huzhaifah, says that Huzhaifah said: “When I pass away, let no one vex/harm 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.” {{Note: T 986. This used to happen in the days of Jaahiliya}}

CHAPTER 4c: Weeping Over the Dead

{{Note: 3 days max, but a woman has to mourn for 4 months and 10 days (no longer, no shorter) for her husbands death. This is his right over her, even after his death.}}

Muslim scholars are agreed that weeping for the dead is permissible, whereas screaming and wailing {{Note: wailing = exaggeration, shouting, going over the top etc.}} 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. {{Note: B 1304 & M 924}}

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.” {{Note: B 1303 & M 2315}} He also wept when his grand daughter, Umaymah, daughter of Zainab, died. {{Note: He used to carry her even while praying salaah (Bukhari) }}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. {{Note: B 1284 & M 923}}

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 {{Note: i.e. screaming}}. 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’.” {{Note: B 1290 & M 927}}

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’.” {{Note: B 1291 & M 933

This may seem similar to the “original sin” i.e, getting punished for something you didn’t do. But here it is because you never forbade them beforehand, when you had the chance (when you were alive). Good and bad deeds follow you in the grave, bad deeds of others come unless you forbid them from doing them. }}

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. {{Note: B 1291 & M 933}}

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’.” {{Note: A 3/165, and its UNAUTHENTIC.}}

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. {{Note: B 4267}}

CHAPTER 4d: Wailing over the Dead

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: (1) taking pride in one’s parentage, (2) giving a person a father other than his own genealogical father, (3) believing that rain is caused by some stars, and (4) 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. {{Note: M 934}}

Umm ‘Atiyyah reports: “The Messenger of Allah made us pledge that we will not wail over (the dead)” (Bukhari and Muslim) {{Note: B 1306 & M 939}}. Al-Bazzar {{Note: BZ 795}}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 {{Note: Music not 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). {{Note: B 1296 & M 104}}

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)’.” {{Note: N (Nasa’e) 4/16}}