ISLAMQA Ruling Compilation About The Dead

ISLAMQA Rulings regarding Dying-Dead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial Ceremonies, Visiting Graves etc.
Compilation of ISLAMQA rulings regarding the DyingDead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial ceremonies, Visiting Graves, etc.
The answers were not edited they are in the exact wording as in the website however some of the questions were edited to shorten their length
May Allah Accept this effort
Contents
1. What is meant in the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Exhort your dying ones to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah? ....................................................................................... 9 ***2. Is it essential to be present at the moment a person dies, and what should those who are present do? .......................................................................................................................................... 12 **3. In my culture people read sura Yaseen in groups before and after people die. I would like to know if whether this is based on sunnah or an innovation? ............................................................... 12 4. Is it prescribed for those who are present with a dying Muslim to recite Soorat Yaa-Seen for him, because it makes it easier for the soul to depart. Is there any evidence for that? .............................. 13 5. Does the Shaytaan call the dying person to become a non-muslim? And what is meant by the trials of death? .................................................................................................................................. 16 ***6. What is meant by the deceased being tormented because of his familys crying for him? ............ 19 ****7. What to do if someone dies suddenly in your house ................................................................ 25 8. If a person dies due to failure of his digestive system then he is a shaheed (martyr) .................... 28 9. Is the one who dies in a car accident a martyr (shaheed)? ............................................................. 29 10. What is the ruling on one who dies in a state of janaabah? .......................................................... 30 **11. Does weeping and shedding tears for the deceased cause him any harm? ............................... 31 12. It is permissible for a woman to see her husband after he has died? ........................................... 32 13. Ruling on extracting the foetus from a dead woman .................................................................... 34 14. Is there a reward for preparing the deceased for burial? ............................................................. 34 15. Taking the deceased back to his homeland ................................................................................... 35 **16. Is it permissible to trim the moustache, armpit hairs, nails and pubic hairs of the deceased? . 37 17. What is the ruling on reading Quraan over the deceased and placing the Mus-haf on his stomach? .............................................................................................................................................. 37 18. What is the ruling on starting to wash the deceased with soap and shampoo if there is a lot of dirt on him?.......................................................................................................................................... 38 19. What is the ruling on cleaning the teeth of the deceased with miswaak? .................................... 39 20. Is it permissible to be paid for washing the deceased? ................................................................. 39 21. Ghusl for deceased who is burned ................................................................................................. 40 22. Should ghusl be done for a woman who dies in childbirth or immediately afterwards? ............. 41 23. Should the person who has been killed wrongfully, like the shaheed, not be washed or prayed for, or should he be washed and prayed for (janaazah or funeral prayer)? ....................................... 42 2
ISLAMQA Rulings regarding Dying-Dead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial Ceremonies, Visiting Graves etc. 24. Should the funeral prayer be offered for the shaheed when he is killed? ..................................... 42 25. How a woman is to be shrouded ...................................................................................................... 44 26. Is it permissible to shroud a man in a chemise? ............................................................................... 46 27. Should the shaheed be washed and shrouded? ............................................................................... 47 28. If the deceased is poor, who should pay the expenses of shrouding him, washing him and burying him etc? ................................................................................................................................................ 48 29. Ruling on making death announcements from mosque minarets via loudspeaker ............................ 50 30. What are the kinds of death announcement that are permissible and forbidden? Is announcing the death of a person in the mosque haraam? .................................................................................... 52 31. Permissibility of announcing death in chat rooms for the purpose of receiving condolences ..... 57 32. Ruling on placing death notices on the board in the mosque ....................................................... 58 33. Perfuming the deceased and applying bukhoor to the shroud for men and women .................... 59 34. Reserving one's grave .................................................................................................................... 61 35. Some people wear black clothes when someone close to them dies. Is this a kind of bidah (innovation) or is it proven in the Sunnah?. ........................................................................................ 61 36. Ruling on visiting a sick kaafir and attending his funeral ................................................................... 62 **37. Please explain to us how the funeral prayer is to be offered, as reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ...................................................................................... 63 38. If one misses some of the takbeers of the funeral prayer, how should he join the prayer with the imam? ................................................................................................................................................... 64 39. Ruling on reciting al-Faatihah during the Janaazah (funeral) prayer ........................................... 64 40. Where the imaam should stand for the funeral prayer? ............................................................... 64 ****41. How to offer the funeral prayer over more than one grave.................................................... 65 42. Is the opening duaa prescribed in the funeral prayer? ................................................................ 66 **43. Is there any benefit in having a large number of people to pray the funeral prayer? ............... 67 44. Is it permissible to offer the funeral prayer in the mosque? ......................................................... 67 45. Ruling on women praying the janaazah (funeral) prayer ............................................................. 68 46. Funeral prayer for a child .............................................................................................................. 69 47. Can one avoid funeral ceremony of a cruel Person? ..................................................................... 69 48. What is the ruling on stating the gender of the deceased, whether male or female, when offering the funeral prayer for him or her? ....................................................................................................... 72 49. How should we make duaa in the funeral prayer if it is offered for a male or a female or for two people, or if the deceased is a child?.................................................................................................... 73
ISLAMQA Rulings regarding Dying-Dead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial Ceremonies, Visiting Graves etc. 50. Can the funeral prayer be offered for one who did not pray? ....................................................... 73 **51. Can they offer the funeral prayer over one who did not pray for fear of fitnah that may result if they do not do it? ................................................................................................................................. 75 52. What is the ruling on travelling in order to offer the funeral prayer? .......................................... 76 53. How to make up what one has missed of the janaazah (funeral) prayer ...................................... 76 54. Offering the funeral prayer for the deceased several years after the burial ................................. 77 55. When a person dies and the funeral prayer is not offered for him ............................................... 79 56. When is it prescribed to offer the funeral prayer in absentia? ..................................................... 81 57. Offering the funeral prayer over the grave when visiting it .......................................................... 81 **58. If a family member dies overseas, what should the family do over here? 1. can we perform the janaza prayer, that means there will be two janaza prayers, one overseas and one here. Is it allowed? 2. Are we allowed to read the quran together and hopefully the blessing will go to the deceased? 3. Do we have to do a special Quran reading and invite people for a meal after three days and after 40 days also? ........................................................................................................................ 83 **59. What is the ruling on covering the bier with a cover on which are written some Quraanic verses or Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah? ......................................................................................................... 84 **60. When following a funeral cortege some people raise their voices and ask the people to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god except Allaah) or Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great). What is the ruling on that? ...................................................................................................................................... 85 **61. Bidah of reciting Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah when following a funeral procession. What is the Sunnah when following a funeral procession and when burying the deceased? ............................... 85 **62. Ruling on Competing to carry the bier (A coffin along with its stand) ...................................... 86 63. Carrying the deceased on a bier made of iron ............................................................................... 87 64. Following the funeral processions of those who worshipped graves ........................................... 87 65. Following the funeral procession of one who used to pray to graves for help ............................. 88 66. Following the funeral procession of a kaafir ................................................................................. 89 67. Attending the funeral of a non-Muslim relative in the church ...................................................... 89 **68. Is it permissible to delay burying the deceased until some of his relatives come from other cities, at their request?......................................................................................................................... 92 69. What is the ruling on giving the adhaan at the graveside? ............................................................ 92 70. Ruling on burying the deceased in a coffin .................................................................................... 93 **71. Is it permissible to bury the dead at night? ................................................................................ 94 **72. What is the correct way of burying the deceased in the shaqq [trench] & lahd (niche)? .......... 95 **73. According to the Sunnah, what should be said at the burial? .................................................... 96 4
ISLAMQA Rulings regarding Dying-Dead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial Ceremonies, Visiting Graves etc. 74. Who is the one who should lower the deceased into the grave? .................................................. 97 **75. Should the deceased be turned to face the Qiblah when he dies? ............................................. 97 76. What is the ruling on untying the knots in the grave and exposing the face of the deceased in the grave? ................................................................................................................................................... 98 77. Once the deceased has been placed in the grave, is it permissible to uncover his face or should we leave it covered? ............................................................................................................................. 99 ***78. Covering the grave of a woman when she is placed in it ........................................................... 100 ***79. Is it permissible to remove the bones of the deceased from the grave in order to bury someone else in it? ............................................................................................................................. 101 **80. How should supplication be offered for the deceased after burying him and leveling the soil on the grave -- sitting or standing? Which of them is better? ................................................................ 103 ***81. Should prayer for the deceased at the grave be offered together? ........................................ 103 82. It is not allowed to plant trees on graves .................................................................................... 104 ***83. It is not prescribed to put palm-leaf stalks or flowers on graves ........................................... 105 **84. Should we place green leaves on graves so that the punishment of the deceased may be reduced?............................................................................................................................................. 107 85. Ruling on reading Quraan at the graveside and putting roses and fragrant herbs on the grave ............................................................................................................................................................ 109 86. Does a tree growing on the grave indicate that the deceased person was righteous? ............... 110 87. Burial of one who dies at sea ....................................................................................................... 110 88. Where should a Christian woman be buried who was pregnant by her Muslim husband? ....... 110 89. Burying one who neglected prayer with the Muslims ................................................................ 111 90. Burying innovators in the graveyards of Ahl al-Sunnah ............................................................. 112 91. Burying a kaafir in the Muslim graveyard ................................................................................... 112 92. Burying kaafirs ............................................................................................................................. 112 93. It is haraam to bury the dead inside mosques ............................................................................. 113 94. Is it prescribed in Islam to give a speech or exhortation at the graveside? ................................ 114 **95. Is it permissible to put a piece of metal or a marker on a grave on which is written verses of the Quraan in addition to the name of the deceased and the date of his death, etc.? ...................... 115 **96. Is it permissible to put a marker on a grave so that it will be known whose grave it is? ........ 115 **97. Is it permissible to buy land so that he may be buried in it when he dies? ............................. 117 98. If there is no Muslim graveyard or there is one but it is too expensive, where should the Muslim be buried? .......................................................................................................................................... 119 99. Muslim being washed and buried with the kuffaar......................................................................... 120 5
ISLAMQA Rulings regarding Dying-Dead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial Ceremonies, Visiting Graves etc. 100. What is the ruling on sprinkling water on the grave after burying the dead, justifying this by saying that it makes the dust solid on the grave? Does it make it cool for the dead? ...................................... 120 101. Is it permissible to bury the husband with his wife in one grave? ................................................. 121 102. What is the Islamic ruling on the family of the deceased standing in a single row after the burial is completed, in order to receive condolences from people? .................................................................. 122 103. Is it permissible to play a part in establishing a venue for condolence gatherings and other occasions? ........................................................................................................................................... 124 **104. Some people offer condolences by saying, May the rest of his life be added to your life ....... 125 **105. If I want to visit my fathers grave, what should I do? What is the etiquette of visiting graveyards? Are there any things I should pay attention to? ................................................................................... 125 106. Wailing and visiting graves ........................................................................................................... 127 107. Praying at graves and the conditions of intercession .................................................................... 128 108. Is it permissible to face the grave when making duaa for its occupant? ...................................... 131 109. Permissibility of women visiting graves ........................................................................................ 132 110. What is the ruling on singling out Fridays for visiting graves? ....................................................... 133 **111. It is sufficient to greet the dead with salaam once when first entering the graveyard ............... 134 112. What is the ruling on walking in the graveyard wearing shoes? .................................................... 134 113. Ruling on answering the call of nature in a graveyard .................................................................. 135 114. What is the ruling on a Muslim visiting the graves of kaafirs? ....................................................... 136 115. I wanted to know if it is wrong to miss someone who has died?................................................... 137 116. Are there any saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of the ransoming of the living and the dead during Ramadaan? ......................................................................................................................................... 138 117. Can I offer udhiyah (sacrifice) on behalf of my deceased parents?. .............................................. 139 **118. What is the ruling on eulogizing the dead and holding parties and gatherings for that purpose? ............................................................................................................................................................ 140 **119. Ruling on reciting Quraan for another person, living or dead ................................................... 144 120. Is a child obliged to pay off his parents debt? .............................................................................. 146 121. Ruling on offering condolences and thanking people for condolences in newspapers and magazines ............................................................................................................................................................ 147 122. Opening the grave and scattering seeds in it ................................................................................ 147 123. Ruling on excavating graves ......................................................................................................... 148 124. What is the ruling on making food during the period of mourning? What is the ruling on guests of the household eating the food that has been brought to them? .......................................................... 149
ISLAMQA Rulings regarding Dying-Dead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial Ceremonies, Visiting Graves etc. 125. Ruling on giving clothing or money to the family of the deceased instead of giving them food ..... 149 126. Is it permissible for a scholar to attend condolence gatherings to encourage the family of the deceased to be patient, remind them of the transience of this world, explain to them the benefits of patience, and console them so that the condolence gathering will become like one of the gardens of Paradise?............................................................................................................................................. 150 **127. Is setting a date to meet and read the entire Quraan for a deceased person and to pray for him, and doing this every year a bidah.?..................................................................................................... 152 **128. Rulings on the mourning of a woman whose husband has died ................................................ 152 **129. What is the ruling on what many people do nowadays: if a family member dies the family gathers in his house and people come to offer them condolences? .................................................................. 155 **130. What is the origin of the forty-day anniversary? Is there any evidence that eulogizing is acceptable in Islam? ............................................................................................................................ 156 **131. In the indo Pak bangladesh subcontinent, there is something in the culture where if any Muslim dies then after 40 days we observe a day of supplication and rememberance of that person so I would like to know the islamic ruling on these kind of observences?.............................................................. 157 **132. Gathering in the house of the deceased and offering a collective duaa for him ...................... 158 133. Munkar (denounced) actions during mourning ceremonies ......................................................... 159 **134. Rulings on organizing a gathering to remember the deceased .................................................. 160 135. Offering condolences to the family of a sinner ............................................................................. 163 136. Offering condolences to a non-Muslim on the death of a relative ................................................ 164 137. Does mentioning the deceased and grieving over him harm him in his grave? ............................. 164 **138. Is it permissible to offer a sacrifice for the dead? ..................................................................... 165 139. What is the correct way to do Umrah on behalf of my deceased father after I do it for myself? .. 165 140. Is it possible to send someone else to do Hajj on behalf of the deceased instead of his son? ....... 166 141. I give out money on my father's behalf (deceased). I would like to do good for my father, what else can I do other than feed a Muslim for the month of Ramadan? ........................................................... 167 142. What can benefit the deceased after his death? Can he hear what the living say? ....................... 168 ***143. Benefitting the deceased by giving charity on his behalf......................................................... 171 144. What is the ruling on reciting al-Faatihah and giving the reward for it to the deceased? .............. 173 ***145. Can I do some dhikr, praying that the reward for that will be give to my father and mother? My father has died and my mother is still alive. ......................................................................................... 174 146. Giving the reward for acts of worship to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ............................................................................................................................................................ 176
ISLAMQA Rulings regarding Dying-Dead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial Ceremonies, Visiting Graves etc. 147. When I read the Holy Qur'aan I would like my relatives who passed away to benefit from my reading ? ............................................................................................................................................. 178 148. Can I divide my hasanaat (reward for good deeds) into three parts - one third for me, one third for my mother and one third for my father? ............................................................................................. 179 149. If a person offers a sacrifice on behalf of his deceased father or gives charity on his behalf or prays for him, and visits his grave, will he be aware that it is from his son so-and-so? ................................... 181 150. Ruling on ataaqah or reading Quraan for the dead ..................................................................... 182 **151. What is the ruling on reading Quraan over graves? Saying duaa for the deceased at the graveside? Saying duaa for oneself at the graveside?......................................................................... 184 **152. Ruling on reading Quraan over the grave of a dead person ..................................................... 185 **153. Reading Quraan together, giving good deeds to the dead, and al-Mawlid al-Nabawi (celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) ........................................... 186 154. How to write a will ...................................................................................................................... 191 155. What is the shari wording of the will? ......................................................................................... 194 156. Is it permissible for the heirs to agree on males and females taking equal shares? ....................... 196 157. What is narrated in saheeh ahaadeeth about the description of Munkar and Nakeer? ................. 197 158. If a woman passes by a graveyard, should she say salaam to the occupants? ............................... 198 159. Womens bad behaviour in graveyards ........................................................................................ 199 ***160. How can he seek the forgiveness of one who has died? ......................................................... 200 **161. Salutations at graves ................................................................................................................ 201 ***162. It is haraam for women to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) .................................................................................................................................................... 204 163. Is it permissible to pray for one who committed suicide? ............................................................. 204 164. Ruling on suicide and on offering the funeral prayer and praying for one who has committed suicide ............................................................................................................................................................ 206 ***165. Rulings on miscarried foetus .................................................................................................. 207 166. Before she died, my wife miscarried a foetus aged four months. She took the foetus and buried it without praying for it. Please advise me as to whether I have to do anything. ..................................... 210 167. Is there any report that more souls are taken during Shabaan?................................................... 210
1. What is meant in the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Exhort your dying ones to say Laa ilaaha illAllaah?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/36826 Praise be to Allaah. Exhorting means teaching and explaining. What is meant by exhorting the dying person to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah is that there should be someone with him who can remind him to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, as if teaching and prompting a small child. It is mustahabb to exhort the dying person to utter the Kalimah or word of faith in this situation, so that his life will end with that and it will be the last words that he utters. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined it. It was narrated that Abu Saeed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Exhort your dying ones to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Narrated by Muslim, 916. It was narrated that Muaadh ibn Jabal (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: If a persons last words are Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Paradise will be guaranteed for him. Narrated by Ahmad, 21529; Abu Dawood, 3116; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa al-Ghaleel, 687 It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) visited a man from among the Ansaar when he was sick and he said: O maternal uncle, say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. He said: Maternal uncle or paternal uncle? He said: Maternal uncle. He said: Is it better for me to say it? He said: Yes. Narrated by Ahmad, 13414. AlAlbaani said in Ahkaam al-Janaaiz: its isnaad is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim. The dying person should not be bothered with repeated requests to say it, if he has said it and does not say anything after that. Al-Nawawi said: They (the scholars) regarded it as makrooh to exhort him repeatedly or continuously, lest that cause him hardship and distress and he dislikes that in his heart and says something that is not appropriate. They said: If he says it once, he need not be reminded again unless he says something else after that, in which case he should be reminded again so that it will be the last thing that he says. End quote. When Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mubaarak (may Allaah have mercy on him) was dying, a man started prompting him to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, and he did that a great deal. He said to him: You are not doing something good. I fear that you will annoy a Muslim after me. When you prompted
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me, if I say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, then I did not say anything else after that, leave me alone, but if I say anything, then exhort me to say it again, so that it will be the last thing I say. Siyar Alaam al-Nubala, 8/418 This exhortation is prescribed even if the dying person is a kaafir, because if he says it before the soul is taken, saying it will benefit him, even if he is punished for his sins. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Exhort your dying ones to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, for if a persons last words are Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah at the time of death, he will enter Paradise at some point, no matter what befalls him before that. Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 5150. Another indication that the command to exhort the dying to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah includes kaafirs too is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did with his paternal uncle Abu Taalib, and with the Jewish boy who used to serve him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was present when his uncle Abu Taalib was dying, and he said to him: O uncle, say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, a word for which I will testify for you before Allaah. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3884; Muslim, 24. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was also present when the Jewish boy who used to serve him was dying. He said to him: Become Muslim according to the report narrated by Ahmad (12381): Say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1356. Two notes from Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him): Should this exhortation come in the form of a command, whereby one says to the dying person: Say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah or should it be done by repeating the words in his presence so that he will remember them when he hears someone saying them by his side? Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: That depends on the condition of the sick person. If he is of strong faith and can accept the command, or if he is a kaafir, he should be commanded to say it, by saying: Say Laa ilaaha illAllaah, Let your life end with Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah and so on. If he is a Muslim and is of weak faith, he should not be commanded, rather Allaah should be mentioned in his presence so that he will hear and remember. This differentiation is based on the reports and on rational thinking. In the reports, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded his uncle Abu Taalib, when he was dying, to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. He said: O uncle, say Laa ilaaha illAllaah. As for rational thinking: If he says it, all well and good, and if he does not say it, he is a kaafir anyway. If we assume that if he did not like this command and did not say it, then he remains as he is and nothing has changed. If he is a Muslim and can bear it if we tell him to say it, it will not affect him, but if he is weak (in faith) and we tell him to say it, perhaps he will react by becoming upset and angry, and he will reject it as he is departing this world. There are some
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people who, if they are told to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah when they are in a state of good health, they will say: I will never say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. At times of anger, some people get so confused that they say, I do not to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. So what do you think about this situation? Secondly: We are to exhort the dying person to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah and not Muhammad rasoolAllaah because this is what is narrated in the hadeeth: Exhort your dying ones to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: If a persons last words in this world are Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, he will enter Paradise. The word of Tawheed is the key to Islam, and whatever comes after that is additional. If a person combines both phrases of the Shahaadah and says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Muhammad rasool Allaah, this does not mean that his last words in this world are not Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, because the testimony that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allaah is a part of that affirmation. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) regarded these words, along with the testimony that Allaah is God, as a single principle, and there is no need to exhort the person repeatedly. The apparent meaning of the evidence is that it is not sufficient for the dying person to say Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allaah, rather he must say: Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/177 The evidence that the Muslim should be commanded to say it if he is strong in faith is derived from the hadeeth about the Ansaari that is quoted above, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded him to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah: O maternal uncle, say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Similarly, the doctor said to Umar ibn al-Khattaab, after he gave him milk to drink and the milk came out of his wound solid and white: O Ameer al-Mumineen, recommend someone to succeed you. Umar said: You are being truthful with me. Had you said something else, I would not have believed you. The people wept when they heard that and he said: Do not weep for us. Whoever wants to weep, let him go out. Did you not hear what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said The deceased is tormented because of his familys weeping over him? Narrated by Ahmad, 296; Ahmad Shaakir said: its isnaad is saheeh. Islam Q&A
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***2. Is it essential to be present at the moment a person dies, and what should those who are present do?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/21870 Praise be to Allaah. If you are present at the death of one of your parents or relatives, or others, then it is Sunnah for those who are present to remind him to say the Shahaadah. When he has died and his soul has departed, they should close his eyes, because when the soul departs the gaze follows it. At that point it is not permissible to panic and wail and so on. If a person is unable to stay with the one who is dying, because he is afraid and is not used to seeing such things, there is no sin on him, but he should try to get used to such things because it will help him spiritually. It may be an individual obligation (fard ayn) upon a person if there is no one else available, in which case he will be sinning if he does not do it. Shaykh Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr. If there is no one else available to close the eyes of the dead Muslim, then cover him, then wash and shroud him, apart from one Muslim, then it becomes obligatory for him to stay with his deceased brother in order to fulfil the obligations towards him. But if there are Muslims available who can do these things, the other Muslims are absolved of responsibility. It is prescribed for those who are present when a Muslim is dying to recite Soorah Yaa-Seen for him, for that makes it easier for the soul to depart and makes the dying person more steadfast, as it did in the case of some of the Sahaabah to whom it was read. After the person has died and his soul has departed, it is not prescribed to read Quraan over him; rather it is prescribed to make duaa for him and pray for forgiveness and mercy for him and for him to be made steadfast when being questioned in the grave. And Allaah knows best. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
**3. In my culture people read sura Yaseen in groups before and after people die. I would like to know if whether this is based on sunnah or an innovation?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/734 Praise be to Allaah. We have to make a distinction here between the two issues: reading Yaa-Seen for one who is dying, and reading it for one who has died. With regard to reading Yaa-Seen for one who is dying, this practice has been reported from some of the Sahaabah. Imaam Ahmad reported in
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his Musnad from Safwaan: My shaykhs told me that they were with Ghudayf ibn al-Haarith alThumaani when he was dying. He said: Can any of you read Yaa-Seen? So Saalih ibn Shurayh al-Sakooni recited it, and when he reached the fortieth aayah, Ghudayf passed away. My shaykhs used to say that when it is recited in the presence of one who is dying, it eases the pain of death. That was the opinion of Safwaan. Eesaa ibn al-Mutamir read it for Ibn Mabad (when the latter was dying). (al-Musnad, 16355) Al-Albaani said in Irwaa al-Ghaleel, 3/152: This is a saheeh sanad going back to Ghudayf ibn alHaarith, may Allaah be pleased with him. Its men are thiqaat apart from the shaykhs who are not named and are therefore unknown (majhool). But the fact that they are unknown is compensated for by their large number, especially since they are of the generation of the Taabieen Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti fi Ahkaam al-Janaaiz: Soorat Yaa-Seen may be recited over him (i.e., the one who is dying) for the one who thinks that the hadeeth is correct. He explained that this is because this soorah contains good news of Paradise, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): It was said: Enter Paradise. *Yaa-Seen 36:26], and because it makes the passage of the soul easier, and other reasons. As regards reading Soorat Yaa-Seen for one who has died, there is no saheeh hadeeth to indicate that this should be done. A hadeeth was narrated by Abu Dawood and others which says Read Yaa-Seen over your dead, but this hadeeth is not saheeh because its isnaad contains contradictions and narrators who are unknown (majhool). This was stated by alAllaamah al-Albaani in Irwaa al-Ghaleel, hadeeth no. 688. Reading Quraan over the dead is considered to be bidah (innovation), as he states at the end of his book Ahkaam al-Janaaiz. Some people think that it should be read forty times over the deceased, and some of them may distribute copies of the Quraan among the mourners who gather to offer condolences so that they may read, or organize gatherings in the mosque to read it for the soul of the deceased. All of this has no basis whatsoever (in the sunnah), and these are innovated deeds of bidah which we should avoid and warn others against. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
4. Is it prescribed for those who are present with a dying Muslim to recite Soorat Yaa-Seen for him, because it makes it easier for the soul to depart. Is there any evidence for that?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/72201 Praise be to Allaah.
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The majority of scholars (including the Hanafis, Shaafais and Hanbalis) are of the view that it is mustahabb to recite Soorat Yaa-Seen in the presence of one who is dying, and they quoted a number of things as evidence for that, but the evidence is not free of some weakness. Ahmad (19789) and Abu Dawood (3121) narrated that Maqil ibn Yasaar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Recite Yaa Seen for your dying ones. This hadeeth is daeef (weak) and was classed as such by al-Nawawi in al-Adhkaar. Ibn Hijr said in al-Talkhees (2/104): Ibn al-Qattaan described it as daeef because there is some problem with it and it is mawqoof, and because the status of the narrator Abu Uthmaan and his father is unknown. Ibn al-Arabi narrated from al-Daaraqutni that it is a hadeeth whose isnaad is weak and whose text is unknown elsewhere, and there is no saheeh hadeeth on this topic. End quote. It was also classed as daeef by al-Albaani in Irwa al-Ghaleel (688). Ahmad (4/105 and 16521) narrated that Safwaan said: The shaykhs told me that they were present with Ghudayf ibn al-Haarith al-Thumaali (a Sahaabi) when his death throes grew intense. He said: Is there anyone among you who can recite Yaa Seen? Saalih ibn Shurayh alSakooni recited it and when he reached the fortieth verse, he passed away. The shaykhs used to say: If it is recited in the presence of the dying person, he finds relief thereby. Safwaan said: Eesa ibn al-Mutamari narrated it in the presence of Mabad. Al-Haafiz said in al-Isaabah (5/324): its isnaad is hasan. See also: al-Majmoo (5/105); Sharh Muntaha al-Iraadaat (1/341); Haashiyat Ibn Aabideen (2/191). This view was favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), who said in al-Ikhtiyaaraat (p. 91): Reciting Quraan over the deceased after he has died is a bidah (innovation), unlike reciting for the one who is dying, when it is mustahabb to recite Yaa Seen. End quote. They said: the reason why it is mustahabb to recite it is that this soorah includes mention of Tawheed and the Resurrection, and the glad tidings of Paradise for the one who dies believing in Tawheed, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Would that my people knew That my Lord (Allaah) has forgiven me *Yaa Seen 36:26-27]. So the soul is comforted by that and it is easier for it to come out. See: Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha (1/837). Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) was of the view that it is makrooh to recite Soorah Yaa Seen or any other soorah in the presence of the dying person, because of the weakness of the hadeeth which speaks of that, and because it was not what people did. See: al-Fawaakih al-Dawaani (1/284); Sharh Muhtadar Khaleel, 2/137. Shaykh al-Albaani said in Ahkaam al-Janaaiz:
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With regard to reciting Soorat Yaa Seen in the presence of the dying person, and turning him to face the qiblah, there is no saheeh report concerning that. End quote. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible to recite Soorat Yaa Seen when a person is dying? He replied: Reciting Soorat Yaa Seen when a person is dying is mentioned in the hadeeth of Maqil ibn Yasaar, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Recite Yaa Seen for your dying ones. It was classed as saheeh by several scholars who thought that its isnaad was jayyid and that it was narrated by Abu Uthmaan al-Nahdi from Maqil ibn Yasaar. Others classed it as daeef and said: the one who narrated it is not Abu Uthmaan alNahdi, rather it is another person who is unknown. What is well known about the hadeeth is that it is daeef because nothing is known about Abu Uthmaan. So it is not mustahabb to recite it for the one who is dying. The one who said that that is mustahabb thought that the hadeeth was saheeh, so he described it as mustahabb. But reciting Quraan in the presence of one who is sick is a good thing, and Allaah may benefit him through that. But with regard to singling out Soorat Yaa Seen, the basic principle is that the hadeeth is daeef (weak) so there are no grounds for singling out this soorah. End quote. Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 13/93 Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is reciting Soorat Yaa Seen for one who is dying proven in the Sunnah or not? He replied: Reciting Soorat Yaa Seen for one who is dying is Sunnah according to many scholars, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Recite Yaa Seen for your dying ones. But some of the scholars spoke about this hadeeth and said that it is daeef. According to those who classed it as saheeh, reciting this soorah is Sunnah, and according to those who classed it is daeef it is not Sunnah. And Allaah knows best. End quote. Fataawa Ibn Uthyameen (17/72). He also said: Recite Yaa Seen for your dying ones this hadeeth is daeef (weak) and there is some weakness in it. If the hadeeth is saheeh, the time for reciting it is at the time of death, when the death-throes begin; that is when Soorat Yaa Seen may be recited for him. The scholars said: There is some benefit in it, which is that it makes it easier for the soul to come out, because in it Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): It was said (to him when the disbelievers killed him): Enter Paradise. He said: Would that my people knew 27. That my Lord (Allaah) has forgiven me, and made me of the honoured ones! [Yaa Seen 36:26-27]
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So this may be recited in the presence of the one who is dying if the hadeeth is saheeh, but there is no basis for reciting it over the grave. End quote. Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/74). Islam Q&A
5. Does the Shaytaan call the dying person to become a non-muslim? And what is meant by the trials of death?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/60191 Praise be to Allaah. There is no evidence for this from the Quraan or Sunnah, rather this is what some scholars say, but that does not happen in the grave, rather it happens when a person is dying, before the soul is taken. Some scholars stated that this comes under the heading of the trials of life. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The presenting of other religions to a person at the time of death does not happen to everyone, but we cannot say that it does not happen to anyone. Rather some people may not have other religions presented to them, and some do have them presented to them. All of that is part of the trials of life from which the Messenger commanded us to seek refuge when praying. At the time of death, the Shaytaan is most keen to tempt the sons of Adam. End quote from alIkhtiyaaraat, p. 85. The Shaytaan remains eager to tempt a person so long as his soul is still in his body, so he comes to him, whispers to him and makes falsehood appear attractive to him. It was narrated from Abu Saeed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Iblees said: By Your glory, I will not stop tempting Your slaves so long as their souls are in their bodies. *Allaah+ said: By My Glory and Majesty, I will continue to forgive them so long as they ask Me for forgiveness. Narrated by Ahmad, 10974; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1617. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allaah from the trials of life and death, and he encouraged worshippers to seek refuge from them before saying the salaam at the end of the prayer. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When one of you has finished the final tashahhud, let him seek refuge with Allaah from four things: from the torment of Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the Dajjaal. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1311; Muslim, 588. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
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The words from the trials of life and death come after the words, from the torment of Hell. What is meant by trials (fitnah) here is the testing of a man with regard to his religious commitment, during his life and after his death. The trials of life are great and intense, and very few pass the test except those whom Allaah wills. They revolve around two things: 1- Doubts 2- Desires As for doubts, man is faced with doubts with regard to his knowledge, so he becomes confused with regard to what is true and what is false, and he sees falsehood as truth and truth as falsehood. If he sees truth as falsehood he will avoid it, and if he sees falsehood as truth he will follow it. As for desires, he is faced with them with regard to his will. Because of his desires, he wants something that is forbidden to him. This is a serious temptation (fitnah); how many are those who see riba as opportunity and indulge in it; how many are those who see deceiving people as cleverness in buying and selling, and indulge in deceit; how many are those who see looking at women as pleasure, enjoyment and freedom, and they give free rein to their gaze; how many are those who drink alcohol and it as pleasure and relaxation; how many are those who watch entertainment and listen to music, regarding it as an art to be studied, for which certificates and awards are to be given. As for the trials of death, the scholars differed concerning them and there are two views: The first view is that the trials of death refers to the questioning by the two angels of the deceased in his grave, about his Lord, his religion and his Prophet, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: It has been revealed to me that you will be put to trial in your graves like or almost like the tribulation of the Dajjaal. As for the one whose faith is sincere, it will be easy for him to answer. When he is asked: Who is your Lord? He will say: My Lord is Allaah. Who is your Prophet? He will say: My Prophet is Muhammad. What is your religion? He will say: My religion is Islam it will be very easy for him. As for anyone else Allaah forbid when he is asked he will say, Oh, oh, I do not know; I heard the people saying something so I said it too. Think about it, how he will say, Oh, oh, as if he used to know something but forgot it. What greater loss can there be than something that you learned then forgot, because the one who is ignorant does not gain anything, but the one who forgot gained something and then lost it. The result will be that he will say: I do not know who is my Lord, what my religion is or who my Prophet is. This is a great fitnah; I ask Allaah to save me and you from it. In fact it depends on what is in the heart. If the heart truly believes, and sees matters of the unseen as if with the eye, then he will answer with ease, but if it is the opposite, then his answer will be the opposite.
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The second view is that what is meant by the trials of death is what happens at the time of death, in the last moments of life. This was mentioned as such even though it is one of the trials of life because of its seriousness and importance, just as the fitnah of the Dajjaal is also mentioned even though it is one of the trials of life, but it is also one of the trials of death because it happens close to death, and it is singled out for mention because it is the worst that can happen. That is because when a person is dying and bidding farewell, his destiny will be either happiness or doom. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: One of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until, when there is nothing between him and it but a cubit, the decree overtakes him and he does a deed of the people of Hell. So the fitnah is great indeed. The Shaytaan is at his most eager to tempt the son of Adam at this moment, and the one who is truly protected is the one whom Allaah protects. He comes to him at this crucial moment which no one can imagine but the one to whom it happens. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Nay, when (the soul) reaches to the collarbone (i.e. up to the throat in its exit), 27. And it will be said: Who can cure him (and save him from death)? 28. And he (the dying person) will conclude that it was (the time) of parting (death); 29. And one leg will be joined with another leg (shrouded). 30. The drive will be on that Day to your Lord (Allaah)! [al-Qiyaamah 75:26-30] It is a critical situation, when a person is weak, lacking in strength and willpower, feeling anxious, and the shaytaan comes to him to tempt him, to such a point that it is as the scholars said: he may present the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions to a person, appearing the form of his parents who present the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions to him and encourage him to follow Judaism or Christianity. The Shaytaan may take on the form of anyone except the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and this is the greatest of trials. But this praise be to Allaah does not happen to everyone, as was stated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). Even if the Shaytaan is not able to gain control over a person to such a degree, there is still fear for him. It was said that when Imam Ahmad was dying, he could be heard saying, Not yet, not yet. When he came to, he was asked about that and he said: The Shaytaan was biting his fingertips and saying, You got away from me, O Ahmad. He was biting his fingers out of regret that he had not deceived Imam Ahmad, and Ahmad said to him, Not yet, not yet i.e., the soul has not yet departed. So long as the soul is in the body, anything is possible. Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us *Aal Imraan 3:8+. In this situation fitnah is great indeed. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: from the trials of life and death.
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Conclusion: There are two interpretations of what is meant by the trials of death: 1- It is the trials and temptations that happen at the time of death. 2- That they come after death, when the two angels question a man about his Lord, his religion and his Prophet. There is no reason why we should not say that it includes both. It may refer both to the trials that come before death and at the time of death, because these are the greatest tribulations that a man ever faces. Mention is also made of what is feared of a bad end if Allaah does not save a person from this tribulation. Based on this, the one who prays for refuge from the trials of death should bear both situations in mind. Al-Sharh al-Mumti, 3/185-188 And Allaah knows best.. Islam Q&A
***6. What is meant by the deceased being tormented because of his familys crying for him?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/69931
Detailed Question: Is it true that the deceased is tormented because of his familys crying for him? What is the sin of the deceased that he should be tormented for a sin committed by someone else? Praise be to Allaah. Yes, there are saheeh ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that say that, but this does not mean that the deceased is punished for the sin of another, as we shall see below. Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) denied that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said these ahaadeeth, because she thought that they contradicted the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another [Al-Anaam 6:164+ There follow some of the ahaadeeth that have been narrated on this topic, along with an explanation of their true meaning which does not contradict this verse, and the response of the scholars to the objection of the Mother of the Believers Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). Al-Bukhaari (1291) and Muslim (933) narrated that al-Mugheerah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: Whoever is
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lamented will be tormented because of that lamentation (or wailing). Muslim added: On the Day of Resurrection. Al-Bukhaari (1292) and Muslim (927) narrated from Ibn Umar from his father (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The deceased is tormented in his grave because of the lamentations (wailing) over him. Al-Bukhaari (1288) and Muslim (929) narrated that Ibn Abi Mulaykah said: A daughter of Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) died in Makkah, and we came to attend (her funeral), and Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbaas also attended. I was sitting between them and there came a sound from the house. Abd-Allaah ibn Umar said to Amr ibn Uthmaan: Why dont you tell them not to weep? For the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The deceased is tormented because of the crying of his family for him. Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Umar used to say something like that. Then he narrated the story and said: When Umar was attacked, Suhayb came in crying and saying, O my brother, O my friend. Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: O Suhayb, are you crying for me, when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The deceased is tormented because of the crying of his family for him? Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When Umar died, I mentioned that to Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) and she said: May Allaah have mercy on Umar, by Allaah the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not say that Allaah will punish the believer for his familys crying over him, rather the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Allaah will increase the torment of the kaafir because of his familys crying for him. And she said: The Quraan is sufficient for you: and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another *Al-Anaam 6:164+. Ibn Abi Mulaykah said: By Allaah, Ibn Umar did not comment about that. Al-Qaasim ibn Muhammad narrated to me: when Aaishah heard what Umar and Ibn Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) had said, she said: You are narrating to me from two who were not liars and are not to be disbelieved, but sometimes a man may mishear. Al-Haafiz said: With regard to the remark, Ibn Umar did not comment, al-Zayn ibn al-Muneer said: His silence does not indicate that he conceded; perhaps he did not want to argue about the matter. Muslim (927) narrated from Abd-Allaah ibn Umar that Hafsah cried for Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them all), and he said: Take it easy, O my daughter! Do you not know that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The deceased is tormented because of the crying of his family for him? These ahaadeeth were narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by three of the Sahaabah, namely Umar, Ibn Umar and al-Mugheerah (may Allaah be pleased
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with them all), and speak of the deceased being tormented because of his familys crying for him. 1 What is meant by crying in these ahaadeeth The scholars are unanimously agreed that what is meant in these ahaadeeth is not crying in the general sense, rather what is meant by crying here is wailing and raising the voice. Al-Nawawi said: They are all unanimously agreed, despite the differences in their mahhabs, that what is meant by crying here is crying with a loud voice and wailing, not simply tears flowing from the eyes. End quote. 2 Aaishahs response The response of Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) to these ahaadeeth is ijtihaad on her part, as she thought that Umar and his son (may Allaah be pleased with them both) were mistaken and that these ahaadeeth contradicted the verse (interpretation of the meaning): and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another *al-Anaam 6:164+. Al-Qurtubi said: Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) denied that and ruled that the narrator had made a mistake or forgotten, or that he had heard part of the hadeeth and not another. This is unlikely because those Sahaabah who narrated these ahaadeeth are great in number and they are certain, so there is no room for rejecting it when it can be interpreted in a correct manner. End quote. If it is said: How could Aaishah swear that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not say this even though it is proven that he did? The answer is that she swore to that effect in the basis of what she thought most likely to be the case, that Umar and his son Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with them) had misunderstood, and swearing on the basis of what one thinks is most likely is permissible, as alNawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said. 3 Reconciling between the ahaadeeth and the verse which Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) quoted as evidence and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another [al-Anaam 6:164+ and there is no contradiction between them. The scholars varied in the ways in which they interpreted the hadeeth and proved that it does not contradict the verse. They did this in several ways: (i) The method of al-Bukhaari He is tormented because of that, if that was his habit and his way and he approved of his family doing that during his lifetime, so he will be tormented for that. If that was not his way then he will not be tormented. Al-Bukhaari said: Chapter: The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): The deceased is tormented because of his familys crying for him if wailing was his habit. Al-Haafiz said:
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Based on this, the meaning is that the one who is tormented because of some of his familys crying for him is the one who approved of that and it was his habit, etc. Hence the compiler said: If it was not his way i.e., such as one who does not know that they do any of that, or he did what was required of him by telling them not to do that. Such a person is not to be blamed because of the actions of others. Hence Ibn al-Mubaarak said: If he used to tell them not to do that during his lifetime, then they do any of those things after he dies, there will be no blame on him. End quote. (ii) Al-Nawawi attributed it to the majority and regarded it as the correct interpretation. They interpreted the hadeeth as referring to one who requested that people weep and wail for him after his death, and his request was carried out. This person will be tormented because of his familys crying and wailing for him, because he is the cause of it and it is attributable to him. But if a persons family weep and wail for him without him having asked them to do that, he will not be tormented, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another *al-Anaam 6:164+. They said: It was the custom of the Arabs to request that that be done, as in the lines of poetry composed by Tarafah ibn al-Abd: When I die, lament me as I deserve and rend your garment for me, O daughter of Mabad. They said: So the hadeeth is to be understood in terms of what was customary for them. (iii) It is to be understood as referring to one who requests that people weep and wail for him, or who does not leave instructions that these things should not be done. The one who leaves instructions that this should not be done will not be tormented because of it, because he has nothing to do with it and he was not negligent. The point here is that he should leave instructions that these things not be done, and whoever neglects that will be tormented because of it. This is the view of Dawood and others. (iv) A number of scholars said that what is meant by the ahaadeeth is that they used to wail for the deceased and lament him by listing his so-called good qualities, which in fact were bad qualities according to shareeah, for which he would be tormented. So what is meant by he is tormented because of his familys crying for him is that his torment is commensurate with his familys lamentation. This view was favoured by Ibn Hazm and others. They used to lament the dead for his leadership by means of which he oppressed others, for his courage which he used in ways other than obedience to Allaah, his generosity which was not in support of the truth; so his family weep for him and list these traits, when he is being tormented because of them. (v)
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What is meant by torment is the rebuke of the angels for the things for which his family eulogize him, as narrated by Ibn Maajah (1594) from Aseed ibn Abi Aseed from Moosa ibn Abi Moosa al-Ashari from his father, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The deceased is tormented for the crying of the living. If they say, O my strength, O he who clothed us, O my help, O my rock, and so on, he is rebuked and it is said, Were you really like that? Were you really like that? Aseed said: I said, Subhaan-Allaah, Allaah says, And no bearer of burdens shall bear anothers burden *Faatir 35:18+. He said, Woe to you, I tell you that Abu Moosa narrated to me from the Messenger of Allaah (S), and you think that Abu Moosa was telling lies about the Prophet (S)? Or do you think that I am telling lies about Abu Moosa? Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. Another version was narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1003): There is no one who dies and his mourner laments him, saying, O my rock, O my master and so on, but two angels are appointed to shove him, saying, Were you really like that? Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh alTirmidhi. This is supported by the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (4268) from al-Numaan ibn Basheer (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: Abd-Allaah ibn Rawaahah fell unconscious, and his sister Amrah started to weep, saying, O our rock and so on, enumerating his good traits. When he regained consciousness, he said: You did not say anything but it was said to me: Are you really like that? When he died, she did not cry for him. (vi) That what is meant by torment is the pain that the deceased feels because of the wailing etc that his family does. This is the view favoured by Abu Jafar al-Tabari among the earlier scholars; it was also regarded as more correct by al-Qaadi Iyaad, and was supported by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and a number of later scholars. They quoted as evidence for that the hadeeth of Qaylah bint Makhramah, which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade her to cry for her son and said: If you are kind to your little companion in this world, why cant you say Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raajioon *Verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return+ when he dies? By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, when one of you cries that causes his little companion to shed tears. O slaves of Allaah, do not torment your dead. Al-Haafiz said: its isnaad is hasan. Al-Haythami said: its men are thiqaat (trustworthy). This last view is the most correct of what has been said concerning the meaning of the hadeeth. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked in Majmoo al-Fataawa (34/364): Is the deceased harmed by his familys crying for him? He replied:
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There is a difference of opinion concerning this issue among the earlier and later generations and the scholars. The correct view is that he is harmed by their crying, as is stated in the saheeh ahaadeeth narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). then he quoted some of these ahaadeeth, then he said: This was denied by some of the earlier and later generations, because they thought that this meant that a person was being punished for the sin of another, which is contrary to the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another *al-Anaam 6:164+. Then they varied in how they commented on those saheeh ahaadeeth. Some said that the narrators, such as Umar ibn al-Khattaab and others, had made a mistake; this was the method of Aaishah, al-Shaafai and others. Some interpreted that as referring to cases where the deceased had instructed that that be done, so he is punished for his instructions. This was the view of a number of people such as alMazani and others. Some interpreted it as referring to cases where that is the custom, so he is punished for not forbidding an evil action. This is the view of a number of people such as my [i.e., Ibn Taymiyahs+ grandfather Abul-Barakaat. All of these views are very weak. The clear, saheeh ahaadeeth that were narrated by people such as Umar ibn al-Khattaab, his son Abd-Allaah, Abu Moosa al-Ashari and others cannot be refuted by such arguments. Some of those who accept this hadeeth as it is think that this comes under the heading of punishing a man for the sins of another, and that Allaah does as He wills and rules as He wants, so they believe that Allaah punishes a man for the sin of another. But Allaah will not punish anyone in the Hereafter except for his own sin: and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another *al-Anaam 6:164+. As for the deceased being tormented because of his familys crying for him, the word used in Arabic is yuadhdhab, not yuaaqab. Adhaab is more general in meaning than iqaab; it refers to pain and not everyone who suffers pain for some reason is being punished for that reason. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Travel is a kind of torment (adhaab); it keeps one of you from his food and drink. So he called travel a torment (adhaab), but it is not a punishment for any sin. A man may be tormented by unpleasant things that he senses, such as alarming noises, bad smells and nasty images, so he is tormented by hearing them, smelling them or seeing them, but this does not mean that he is being punished for some deed. How can we deny that the deceased may be tormented by his familys wailing, even though the wailing is not a deed of his for which he is to be punished? We cannot decide that every person for whom his family wails is being tormented because of it. Then Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said:
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Wailing is a cause of torment, but that may be warded off by the status of the deceased. This torment which may befall the believer because of his familys wailing for him, is among the hardships by means of which Allaah will expiate the believers sins. In the case of the kaafir, his torment will be increased thereby, so the pain of the punishment is exacerbated by the pain that results from his familys crying for him. Then Shaykh al-Islam said: The pains or torment that befall the Muslim in this world, in al-barzakh and on the Day of Resurrection are a means by which Allaah will expiate his sins, as it is narrated in al-Saheehayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but Allaah expiates some of his sins for that. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): The believer is tormented because of his familys crying for him? He replied: What it means is that if his family cries for him, he will know of that and will feel pain. It does not mean that Allaah will punish him for that because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another *al-Anaam 6:164+. Torment is not necessarily a punishment. Have you not heard the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), Travel is a kind of torment? Travel is not a kind of punishment, but a person suffers torment and exhaustion during it. Similarly, when the deceased persons family weeps for him, he suffers pain and is upset by that, even though that is not a punishment from Allaah. This interpretation of the hadeeth is quite clear and does not cause any confusion. There is no need to say that this has to do with one who left instructions that they wail for him, or one whose familys custom was to wail but he did not tell them not to do that. Rather we say that a person may be tormented by something but it doesnt harm him. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen, 17/408 See Fath al-Baari, 3/180-185. Islam Q&A
****7. What to do if someone dies suddenly in your house

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13543 Praise be to Allaah. If the person has died and the soul has departed, then his relatives have to do the following: (a) Closing his eyes (b) Making duaa for him
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This is because of the hadeeth of Umm Salamah, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to see Abu Salamah when his sight had become fixed (he had passed away). So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him closed his eyes and said: 'When the soul is seized and it leaves the body, the eyes follow it.' Some of Abu Salamah's family wept and wailed, whereupon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'Pray to Allaah only for 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 those who are rightly-guided; 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." (Narrated by Muslim, Ahmad, al-Bayhaqi and others) (c) They should cover him with a cloth that will cover all of his body. This is because of the hadeeth of Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was shrouded in a striped cloak. (Narrated by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim) in their Saheehs, by al-Bayhaqi and others). (d) This applies in the case of one who does not die in a state of ihraam; the person who dies in ihraam should not have his head or face covered. This is because of the hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas who said: Whilst a man was standing at Arafaah, he fell from his mount and broke his neck (or he said, he died). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Wash him with water and lotus leaves, and shroud him in two cloths (according to another report, in his two cloths *which he was wearing for ihraam+) and do not perfume his body, and do not cover his head *or his face+, for he will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection reciting the Talbiyah. (Narrated by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim) in their Saheehs, and by Abu Naeem in al-Mustakhraj, and by al-Bayhaqi. The additional material was not narrated by al-Bukhaari). (e) They should hasten to prepare him and take him out, if it is obvious that he is dead This is because of the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) which he attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Hasten to bury the deceased, for if he was righteous, then you are taking him to something good, and if he was otherwise, then it is an evil of which you are relieving yourselves. (Narrated by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim) this version was narrated by Muslim, and the authors of the four Sunans. It was classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad and alBayhaqi from Abu Hurayrah). (f)They should bury him in the city or country where he died, and not move him elsewhere, because that would contradict the haste in burying that is enjoined in Islam.
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Hence when a brother of Aaishah died in Wadi al-Habashah, and he was moved from the place where he had died, she said, The only thing that upset me (or grieved me) was that I wished that he had been buried in the place where he died. (Narrated by al-Bayhaqi with a saheeh isnaad). Al-Nawawi said in al-Adhkaar: If he (the dying person) leaves instructions that he be moved to another land [for burial], those instructions should not be carried out, because moving the deceased [to another land for burial] is haraam according to the correct view of the majority, and was clearly stated by those who examined the matter in depth. (g) Some of them should hasten to pay off his debts from his money, even if that means paying all that is left. If he did not have any wealth, then the state should pay on his behalf, if he had tried his best to pay off his debts. If the state does not do that, and some people volunteer to do that, then that is OK. It was narrated from Sad ibn al-Atwal (may Allaah be pleased with him) that his brother died, leaving three hundred dirhams, and leaving dependents. He said, I wanted to spend it on his dependents, but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, Your brother is being detained by his debt, so go and pay it off for him. So I went and paid it off, then I came and said, O Messenger of Allaah, I have paid it off, except for two dirhams which a woman claimed (were owed to her), but she had no proof. He said, Give them to her, because that is her due (or, because she is speaking the truth). (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, Ahmad and alBayhaqi. One of its isnaads is saheeh and the other is like the isnaad of Ibn Maajah. Al-Boosayri classed it as saheeh in al-Zawaaid). It was narrated from Samurah ibn Jundub that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed the funeral prayer (according to one report, he prayed the Fajr prayer), and when he had finished he said, Is there anybody here from the family of So and so? The people remained silent, because whenever he brought anything up, they would keep quiet at first. He said that three times, and no one answered. Then a man said, Here he is. A man stood up and came, dragging his lower garment, from the back of the assembly. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, What kept you from answering me the first two times? I did not mention your name except for a good reason. So-and-so a man from amongst them is being kept by his debt from Paradise. If you wish, you may ransom him, or if you wish, you may leave him to the punishment of Allaah. If only you had seen his family and those who knew of his affairs getting up and praying off his debts, until there was no one left who could make any demands from him. (Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Nasaai, al-Haakim, al-Bayhaqi, al-Tayaalisi in his Musnad and Ahmad. Some of them narrated from al-Shubi from Samurah, and some mentioned Samaan ibn Mushannij in between them. The former is saheeh according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs [al-Bukhaari and Muslim], as al-Haakim said, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him; the latter is saheeh only)
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We ask Allaah to forgive the believing men and women. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad Adapted from Mukhtasar Ahkaam al-Janaaiz by al-Albaani
8. If a person dies due to failure of his digestive system then he is a shaheed (martyr)
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/93015 Detailedl Question: My question is about the types of martyrs, as one of them is the one who dies of a stomach disease. I have a brother, who died two days ago because his heart stopped, as it says on the death certificate, but everything in his body had failed before that, from his kidneys to his liver, and even his digestive system was no longer working. Can he be considered as one of those who died of a stomach disease? Praise be to Allaah. Al-Bukhaari (2829) and Muslim (1914) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The martyrs are five: the one who dies of the plague, the one who dies of a stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is crushed beneath a falling wall, and the martyr who is killed for the sake of Allaah. Ahmad (23804), Abu Dawood (3111) and al-Nasaai (1846) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Who do you regard as martyrs? They said: The one who is killed for the sake of Allaah. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Martyrs are seven besides the one who is killed for the sake of Allaah. The one who dies of the plague is a martyr, the one who drowns is a martyr, the one who dies of pleurisy is a martyr, the one who dies of a stomach disease is a martyr, the one who is burned to death is a martyr, the one who dies beneath a falling wall is a martyr, and the woman who dies in pregnancy is a martyr. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. It says in Awn al-Mabood Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood: The one who dies of pleurisy: this refers to a pustule or pustules that appear in a persons side, then they open up and the pain lessens, and that is at the time of death. One of its signs is pain beneath the ribs and difficulty in breathing, along with persistent fever and coughing, and it occurs more often in women. This was stated by al-Qaari. Stomach diseases refers to diarrhoea, dropsy and pain in the stomach. A woman who dies in pregnancy: al-Khattaabi said: This refers to a woman who dies with a child in her womb. End quote.
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Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: The one who dies of a stomach disease refers to diarrhoea. And al-Qaadi said: and it was said that it is the one who suffers from dropsy and abdominal swelling. And it was said that it is the one who suffers from a stomach complaint. And it was said that it is the one who dies of stomach disease in general. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: It says in the hadeeth that the one who dies of a stomach disease is a martyr. What is meant by the one who dies of a stomach disease? Does that include one who dies of cirrhosis of the liver? He replied: The scholars said that this refers to anyone who dies of a stomach disease. It seems that it also includes those who die of appendix problems because these are also stomach diseases that can kill. End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen for al-Dawah magazine. Based on that, if your brother died because his liver or digestive system failed, then there is the hope that he attained martyrdom. We ask Allaah to forgive him and have mercy on him and raise him in status. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
9. Is the one who dies in a car accident a martyr (shaheed)?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/148735 Praise be to Allaah. It is proven in a number of hadeeths that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that the one who dies by drowning, or because of the plague or a stomach disease (diarrhoea) is a martyr. So the one who dies of the plague is a martyr, the one who dies of a stomach disease is a martyr, the one who drowns is a martyr, the one who is crushed by a falling wall is a martyr, the one who is killed for the sake of Allah is a martyr, the one who dies for the sake of Allah is a martyr, and there are a number of others who are martyrs. This is by the grace of Allah, so that this ummah will have an advantage in terms of great reward, but the best of them are those who are martyred for the sake of Allah, who are killed for the sake of Allah. They are the best, and they are not to be washed (ghusl), and the funeral prayer is not to be offered for them, for they are alive with their Lord and given provision. Martyrs other than those who were martyred for the sake of Allah, such as those who died of a stomach disease or the plague, or those who were killed by falling walls or drowned, are to be washed and the funeral prayer is to be offered for them. Included with them are those who die in vehicle rollovers and car crashes; they are likened to the one who is crushed beneath a falling wall, and there is the hope that they will have the status of martyrdom, but they are to be
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washed and the funeral prayer is to offered for them, as is done for those who die of stomach diseases or drowning. End quote. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) Fataawa Noor ala al-Darb, 3/1426 For more information please see the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/45669. And Allah knows best. Islam Q&A
10. What is the ruling on one who dies in a state of janaabah?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/97098 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: If a person dies in a state of janaabah, that does not mean that he was weak in religious commitment or met a bad end, so long as he became junub for a permissible reason, such as intercourse with his wife or an erotic dream. Hanzalah (may Allaah be pleased with him) was martyred when he was junub, and the angels washed him. His story is well known and was narrated by Ibn Ishaaq and others, as al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari. Al-Tabaraani narrated from Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that Hamzah (may Allaah be pleased with him) was martyred when he was junub. Ibn Hajar said: There is nothing wrong with its isnaad. Secondly: If a man dies in a state of janaabah, or a woman dies when she is menstruating, he or she should be given ghusl (washing of the deceased) only once. The ghusl for the deceased also suffices for the ghusl from janaabah or menses. This is because there are two reasons for ghusl at the same time: janaabah or menses, and death. So one ghusl is sufficient for both, just as if there is more than one reason for wudoo, such as passing wind and urinating, or sleeping deeply, then one wudoo is sufficient for all of them. See: Kashshaaf al-Qinaa (2/87). Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo (5/123): Our view is that if a person who is junub or menstruating dies, they should be given one ghusl. This is the view of all the scholars except al-Hasan al-Basri who said: They should be given two ghusl. Ibn al-Mundhir said: No one else suggested this. End quote. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
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**11. Does weeping and shedding tears for the deceased cause him any harm?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/33866 Praise be to Allaah. It was narrated in more than one hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that the deceased suffers because of the weeping of his family over him. For example, Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (927) from Ibn Umar that Hafsah wept for Umar, and he said, Calm down, O my daughter! Do you not know that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The deceased suffers because of his familys weeping over him? And it was also proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wept for the deceased on more than one occasion, such as when he wept at the death of his son Ibraaheem, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari (2/105) and Muslim (7/76) from the hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him). He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also wept at the death of one of his daughters, whilst she was being buried, as was narrated by alBukhaari, 1258 from the hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him). And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wept when one of his grandchildren died, as narrated by al-Bukhaari (1284) and Muslim (923), from the hadeeth of Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allaah be pleased with them both). If it is asked, how can we reconcile between the hadeeths which forbid weeping for the deceased and those which permit it? The answer is: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained that in a hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (7377) and Muslim (923) from Usaamah ibn Zayd, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wept for the son of one of his daughters. Sad ibn Ubaadah said: What is this, O Messenger of Allaah? He said, This is compassion which Allaah puts in the hearts of His slaves. Allaah shows mercy to those of His slaves who are merciful. Al-Nawawi said: What this means is that Sad thought that all kinds of weeping were haraam, and that shedding tears was haraam. He thought that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had forgotten that, so he reminded him. But the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained that simply weeping and shedding tears is neither haraam nor makrooh, rather it is compassion and is something good. What is haraam is wailing and lamenting, and weeping that is accompanied by one or both of these actions, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Allaah does not punish for tears that are shed or for
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sorrow in the heart, rather He punishes or shows mercy because of this and he pointed to his tongue. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked as it says in al-Fataawa, 24/380 whether the weeping of a mother or brothers and sisters has any effect on the deceased. He said: Rather there is no sin in tears shed by the eyes and sorrow in the heart, but lamenting and wailing are forbidden. With regard to weeping for the deceased even after some time has passed, there is nothing wrong with that, so long as it is not accompanied by wailing, lamenting or feeling displeased with the will and decree of Allaah. Muslim (976) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) visited the grave of his mother and wept, and those who were around him also wept. He said: I asked my Lord for permission to pray for forgiveness for her, and He did not give me permission; and I asked Him for permission to visit her grave and He gave me permission. So visit the graves, for they will remind you of death. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
12. It is permissible for a woman to see her husband after he has died?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13471 Detailed Question: In case of death of a person, it is practiced by some group of Muslims who follow Hanafi madhab in India that the society forbids-do not allow the wife of the person to see her own husbands dead body.Is there any authentic hadith that confirms this? Please explain. Praise be to Allaah. This question involves two issues: 1 A woman seeing her husbands body after his death 2 A woman seeing her mahrams. 1 It is permissible for a woman to see her husbands body, and there is no reason why she should not. Indeed, a wife has the right to wash her dead husband. Imaam Maalik narrated in al-Muwatta from Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Bakr that Asmaa bint Umays washed Abu Bakr alSiddeeq when he died, then she went out and asked the Muhaajireen who were present, I am fasting and the day is very cold; do I have to do ghusl? and they said, No. (al-Janaaiz, 466). The author of al-Muntaqa ala Sharh al-Muwatta said concerning this hadeeth: this indicates that it is permissible for a woman to wash her husband after he has died, because this happened in the presence of a number of the Sahaabah, especially since Abu Bakr had left
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instructions in his will to that effect. No difference of opinion is known of among the Sahaabah concerning this matter, which indicates that there was consensus. It was narrated that Aaishah said, If I could go back and change anything, nobody would have washed the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) except his wives. (narrated by Ibn Maajah, al-Janaaiz, 1453; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah, no. 1196). If a woman is permitted to wash her husbands body, then it is definitely permitted for her to see her husbands body. This ruling applies only if the woman is still within the iddah period. If her iddah period has ended, for example if she was pregnant but gave birth straight after her husband died, then it is not permissible for her to wash him or to see him. I (Shaykh al-Munajjid) asked Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) before he died about a man who dies and his wife gives birth a few hours later can she wash her husband? He replied: No, because when she gives birth the connection between her and her husband is severed, so it is not permissible for her to wash him, because he is now no longer her husband. Miah Faaidah min al-Allaamah al-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (tape). What is forbidden is for women to wail over the deceased. It was narrated in a hadeeth that Umm Atiyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took our pledge of allegiance to him on the grounds that we would not wail (over the dead). None of us fulfilled their promise except five women: Umm Sulaym, Umm al-Alaa, the daughter of Abu Sabrah the wife of Muaadh and two other women, or the daughter of Abu Sabrah, the wife of Muaadh and one other woman. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari (al-Janaaiz, 1223). It was narrated from Abu Maalik al-Ashari that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: There are four things in my ummah from the jaahiliyyah which they will not give up: pride in ones ancestry, slandering the lineage of others, seeking rain from the stars and wailing over the dead. If the woman who wails does not repent before she dies, she will be raised on the Day of Resurrection wearing a garment of tar and a shirt of scabs. (Narrated by Muslim, al-Janaaiz, 1550). 2 It is permissible for a woman to see her mahrams, and she does not have to observe hijaab in front of them. There is no connection between the death of a womans husband and her seeing her mahrams. Hence it is recommended for her mahrams to offer condolences to her, by them seeing her, shaking hands with her, sitting with her and talking to her. No dispute is known among the scholars concerning this. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: al-Shaafai and his companions said: it is recommended for all the relatives of the deceased to offer condolences to his wife, old and
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young, men and women, unless the wife is young, in which case only her mahrams should offer condolences. (al-Majmoo, 5/277). What the questioner describes is nothing more than the myths and ignorance of the common people. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about a woman covering her face in front of her mahrams. He said: That is not permissible, because it is not part of Islam, rather that is the myths and ignorance of the common people. See al-Faatawa al-Jaamiah lil-Marah al-Muslimah, part 2, p. 709, And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
13. Ruling on extracting the foetus from a dead woman

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/11553 Detailed Question: If a woman dies when she is pregnant, and the doctors state that the foetus in her womb is still alive, is it permissible to perform surgery on her to remove the foetus? Praise be to Allaah. If the woman has died and there is a foetus in her womb, it is most likely that he has died too. If he is still alive, he will not live for more than a few moments. But if we assume that this case (described in the question) is true, and it is possible to save the childs life by opening the mothers abdomen, then the Hanbalis have stated that it is OK to do this, if there is the certainty that the child can be brought forth alive from his mothers womb. They said: her abdomen should be cut open and the child brought out alive, then her abdomen should be stitched up, then she should be buried. And Allaah knows best. From Fataawa Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Humayd, p. 174
14. Is there a reward for preparing the deceased for burial?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/12193 Praise be to Allaah. We do not know of any saheeh evidence to indicate the amount of reward earned by the one who prepares the deceased for burial, but the Bounty of Allaah is vast. The one who prays (the funeral prayer) for the deceased will have one qeeraat of reward (a qeeraat is equivalent to the
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size of Mount Uhud), and the one who accompanies the funeral procession to the burial will have two qeeraats. For the one who seeks reward by preparing the body we hope that there will be even more reward. Sad al-Humayd. Washing the deceased is fard kafaayah (i.e., if some members of the community undertake this duty, the rest are free from blame, but if no one does it, all will be held to blame), so there is no specific reward. But if sufficient people do the job, it becomes Sunnah for the rest. There are no reports which describe a specific reward, but there will be a reward for it because it is an obligatory duty, and not doing it is a sin. Shaykh Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
15. Taking the deceased back to his homeland

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/8852 Detailed Question: My friends brother inlaw expired last week(May his soul rest in peace). After his death his brother & other relatives took his dead body to their village which was at about 14 hours drive from the place where he used to live.His wife told his brothers that her husband has left a written statement(wasiyah) that he should be burried immediately at the same place where he will die. No one listened to her & later his written statement with his signatures was found in his papers. Has his brother & other relatives committed a sin? What should be done now? Is their any Sadaqat which has to be paid by the relatives on not following the Wasiyah (written statement) or what? Praise be to Allaah. This issue may be discussed from two angles: 1 The issue of acting upon the wishes of the deceased 2 The ruling on moving the deceased from the land in which he died to another land. With regard to the first issue, it is obligatory to carry out the wishes of the deceased, whether he left a will describing something obligatory or something mustahabb. See al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/333 With regard to the second issue: Shaykh Ibn Qudaamah said: The deceased should not be moved from his land to another land unless that is for a valid reason. This is the view of al-Awzaai and Ibn al-Mundhirand because it is easier and it avoids any delay that may cause the corpse to start decaying before burial. But if there is a valid reason for doing so, then it is permissible.
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Al-Mughni, 2/193-194 The Standing Committee said concerning this issue: The Sunnah at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the time of the Sahaabah was to bury the deceased in the graveyard of the land or city in which he died, and to bury the martyrs where they died. It is not proven in any hadeeth or report that any of the Sahaabah was moved to a place other than the graveyard of the land or city in which he died, or to another place nearby. Because of that, the majority of fuqaha said: it is not permissible to move the deceased before burial to a land other than the one in which he died, unless that is for a valid reason such as the fear that his grave may be violated if he is buried where he died, or that it may be mistreated, in which case he must be moved to a place where his grave will be safe. For example, moving him to his homeland so that his family will feel better and will be able to visit his grave is permissible. But in such cases that is subject to the condition that there is no fear that the corpse may start to decay because of the delay in burial, and that his sanctity will not be violated. If there is no need to move him and these conditions are not met, then it is not permissible to move him. The Committee believes that every deceased person should be buried in the graveyard of the city in which he dies, and that they should not be moved to another city unless that is for a valid reason, in accordance with the Sunnah and the practice of the salaf or early generations of this ummah, so as to avoid transgressing the rules of shareeah, to bury the deceased quickly as encouraged in shareeah, to protect the deceased from the procedures that may be done to his body to prevent decay, and to avoid the extravagance of spending large amounts of money unnecessarily and for which there is no legitimate shari need, as well as protecting the rights of the heirs and saving this money so that it may be spent in the proper ways. This is the fatwa signed by the Committee. May Allaah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions. Fataawa Islamiyyah, 2/31, 32 With regard to what the relatives of the deceased have done: If they went against the will and did not act in accordance with the wishes of the deceased after his wife told them because they were did not believe that she was telling the truth, then there is no sin on them, because they did not go against his wishes deliberately. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend [al-Ahzaab 33:5] However, if they believed her but they did not care and they went against the will, then they are sinners who have transgressed against the rights of the deceased.
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With regard to their moving the deceased this distance, if there was no valid reason for doing so then this is a second transgression against the rights of the deceased, because part of honouring the deceased is to prepare him and bury him quickly, as the scholars have said. See al-Madkhil, 3/237, by Abul-Haaj al-Maaliki. So they have to repent and seek forgiveness, and regret what they have done, and make duaa for the deceased, but they do not have to give anything in charity, but if they do so then that will be good, for charity is one of the means of forgiveness and expiation of sins. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
**16. Is it permissible to trim the moustache, armpit hairs, nails and pubic hairs of the deceased?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/21595 Praise be to Allaah. It is mustahabb to trim his moustache and clip his nails. As for shaving his pubic hair and plucking his armpit hair, I do not know of any evidence to indicate that this is prescribed in shareeah, so it is better not to do that, because these areas are hidden and not visible like the nails and moustache. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn AbdAllaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, p. 114 The Shaykh (may Allaah have mercy on him) was also asked: Should the nails and moustache of the deceased be trimmed? He replied: There is no evidence to indicate that. If they are trimmed a little, there is nothing wrong with that. Some of the scholars stated that the nails and moustache should be trimmed. As for shaving the pubes and circumcision, it is not prescribed to do these things in the case of one who is deceased, because there is no evidence to indicate that they should be done. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
17. What is the ruling on reading Quraan over the deceased and placing the Mus-haf on his stomach?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/8231
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Detailed Question: What is the ruling on reading Quraan over the deceased and placing the Mus-haf on his stomach? Are there specific days for offering condolences, as they say that it is for only three days (after the death)? Praise be to Allaah. There is no saheeh basis for reciting Quraan over the deceased or over the grave. That is not prescribed, and is in fact bidah. The same applies to putting the Mus-haf on the stomach of the deceased there is no basis for doing so and it is not prescribed. Rather the scholars advised placing a piece of iron or a heavy object on the stomach after death so that it will not swell up. With regard to offering condolences, there are no set days for doing so. It is prescribed from the time that the soul leaves the body, before the funeral prayer and afterwards. There is no time limit set for that in shareeah. Condolences may be offered at night or during the day, in the home, on the street, in the mosque, in the graveyard or anywhere else. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-Allaamah Abd alAzeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 8, p. 362
18. What is the ruling on starting to wash the deceased with soap and shampoo if there is a lot of dirt on him?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/21588 Praise be to Allaah. What I think you should do is to do that which is mentioned in the hadeeth of Umm Atiyyah, so wash the deceased with water and lotus leaves each time you wash him, starting on the right and washing the parts of the body washed in wudoo, taking care to remove any dirt etc, each time you wash him, until he is clean, even if that means washing him more than seven times, because of the hadeeth mentioned. There is no need for soap, shampoo or anything else, unless the lotus leaves are not enough to remove the dirt, in which case it is o.k. to use soap, shampoo, potash and other kinds of dirt-removers from the first wash, and to put some camphor in the final washing, because of the hadeeth mentioned. This is the Sunnah as far as I know from the saheeh ahaadeeth, because of the hadeeth of Umm Atiyyah and similar ahaadeeth. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn AbdAllaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, p. 111.
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19. What is the ruling on cleaning the teeth of the deceased with miswaak?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/43079 Praise be to Allaah. I do not know of any basis for doing that, rather the deceased should be washed with wudoo then ghusl. If the miswaak is used when rinsing out his mouth there is nothing wrong with that, as in the case of the living. Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh ibn Baaz vol 13, p. 115.
20. Is it permissible to be paid for washing the deceased?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/129609 Detailed Question: An imam asked the widow to pay 5 hundred dollars for having someone wash and prepare the body of her husband. Is this legal and proper? Praise be to Allaah. Washing a Muslim who has died is an act of worship that Allaah has enjoined on the Muslims, so it should be done with the aim of seeking reward and seeking the pleasure of Allaah. If the family of the deceased give him some money without him stipulating that, there is nothing wrong with him accepting it. But if the person who washes the dead stipulates that he will not wash the deceased unless he is paid a certain amount of money, that is permissible but it will detract from his reward with Allaah. It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa (2/86): It is makrooh to take payment for washing, shrouding, carrying and burying the deceased. It says in al-Mubdi: Ahmad regarded it as makrooh for the one who washes the deceased or digs the grave to receive payment for his work unless he is in need, in which case he may be given from the bayt al-maal. If that is not possible he may be paid according to his work. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen was asked: Is it permissible to take payment in return for washing and shrouding the dead? He replied: If this payment or gift is given without being stipulated, there is no doubt that it is permissible and there is nothing wrong with that, because it is given to the one who washed and shrouded
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the deceased person in return for his work. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said Whoever does you a favour, reciprocate. But if this payment is stipulated, then undoubtedly it detracts from the reward of the one who washes and shrouds the deceased, because the one who washes and shrouds the deceased attains a great reward, as washing and shrouding the dead is a communal obligation (fard kifaayah); so the one who washes and shrouds the dead attains the reward of a communal obligation. But if he takes payment for that, then his reward will be diminished. But there is nothing wrong with him taking payment for that, because this payment is in return for work done for another, and in the case of such work it is permissible to accept payment for it, just as it is permissible to accept payment for teaching Qur'aan, according to the correct view. End quote. Fataawa Noor ala al-Darb, 7/36. The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked: What is the ruling on receiving payment for washing the dead, whether that payment was stipulated or not? They replied: It is permissible, but it is better to do it voluntarily if possible. And Allaah is the source of strength; may Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 15/112 Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz, Shaykh Abd al-Razzaaq Afeefi, Shaykh AbdAllaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Qaood The payment that is stipulated by the one who washes the dead should be commensurate with his work, without any exaggeration or taking advantage. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
21. Ghusl for deceased who is burned

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/39288 Detailed Question: Should a deceased person who is burned be washed or not? And how should he be washed, kknowing that in some cases the person may be burned completely? Praise be to Allaah. If a person dies from being burnt and it is possible to wash him, then he should be washed. But if there is the fear that the body may be damaged or caused to disintegrate by washing, then water should be poured over him; if there is the fear that this may cause the body to disintegrate, then tayammum should be done if possible.
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Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The one who has been crushed bya falling wall, the one who has been burned and the one who has drowned should be washed if possible; if there is the fear that washing may cause the body to distingreate, then water should be poured over them without touching them. If there is the fear that water may cause the body to distintegarte, then they should not be washed, but tayammum should be done for them if possible, as in the case of a living person who may be harmed by water. If it is not possible to wash the deceased because there is no water available, then tayammum should be done, and if it is possible to wash some parts and not others, then those parts that can be washed should be washed, and tayammum should be done for the rest, as is the case of the living. End quote, from al-Mughni. 2/209. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: How should ghusl be done for a person who died in an accident and his body is disfigured and some parts may have been cut off? He replied: It is obligatory to wash him, just like anyone else, if that is possible. If it is not possible then tayammum should be done for him, because tayammum takes the place of washing with water when that is not possible. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah, 13/123 In Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah (8/371) it says concerning ghusl for a person who died in an accident and whose body is cut in pieces: If it is not possible to wash him, then tayammum must be done for him, because of the general meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning): So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can [al-Taghaabun 64:16] because Allaah has prescribed tayammum for purification from both major and minor impurity when there is no water available or when one is unable to use it, or when using it will cause harm. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
22. Should ghusl be done for a woman who dies in childbirth or immediately afterwards?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/83856 Praise be to Allaah. If a woman dies during childbirth or immediately afterwards, or during the period of nifaas (postpartum bleeding), then she is regarded as a martyr before Allaah, and she will have the
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reward of the martyrs. This is explained in the answer to question in http://islamqa.com/en/ref/8800 But she should be washed (ghusl) and the funeral prayer should be offered for her as for any other Muslim man or woman. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for a woman who died during nifaas, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari (1332) and Muslim (964). Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (2/204): As for the shaheed who was not killed, such as one who died of a stomach disease, one who died of the plague, one who drowned, one who was crushed by a falling wall and the woman who died in childbirth, they are to be washed and the funeral prayer is to be offered for them. We do not know of any difference of scholarly opinion on this point, apart from that which was narrated from al-Hasan the Muslims offered the funeral prayer for Umar and Ali (may Allaah be pleased with them), who were both martyrs. End quote. The martyr who is not to be washed or have the funeral prayer offered for him is the one who dies in battle. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
23. Should the person who has been killed wrongfully, like the shaheed, not be washed or prayed for, or should he be washed and prayed for (janaazah or funeral prayer)?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/8191 Praise be to Allaah. The person who has been killed wrongfully should be washed and prayed for. Umar al-Faarooq (may Allaah be pleased with him) was killed wrongfully, as was Uthmaan ibn Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him), but they were both washed and the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) prayed for them. Ali was also killed wrongfully but he was washed and prayed for. Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, p. 121.
24. Should the funeral prayer be offered for the shaheed when he is killed?
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Detailed Question: Should the funeral prayer be offered for Muslims who are slain in battles against the kuffaar? Praise be to Allaah. The shaheed (martyr) is a Muslim who dies fighting the kuffaar and for that reason. See alMawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah, Kuwait edition, 26/272 The majority of scholars said that the funeral prayer should not be offered for him. That is the view of Imam Maalik and al-Shaafai, and the more correct of the two views narrated from Imam Ahmad. See al-Mughni, 2/334. That is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not pray for the martyrs of Uhud (narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1347), and because the purpose behind the funeral prayer is to intercede for the deceased. But the martyr receives expiation for everything (so he has no need of intercession), apart from debt; debt is not waived because of martyrdom, rather it remains owed by the deceased. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It is not prescribed to offer the funeral prayer for the martyrs who die in battle, or to wash them, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer the funeral prayer for the martyrs of Uhud, neither did he wash them. This was narrated by alBukhaari in his Saheeh (1347) from Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him). Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 13/162 Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: No one among the people neither the imam nor anyone else should offer the funeral prayer for the shaheed, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer the funeral prayer for the martyrs of Uhud, and because the purpose behind the funeral prayer is to intercede for the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: There is no Muslim man who dies, and forty men who do not associate anything in worship with Allaah offer the funeral prayer for him, but their intercession with Allaah for him will be accepted. But the martyr receives expiation for everything apart from debt, because debt cannot be waived by martyrdom, rather it remains owed by the deceased and is to be paid off from his estate if he left anything behind. Otherwise if he took it with the intention of paying it back, Allaah will pay it back on his behalf. Al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/367 Some of the scholars were of the view that it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer for the shaheed but it is not obligatory. This was narrated from Imam Ahmad (see al-Mughni, 2/334). That is because of the following ahaadeeth: 1 It was narrated from Shaddaad ibn al-Haad that a man from among the Bedouin came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and believed in him and followed him, then he said: I will migrate with you. They stayed there for a while, then they engaged in
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fighting the enemy. He was brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he had been struck by an arrow Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) shrouded him in his cloak, then he placed him in front of him and offered the funeral prayer for him. Narrated by al-Nasaai; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 82 2 It was narrated from Abd-Allaah ibn al-Zubayr that on the day of Uhud, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered that Hamzah be wrapped in his cloak, then he offered the funeral prayer for him. He said takbeer nine times, then the slain were brought and laid in rows, and he offered the funeral prayer for them and for him with them. Narrated by al-Tahhaawi in Maaani al-Athaar, 1/290; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 82. Among those who favoured this view was Shaykh Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy on him. See Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 81. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
25. How a woman is to be shrouded

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/98189 Praise be to Allaah. The madhhabs (Hanafi, Maaliki, Shaafai, Hanbali and Zaahiri) are agreed that it is mustahabb for a woman to be shrouded in five pieces of cloth. See: Badaai al-Sanaai (2/325); Mawaahib al-Jaleel (2/266); al-Majmoo (5/161); al-Mughni (3/390) and al-Muhalla (5/120). Ibn al-Mundhir said: Most of the scholars from whom were learned were of the view that a woman should be shrouded in five pieces of cloth. Al-Mughni (3/391). Ata said: A woman may be shrouded in three pieces of cloth. Narrated by Abd al-Razzaaq in al-Musannaf (3/273). A number of scholars are of the view that these five pieces are: an izaar (lower garment or waist wrapper), a khimaar (head cover), a qamees (chemise), and two large pieces of cloth that are wrapped around her. This is the view of the Maalikis, Shaafais and Hanbalis. See: Mawaahib al-Jaleel (2/266), al-Majmoo (5/162) and al-Mughni (3/392). They quoted as evidence the report narrated by Abu Dawood (3157) from Layla bint Qaanif alThaqafiyyah who said: I was among those who washed Umm Kulthoom the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when she died. The first thing that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave to us was the hiqa (lower garment) then the dar (chemise), then the khimaar (head cover), then the
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milhafah (wrapper), then she was wrapped in the last wrapper. She said: And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting by the door with her shrouds, handing them to us piece by piece. It was classed as daeef by al-Albaani in Irwa al-Ghaleel (723), but this hadeeth has corroborating evidence in a report narrated by al-Jawzi from Umm Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: We shrouded her in five pieces of cloth and we covered her as a living woman is covered. Al-Haafiz said: Its isnaad is saheeh. Fath al-Baari (3/159). Ibn Qudaamah said: This is mustahabb because a woman is covered more than a man when she is alive, because her awrah is more extensive than his, and the same applies after death. End quote. See: al-Mughni (3/391). Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: How should a man be shrouded and how should a woman be shrouded? He replied: It is better for a man to be shrouded in three pieces of white cloth among which there is no chemise or turban. This is what is best. And a woman should be shrouded in five pieces: a waist-wrapper, a chemise, a head-cover and two wrappers. If the deceased is shrouded in one piece of cloth that covers everything, that is permissible, whether it is a man or a woman. The matter ibroad in scope. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Baaz (13/127). It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah (3/363): A womans shrouding starts with the waistwrapper which covers the awrah and surrounding area, then a chemise covering the body, then covering the head and areas close to it, then she should be wrapped in the two wrappers. End quote. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh Abd al-Razzaaq Afeefi, Shaykh Abd-Allaah Ghadyaan, Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Qaood. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh al-Mumti: With regard to shrouding a woman in five pieces of cloth there is a marfoo hadeeth (i.e., one which is attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)), but its isnaad includes a narrator who is majhool (unknown), hence some of the scholars said that a woman may be shrouded as a man is shrouded, i.e., in three pieces of cloth that are wrapped over one another. Even if the hadeeth is not saheeh, this view is more correct, because the basic principle is that men and women are equal in terms of shari rulings, unless there is evidence to the contrary. Where there is evidence that one of them is to be treated differently, that should be followed, otherwise the basic principle is that they are equal. Based on this we say: If the hadeeth about shrouding a woman in five pieces of cloth is proven to be saheeh, then that is what should be followed. If it is not proven, then the basic principle is
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that men and women are equal with regard to rulings, except when there is evidence to the contrary. End quote. Al-Sharh al-Mumti (5/224). Islam Q&A
26. Is it permissible to shroud a man in a chemise?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/98308 Praise be to Allaah. It is better not to shroud a man in a chemise, rather he should be shrouded in three pieces of cloth which are wrapped around him, as was done to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was narrated from Aaishah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was shrouded in three pieces of white Yemeni cotton cloth among which there was no chemise or turban. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1264) and Muslim (941). Ibn Hazm said: Allaah does not choose anything but the best for His Prophet. End quote. Al-Muhalla (5/118). So it is better not to shroud a man in a chemise, but if he is shrouded in a chemise, it is permissible. Al-Nawawi said: It is not makrooh to shroud the deceased in a chemise because of the hadeeth of Ibn Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him, which says that when Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy died, his son came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allaah, give me your chemise so that I may shroud him in it, and (come and) offer the funeral prayer for him, and pray for forgiveness for him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave him his chemise, and said: Call me so I may offer the funeral prayer for him. He called him, and when he wanted to offer the prayer for him, Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) objected and said: Didnt Allaah forbid you to offer the funeral prayer for the hypocrites? He said: I have been given the choice. *Allaah+ said (interpretation of the meaning): Whether you (O Muhammad ) ask forgiveness for them (hypocrites) or ask not forgiveness for them (and even) if you ask seventy times for their forgiveness Allaah will not forgive them *al-Tawbah 9:80+. He offered the funeral prayer for him, then Allaah revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning): And never (O Muhammad ) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave *alTawbah 9:84]. And it was narrated that Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy after he had been placed in his grave and ordered that he be brought out. He lifted him onto his knees and blew some of his saliva onto him and clothed him in his chemise. And Allaah
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knows best. Abbaas was also clothed in a chemise. Sufyaan said: Abu Haroon Yahya said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was wearing two chemises. The son of Abd-Allaah said to him: O Messenger of Allaah, give my father the chemise that is closest to your skin. Sufyaan said: They think that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave Abd-Allaah his chemise in return for what he had done (for al-Abbas, the Prophets uncle). Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1270). Al-Bayhaqi included this hadeeth in al-Sunan al-Kubra (3/564) under the chapter heading: Permissibility of shrouding in a chemise even though we prefer that which was chosen for the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). End quote. The reason why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) shrouded Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy in his chemise: It was said that it was to soften the heart of his son. Al-Nawawi said: This is what appears to be the case. And it was said that it was because he *Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy) had given al-Abbaas, the paternal uncle of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a garment to wear when he was taken prisoner on the day of Badr, so the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave him a garment in return, so that he would not owe any favour to a kaafir. And it was said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did that in response to the request of his son when he asked him for that. See: al-Majmoo (5/152) and al-Mughni (3/384). Some of the scholars said that it is makrooh to shroud the deceased in a chemise. Al-Nawawi said: This is weak, and in fact is false in terms of evidence, because what is makrooh is that concerning which there is a proven prohibition, but nothing is proven in this case, so the correct view is that it is not makrooh, but it is contrary to what is best. End quote. See: al-Majmoo (5/153) and al-Mughni (3/368). With regard to women, they may be shrouded in a chemise. See the answer to question no. 98189 which describes how a woman is to be shrouded. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
27. Should the shaheed be washed and shrouded?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13762 Detailed Question: If a mujaahid who is fighting for the sake of Allaah dies, should we wash him and shroud him, or bury him in his clothes? Praise be to Allaah.
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If the shaheed dies in battle, he should not be washed and shrouded. This is the view of the majority of scholars, because of the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) issued orders that the martyrs of Uhud should be buried with their blood and not washed. (Narrated by alBukhaari, 1346) Rather they should not be washed, so that the traces of their martyrdom will be left on them, for it was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: By the One in Whose hand is my soul, no one is wounded for the sake of Allaah and Allaah knows best who is wounded for His sake but on the Day of Resurrection he will come with a colour like the colour of blood and a fragrance like the fragrance of musk. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2803; Muslim, 1876 Abd-Allaah ibn Thalabah narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Leave them with their blood, for there is no wound incurred for the sake of Allaah, but he will come on the Day of Resurrection bleeding with a colour like the colour of blood but its fragrance will be like the fragrance of musk. Narrated by al-Nasaai; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 3573 See al-Mughni maa al-Sharh al-Kabeer, 2/333; al-Maswooah al-Fiqhiyyah, 26/274 If the shaheed was junub (in a state of impurity following sexual activity), the scholars differed as to whether he should be washed. The more correct view is that he should not be washed because there is no difference between one who is junub and one who is not. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not wash those who were killed at Uhud. Moreover martyrdom is an expiation for everything. With regard to the report that Abd-Allaah ibn Hanzalah was washed by the angels, even if it is saheeh, it does not prove that the shaheed should be washed by human beings, because the angels washing him is not something that is visible to us. The rulings for human beings cannot be compared to the rulings for the angels. What happened to Hanzalah (may Allaah be pleased with him) was by way of honouring him, not be way of enjoining anything upon us. See al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/365. Islam Q&A
28. If the deceased is poor, who should pay the expenses of shrouding him, washing him and burying him etc?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/44039 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly:
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If the deceased has any money then the expenses of preparing him for burial should be paid from his own money. This takes precedence over paying off his debts and executing his will if he left a will, and it comes before the division of the estate. The evidence for that is the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning a man who died in Arafah: Shroud him in his two garments. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1851; Muslim, 1206. Ibn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Maaad, 2/240 concerning the rulings that are derived from this hadeeth: The shroud takes precedence over the rights of the heirs and payment of debts, because the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered that he be buried in his two garments, and he did not ask about his heirs or any debts that he owed. If it had been otherwise he would have asked. Just as clothing him when he is alive takes precedence over paying off his debts, the same applies after death. This is the view of the majority, and there is a differing opinion to which no attention need be paid. End quote. See: al-Majmoo, 5/147; al-Mughni, 3/457 Al-Kasaani said in Badaai al-Sanaai (2/330): He should be shrouded from his entire wealth, before paying off debts, executing his will or dividing the estate, because this is one of the basic needs of the deceased. So it is like spending on him when he is alive. End quote. Secondly: If the deceased does not have any wealth then shrouding him or her is the duty of the one who is obliged to spend on him or her (such as the father, son or husband). If there is no such person then it must be done by the bayt al-maal. If there is no bayt al-maal then it must be done by the Muslims. See: al-Majmoo, 5/148-150; Badaai al-Sanaai, 2/330 Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/219: The bayt al-maal of the Muslims is mentioned before the Muslims in general because the bayt al-maal is for all Muslims, unlike the case if it is done by the Muslims, because the one who donates it will feel that he has done him a favour. End quote. He also said (5/217): But if we assume that there is an organization that is responsible for that, there is nothing wrong if we shroud him from that, unless he issued instructions to the contrary, such as saying, Shroud me from my own wealth, in which case it is not permissible to shroud him using the public shrouds, whether that is done by a government organization or a private one. End quote. Thirdly: Because the husband is obliged to spend on his wife when she is alive, shrouding her is obligatory for him. This is the view of Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafai and Maalik. Ahmad said: It must be paid for from her wealth.
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See: al-Majmoo, 5/148-150; Haashiyat Ibn Aabideen, 3/101 Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti (5/219), commenting on the view of the majority: This view is more correct if he is well off. Shaykh Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sadi (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is a husband obliged to shroud his wife? He replied: The correct view is that the husband is obliged to shroud his wife, whether she was well off or not. This is part of spending and kind treatment, and the people regard it as wrong if it is suggested that if the wife of a man who is rich and well off dies, he does not have to shroud her. End quote. Al-Faatawa al-Jaamiah lil-Marah al-Muslimah, 2/242 But a wife is not obliged to shroud her husband, because she is not obliged to spend on him when he is alive. Al-Kasaani said in Badaai al-Sanaai (2/330): The wife is not obliged to shroud her husband, according to consensus, just as she is not obliged to clothe him when he is alive. End quote. Islam Q&A
29. Ruling on making death announcements from mosque minarets via loudspeaker
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/41959 Praise be to Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade making death announcements; what is meant by this prohibition is what the people of the Jaahiliyyah used to do, when they used to send someone to announce a death in a loud voice. Hence the majority of scholars are of the view that if making an announcement involves raising the voice, it is not allowed. Some of the Hanafis are of the view that it is not makrooh to call out news of a death in the alleys and markets, if it is a simple announcement which does not speak of the persons good characteristics. They said: Because that will increase the number of people who offer the funeral prayer for the deceased and pray for forgiveness for him. It is not like the death announcements of the Jaahiliyyah, for they used to send people to the tribes, announcing the death with screaming, weeping, wailing, elegizing, etc. My response to that is that the aim of increasing the number of people who offer the funeral prayer for the deceased and pray for forgiveness for him can be achieved without calling out and raising the voice. Moreover, raising the voice with news of a death is like the Jaahili way of making death announcements, which is forbidden.
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See al-Inaayah Sharh al-Hidaayah, 3/267; Fath al-Qadeer, 2/128; al-Khurashi ala Mukhtasar Khaleel, 2/139; al-Muhadhdhab, 1/132; al-Sharh al-Kabeer, 6/287; Fath al-Baari, 3/117 Al-Sanaani said in Subul al-Salaam (1/482): In al-Nihaayah it says that it was well known among the Arabs that when a nobleman among them died or was killed, they would send a rider to the tribes to announce his death to them, and he would say, I announce the death of So and so, I announce the death of the Arabs; or So and so has died, the Arabs are doomed because of the death of So and so. Then al-Sanaani said: It seems more likely to me that this is what is forbidden, and that includes announcing deaths from the top of the minarets as is done nowadays when leaders die. End quote. Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, explaining what is forbidden for the relatives of the deceased: Announcing the death from the tops of the minarets and the like, because that is a kind of death announcement (al-nai), and it is proven from Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan that when one of his relatives died he would say, Do not tell anyone, for I fear that this would be a death announcement, and I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbidding death announcements. In Arabic, the word al-nai (translated here as death announcement) means informing others of the death of a person. This includes all forms of giving this information. But the saheeh ahaadeeth indicate that some kinds of informing others of a death are permissible, and the scholars gave a specific definition to the general term al-nai. They said: what is meant by al-nai is announcements that are similar to what the people of the Jaahiliyyah used to do, where they would shout at the doors of houses and in the marketplace. Al-Haafiz said: What we learn from this is that not all kinds of death announcements are forbidden, rather what is forbidden is what the people of the Jaahiliyyah used to do; they used to send out people to announce the death of a person at the doors of houses and in the markets. I (al-Albaani) say: Once this is understood, shouting news of a death from the tops of minarets is certainly a form of al-nai, hence we are certain that it is haraam. It may be accompanied by other things that are haraam in and of themselves, such as accepting payment for that shouting, or praising the deceased person by saying things that are known to be untrue, such as saying, Pray for one who was most noble and generous, or Pray for one who followed in the footsteps of the righteous salaf. Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 44-46. This is the answer if what is meant in the question is making death announcements from the minaret over loudspeakers. If what is meant is simply informing the worshippers in the mosque of the death without raising the voice, there is nothing wrong with that in sha Allah. This is like what the Prophet (peace and
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blessings of Allaah be upon him) did after the death of the Negus, when he informed the Sahaabah of his death and announced it to them so that they could offer the funeral prayer for him. Al-Bukhaari (1333) and Muslim (951) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the death of al-Najaashi (the Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia) on the day on which he died. He took them out to the prayer place, arranged them in rows and said four takbeers (i.e., offered the funeral prayer for him). According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1328: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced to us the death of the Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia, on the day on which he died, and said, Pray for forgiveness for your brother. Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim: This shows that it is mustahabb to announce the death of a person, but not in the manner in which deaths were announced in the Jaahiliyyah; rather it should be done simply for the purpose of notifying people so that they can come to the prayer, and to encourage people to attend his funeral and to fulfil their duty towards him in that regard. The prohibition on death announcements does not apply to this, rather it applies to the jaahili forms of death announcements which includes mention of the good qualities of the deceased and so on. End quote. See also question in http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/60008 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
30. What are the kinds of death announcement that are permissible and forbidden? Is announcing the death of a person in the mosque haraam?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/60008 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: definition of death announcement (al-nai) The word nai refers to informing people of the death of a person and broadcasting that news. It also refers to matters that may accompany that such as listing the virtues of the deceased. Al-Tirmidhi said in al-Jaami (p. 239): al-nai among them means that it is proclaimed among the people that So and so has died, so that they will attend his funeral. Ibn al-Atheer said in al-Nihaayah (5/85): al-nai means broadcasting news of the death of a person, and announcing it, and therefore lamenting him. Al-Qalyoobi said in his Haashiyah (1/345): It is the call announcing the death of a person, mentioning his good deeds and good qualities.
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Secondly: Types of death announcement A death announcement may be a simple announcement, or it may be done by calling out and raising the voice, mentioning the good deeds of the deceased and so on. There is a ruling on both types. As for simply announcing the death, the majority of Hanafi, Maaliki, Shaafai and Hanbali scholars and others are of the view that it is permissible to announce a death without calling out, so that the funeral prayer may be offered over the deceased. See: Fath al-Qadeer, 2/127; Haashiyat al-Dasooqi, 1/24; Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj, 3/20; al-Iqnaa, 1/331; Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, 4/61; al-Sayl al-Jaraar, 1/339 Indeed, the majority of scholars are of the view that that is mustahabb. See al-Binaayah Sharh al-Hidaayah, 3/267; al-Khurashi ala Mukhtasar Khaleel, 2/139; alAdhkaar by al-Nawawi, p. 226. They quoted as evidence the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (1333) and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the death of al-Najaashi (the Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia) on the day on which he died. He took them out to the prayer place, arranged them in rows and said four takbeers (i.e., offered the funeral prayer for him). According to a report narrated by alBukhaari, 1328: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced to us the death of the Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia, on the day on which he died, and said, Pray for forgiveness for your brother. Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim: This shows that it is mustahabb to announce the death of a person, but not in the manner in which deaths were announced in the Jaahiliyyah; rather it should be done simply for the purpose of notifying people so that they can come to the prayer, and to encourage people to attend his funeral and to fulfil their duty towards him in that regard. The prohibition on death announcements does not apply to this, rather it applies to the jaahili forms of death announcements which includes mention of the good qualities of the deceased and so on. End quote. They also quoted as evidence the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (458) and Muslim (956) from Abu Hurayrah, that a black man or a black woman who used to take care of the mosque died. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked about him, and they said, He has died. He said, Why did you not tell me? Show me where his grave (or her grave) is. He went to the grave and offered the funeral prayer there. These two hadeeths clearly show that it is permissible to announce a death so that people may attend the funeral prayer and make duaa for the deceased. Indeed, they indicate that it is mustahabb, and that it is a means of fulfilling the persons right to have the funeral prayer offered for him and to attend his funeral.
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Evidence that it is permissible to announce a death for reasons other than the funeral prayer is the report narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (4262) from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the deaths of Zayd, Jafar and Ibn Rawaahah before news of that reached the people. He said: Zayd took the flag and was killed, then Jafar took it and was killed, then Ibn Rawaahah took it and was killed, and his eyes flowed with tears, until one of the swords of Allaah took the flag until Allaah granted them victory. In this hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the deaths of these three men (may Allaah be pleased with them). That announcement was not made so that the funeral prayer might be offered for them; rather it was in order to tell the Muslims news of their brothers, and what had happened to them in that battle. Based on this, it is permissible to announce a death for any valid purpose, such as making duaa for the deceased, forgiving him and so on. See Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj, 3/20. Ibn Abd al-Barr said in al-Istidhkaar (3/26): Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) would pass by gatherings and say, Your brother has died, attend his funeral. It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 8/402: It is permissible to call the relatives, friends and neighbours of the deceased so that they may offer the funeral prayer for him, make duaa for him, attend his funeral and help to bury him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told his companions when the Negus (may Allaah have mercy on him) died, so that they could offer the funeral prayer for him. End quote. As for announcing deaths with loud cries and raised voices, mentioning the good qualities of the deceased, this kind of death announcement was forbidden by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Al-Tirmidhi (986) narrated that Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan said: When I die, do not announce it, for I fear that that will be a death announcement, and I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbidding death announcements. Classed as hasan by alHaafiz ibn Hajar; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. Al-Sindi said in Haashiyat Ibn Maajah: The people of the Jaahiliyyah used to announce deaths in a reprehensible manner, and the prohibition applies to that type of announcement. But Hudhayfah was afraid that what was meant was a general prohibition so he did not want it. This was a kind of precaution. Otherwise, announcing a death, especially if it is done for a purpose such as increasing the size of the congregation (for offering the funeral prayer) is permissible. End quote. Al-Haafiz said in al-Fath: Not all kinds of death announcements are forbidden, rather what is forbidden is what the people of the Jaahiliyyah used to do; they used to send out people to announce the death of a person at the doors of houses and in the markets.
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Saeed ibn Mansoor said: Ibn Ulayyah told us that Ibn Awn said: I said to Ibraaheem, Did they regard death announcements as makrooh? He said, Yes. Ibn Awn said, If a man died, a man would ride his mount and cry out among the people, I am announcing the death of So and so. Ibn Sireen said: I do not see anything wrong with the death of a man being announced to his friends and loved ones. The point is that simply informing people of a death is not makrooh, but if it is more than that then it is not allowed. End quote. In Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi it says: The apparent meaning is that what Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) meant in this hadeeth was death announcements (al-nai) in the linguistic sense, and he understood the prohibition as applying to all kinds of nai. Other scholars said that what is meant by nai in this hadeeth is the kind of death announcement that was known during the Jaahiliyyah. Al-Asmai said: If someone of status died among the Arabs, a rider would mount his horse and go among the people saying, I announce the death of So and so, telling the news of his death. They said that because [?] it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the death of the Negus, and that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the deaths of Zayd ibn Haarithah, Jafar ibn Abi Taalib and Abd-Allaah ibn Rawaahah when they were killed at Mutah. It is also proven that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, when he was told of the death of the black woman or youth who used to take care of the mosque, Why didnt you tell me? All of this indicates that simply informing others of a death is not the kind of death announcement that is forbidden, and that in the linguistic sense it may correctly be called nai (death announcement). Hence the scholars said that what is meant by nai in the phrase, he forbade al-nai is the kind of death announcement that was known during the Jaahiliyyah. In this way the ahaadeeth may be reconciled. Ibn al-Arabi said: From the ahaadeeth it may be understood that there are three types of death announcements. The first is informing the family, friends and righteous people; this is Sunnah. The second is calling people to attend a gathering to show how important the deceased was; this is makrooh. The third is announcing it in some other manner, such as wailing and the like; this is haraam. End quote from Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi. Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo (5/174): The correct view, as indicated by the ahaadeeth which we have quoted and others, is that announcing the death to one who did not know of it is not makrooh, rather if the intention is to inform people so that more will come to offer the funeral prayer, then this is mustahabb. What is makrooh is to mention the good qualities of the deceased and to go around among the people mentioning these things. This is the death announcement of the Jaahiliyyah which is forbidden. There are saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of informing people of a death, and it is
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not permissible to ignore them. This is the answer given by some of the imams of fiqh and hadeeth. End quote. As for giving death announcements by raising the voice but without mentioning the good qualities of the deceased, some Hanafi, Maaliki, Shaafai and Hanbali scholars are of the view that it is makrooh to cry out the news of a death, because of the hadeeth of Hudhayfah quoted above. That is also because calling out and raising the voice is similar to the kind of death announcements given during the Jaahiliyyah, which is forbidden. They used to send out people to announce the news of the death at the doors of houses and in markets. See al-Inaayah Sharh al-Hidaayah, 3/267; al-Khurashi ala Mukhtasar Khaleel, 2/139; alMuhadhdhab, 1/132; al-Sharh al-Kabeer, 6/287 Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni: Death announcements are makrooh, i.e., sending out a caller to announce to the people that So and so had died, so that they will attend his funeral Many of the scholars said that there is nothing wrong with a man telling his brothers, acquaintances and good people, without crying out. Ibraaheem al-Nakhai said: If a man dies, there is nothing wrong with telling his friends and companions. Rather they regarded it as makrooh to go around to gatherings announcing the death of So and so, as was done during the Jaahiliyyah. End quote. Some of the Hanafis were of the view that it is not makrooh to call out the news of a death in streets and markets if that it simply calling out the news, without mentioning his good qualities. They said: Because that will increase the number of people who offer the funeral prayer for the deceased and pray for forgiveness for him; that is not like the death announcements of the Jaahiliyyah, when they used to send word to the tribes and announce deaths with screaming, weeping, wailing, eulogizing, etc. See Fath al-Qadeer, 1/128. The majority responded to this by noting that the purpose of increasing the number of people who offer the funeral prayer for the deceased and pray for forgiveness for him may be achieved without calling out and raising the voice. See Fath al-Baari, 3/117 As for announcing deaths from the minarets of mosques, we have answered this in question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/41959. Islam Q&A
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31. Permissibility of announcing death in chat rooms for the purpose of receiving condolences
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/126415 Praise be to Allaah. It seems to us that it is permissible to announce the death in a chat room of one of its members or one of his relatives for the purpose of receiving condolences and so that people may pray for mercy if it is the member who is deceased, or offer condolences to the one who has lost a family member. This does not come under the heading of the kind of death announcements that are forbidden, so long as it is free from exaggeration in praising the deceased and it does not involve the forbidden matter for which those scholars who forbade it, forbade making announcements in newspapers, namely undue expenses. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on offering condolences in newspapers? Is it regarded as a kind of death announcement that is forbidden? He replied: That does not come under the heading of death announcements that are forbidden, although not doing it is preferable, because it costs a lot of money. Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 13/408. There are interests to be served by announcing the death before the burial such as: supplication may be offered for mercy for him and for him to be made steadfast during the questioning in the grave; the numbers of good people who offered a funeral prayer for him can be increased; the grief of his family may be reduced by these who are close to him. As for announcing the death after the burial, interests are also served by this, among the most important of which are: condolences to the member who has lost one of his family or one of his relatives. Among the evidence which points to the principle that we have mentioned here, which is that it is permissible to announce the death of a Muslim, especially before the burial, without any exaggeration in praise of the deceased, is the fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) announced the death of the Negus, the King of Abyssinia. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) announced to us the death of the Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia, on the day on which he died, and he said: Pray for forgiveness for your brother. Al-Bukhaari (1263) and Muslim (951). In the hadeeth there is a mention of the deceased so that others are encouraged to pray for him as he deserves and to offer the funeral prayer for him, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer in absentia with his companions. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said:
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Al-Kharqi said, it is recommended to offer condolences to the family of the deceased. We do not know of any difference of opinion concerning this matter. The purpose behind offering condolences is to console the family that has been bereaved, to fulfil their rights and to draw closer to them; the need for that after the burial is the same as the need for it before the burial. Al-Mughni, 2/408 Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It should be noted that offering condolences is recommended before the burial and afterwards. al-Adhkaar, p. 148, 149. There is no specific time for offering condolences and no specific place. Simply announcing a death in a chat room is not contrary to any text or any of the aims of shareeah. The Scholars of the Standing Committee said: there is no specific time or place for offering condolences. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/134. For more details please see the answer to question number http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/119130. For information on the haraam type of kind of death announcements, and that simply announcing the death is permissible in and of itself, and for information on the words of the scholars and what they quoted as evidence of the hadeeth about the Negus and others, please see the answer to question number http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/60008 And Allah knows best. Islam Q&A
32. Ruling on placing death notices on the board in the mosque

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/148748 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Announcing a death in a manner that resembles the kind of death announcements that are forbidden is not permissible. As for announcing it among his relatives and acquaintances so that they can attend the funeral prayer for him and attend his burial, that is permissible, and does not come under the heading of the kind of death announcements that are forbidden, because when the Negus died in Abyssinia, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told the Muslims of his death and offered the funeral prayer for him. Secondly: A board should not be placed in the mosque for the purpose of announcing deaths and the like, because the mosques were not built for that. End quote.
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Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh Abd-Allah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Qaood Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/142
33. Perfuming the deceased and applying bukhoor to the shroud for men and women
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/39201 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: It is mustahabb to perfume the shroud, whether the deceased is a man or a woman. This is indicated by the saheeh Sunnah. It is proven in al-Saheehayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded the women who were washing his daughter to put some camphor or a little camphor in the last wash. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1253; Muslim, 939. Camphor is a type of perfume. Al-Haafiz said in al-Fath: It is said that the reason why camphor is used, although it is a perfume, is because of the angels and others who attend, in addition to the fact that it has a drying and cooling effect; it can penetrate the body of the deceased and stiffen the body, keep vermin away, prevent wastes from being expelled, and prevent the body from decomposing rapidly. It is the most effective of perfumes in that sense. This is the reason why it is put in the last wash, because if it was put in the first wash the water would remove it. But can musk, for example, be used instead of camphor? If we think just in terms of fragrance, then yes, otherwise the answer is no. It was said that if no camphor is available, other kinds of perfume may be used, even if it has only one of these qualities. End quote. Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim: This indicates that it is mustahabb to use a little camphor in the final wash. There is consensus among us on this point, and this is the view of Maalik, Ahmad and a number of scholars, because of this hadeeth, and because it perfumes the deceased and makes his body stiff and cool, and prevents the body decomposing rapidly. End quote. It was narrated that Jaabir said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When you perfume the deceased with incense (bakhoor) then perfume him three times. Narrated by Imam Ahmad, 14131. al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo (5/155): Its isnaad is saheeh. It was also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 278. The word deceased here refers to both male and female.
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What is meant is perfuming the shroud with incense. Al-Bayhaqi mentioned in his Sunan (3/568) that this hadeeth was also narrated with the words, Perfume the shroud of the deceased with incense three times. See Badaai al-Sanaai, 1/307. It was narrated that Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with her) said to her family: Perfume my garments with incense when I die, then apply hanoot to me. Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta, 528; and by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 3/568. It says in al-Muntaqa: Hanoot is that which is put on the body and shroud of the deceased of perfume, musk, amber, camphor and anything else that is used for its scent rather than its colour, because the purpose here is the scent rather than beautification with the colour. End quote. This ruling that it is mustahabb to perfume the deceased does not include one who is in ihraam for Hajj or Umrah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning a man in ihraam who died at Arafah: And do not put any perfume on him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1851; Muslim, 1206. According to another report: Do not bring any perfume near him. Al-Nawawi said: It is mustahabb to perfume the shroud with incense except in the case of a man or woman who is in ihraam. Al-Majmoo, 5/156 Secondly: With regard to the manner in which the deceased is to be perfumed, the perfume is to be placed on the parts of the body on which one prostrates, because of their noble status, and on the places where dirt gathers such as the backs of the knees. If the whole body is perfumed, there is nothing wrong with that. Al-Bayhaqi narrated (3/568) that Ibn Masood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Camphor is to be put on the parts of the body on which one prostrates, which are: the forehead, the nose, the hands, the knees and the feet, because he used to prostrate on these parts so they are deserving of greater honour. See Sharh Fath al-Qadeer, 2/110 Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni (3/388): The hanoot (perfume which is used for the deceased) should be placed on the joints such as the backs of the knees and beneath the armpits, because these are places where dirt gathers. And it should be put on the parts on which he used to prostrate because they are nobler. And if the entire body is perfumed there is nothing wrong with that. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is there any report that the entire body of the deceased may be perfumed? He replied: Yes, that was narrated from some of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them).
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Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen, 17/97 Thirdly: If a woman who was in mourning following the death of her husband dies, should she be perfumed? Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo (5/164-165): The correct view is that it is not haraam to put perfume on her, because perfume is forbidden to her during her iddah so that no one will want to marry her, but this consideration no longer applies after she died. End quote. Islam Q&A
34. Reserving one's grave

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/391 It is not desirable for a person to dig his grave ahead of time as this was not done by Prophet (peace be upon him) nor by his companions. A person does not know where he will die. If the intention of the person is to get ready for death, then preparation should be in good deeds. (See selections of Jurisprudence writings by Ibn Taymiyah, Funeral Rights, by al-Albani, p.160, 40th ed, Islamic Center).In otherwords, preperation for meeting Allaah, is not by digging graves. Instead, it is accomplished by overabundance of good deeds. If it is not possible in predominantly non-Muslim countries to have a cemetery or dedicated plot for the burial of Muslims unless the graves are reserved beforehand (e.g., to raise the funds), then there would be no objection in this case. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
35. Some people wear black clothes when someone close to them dies. Is this a kind of bidah (innovation) or is it proven in the Sunnah?.
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/47488 Praise be to Allaah. It is not Sunnah to wear black when anyone dies, hence the scholars regarded it as bidah. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: what is the ruling on women attending funerals? And on wearing black clothes? He replied:
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It is haraam for women to attend funerals because they have little patience and because it exposes them to fitnah and mixing with men. With regard to wearing black clothes at times of calamity, this is an innovation. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen, 17/329. He was also asked (17/410): what is the ruling on singling out certain kinds of clothes for offering condolences such as women wearing black? He replied: Singling out a certain type of clothes for offering condolences is an innovation as far as we know, and it may stem from a persons being displeased with the decree of Allaah. Although some people think there is nothing wrong with it, the salaf did not do this and as it is to some extent an expression of displeasure with the decree of Allaah, undoubtedly it is better not to do it, because if a person does that he may be closer to sin than not. He also said (17/414): Wearing black in mourning for the dead is a kind of bidah and displaying grief, and it is akin to rending ones garment and slapping ones cheeks, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) disavowed the one who does that when he said: He is not one of us who rends his garment and slaps his cheeks and calls out with the call of jaahiliyyah.. Islam Q&A
36. Ruling on visiting a sick kaafir and attending his funeral

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/12718 Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about Muslim people who have Christian neighbours is it permissible for a Muslim to visit a Christian if he gets sick, or to attend his funeral if he dies? Is there any sin on a Muslim who does these things, or not? He replied: Praise be to Allaah the Lord of the Worlds. He should not attend his funeral, but visiting him when he is sick is fine, because this may serve an interest, namely opening his heart to Islam. But then if he dies as a kaafir, he will deserve Hell, hence the prayers should not be offered for him. And Allaah knows best. Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 3/6.
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**37. Please explain to us how the funeral prayer is to be offered, as reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/12363 Praise be to Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) explained how the funeral prayer is to be done. It is done as follows: You say the first Takbeer (Allaahu akbar), then you seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan, then you say Bismillah ir-Rahmaan ir-Raheem and recite al-Faatihah followed by a short soorah or some aayahs. Then you say Takbeer and send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as one does at the end of the prayer. Then you say a third Takbeer and make duaa for the deceased. The best is to say: Allaahumma ighfir lihaayina wa mayitina wa shaahidina wa ghaaibina wa sagheerina wa kabeerina wa dhakarina wa unthaana. Allaahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa ahyihi alal-Islam wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa tawiffahu alal-eemaan. Allaahumma ighfir lahu warhamhu wa aafihi wa afu anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu wa wassi madkhalahu waghsilhu bil-maa wal-thalj wal-barad, wa naqqihi min al-khataaya kama yunaqqa al-thawb al-abyad min al-danas. Allaahumma abdilhu daaran khayra min daarihi wa ahlan khayra min ahlihi. Allaahumma adkhilhu al-jannah wa aidhhu min adhaab il-qabri wa min adhaab il-naar wa afsah lahu fi qabrihi wa nawwir lahu fihi. Allaahumma laa tahrimna ajrahu wa la tadillanaa badahu (O Allaah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are present among us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allaah, whoever You keep alive, keep him alive in Islam, and whoever You cause to die, cause him to die with faith. O Allaah, forgive him and have mercy on him, keep him safe and sound and forgive him, honour the place where he settles and make his entrance wide; wash him with water and snow and hail, and cleanse him of sin as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allaah, give him a house better than his house and a family better than his family. O Allaah, admit him to Paradise and protect him from the torment of the grave and the torment of Hell-fire; make his grave spacious and fill it with light. O Allaah, do not deprive us of the reward and do not cause us to go astray after this). All of this was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If you make duaa with other words, this is OK, for example, you could say, Allaahumma in kaana muhsinan fa zid fi ihsaanihi wa in kaana museean fa tajaawaz an sayiaatihi. Allaahumma ighfir lahu wa thabbit-hu bil-qawl il-thaabit (O Allaah, if he was a doer of good, then increase his good deeds, and if he was a wrongdoer, then overlook his bad deeds. O Allaah, forgive him and give him the strength to say the right thing). Then you say a fourth Takbeer and pause for a little while, then you say one Tasleem to the right, saying Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatAllaah.
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Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol 13, p. 141
38. If one misses some of the takbeers of the funeral prayer, how should he join the prayer with the imam?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22486 Praise be to Allaah. He should join the prayer with the imam wherever he catches up with it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whatever you catch up with pray, and whatever you miss, complete it. When the imam says the salaam, he should complete whatever he missed if the bier is still there and has not been taken away. If he is afraid that it will be taken away (before he finishes), then our fuqaha may Allaah have mercy on them say that he has the choice of completing the prayer or of following the imam, and saying the salaam with the imam. And Allaah knows best. 70 Suaalan fi Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 13, by Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-Uthaymeen.
39. Ruling on reciting al-Faatihah during the Janaazah (funeral) prayer

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/20435 Praise be to Allaah It is obligatory, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: pray as you have seen me praying. Narrated by al-Bukhaari. And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book *alFaatihah+. Saheeh agreed upon. Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz, 13/143.
40. Where the imaam should stand for the funeral prayer?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/8192 Praise be to Allaah.
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The deceased should be placed in front of the imaam, and the imaam should stand at the head of a man and the middle of a woman, as described in the saheeh ahaadeeth narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If there are a number of dead, men, women and children, the men should be placed closest to the imaam, then boys, then women, then girls. The womans middle should be in line with the mans head, so that the imaam will be standing in the correct position in relation to all of them, as prescribed in shareeah. Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, p. 140.
****41. How to offer the funeral prayer over more than one grave
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/105354 Praise be to Allaah. With regard to offering prayers over graves, one of two scenarios must apply: 1. Either the graves are in front of the worshipper, in the direction of the qiblah in one line, in which case it is valid for him to offer one prayer for the occupants of all of these graves; 2. or the graves are scattered, with some of them on his right and some on his left, in which case each grave has its own ruling, so he should offer the prayer at each grave on its own. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: There are two janaazahs (funeral biers) next one another in the graveyard: how should the prayer be offered for them after burial? Should the funeral prayer be offered for each janaazah on its own, or can the intention be made to offer the prayer for both? He replied: If the graves are both in front of the worshipper, then he may offer one prayer for both, but if each one is in a different place, then he should offer the prayer for each one (separately). End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/159) The one who is offering the funeral prayer over a grave should stand with the grave in front of him like the bier is in front of the worshippers during the funeral prayer. If the deceased was male, he should stand at his head, and if the deceased was female, then he should stand at her middle. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
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42. Is the opening duaa prescribed in the funeral prayer?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/103425 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The funeral prayer (salaat al-janaazah) is a communal obligation. It has been described in the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/12363. Secondly: The opening duaa is a confirmed Sunnah in every prayer in which there is bowing and prostration, such as the obligatory and naafil prayers, Eid prayer, eclipse prayer, and so on. With regard to a prayer in which there is no bowing or prostration, such as the prayer offered for the deceased, the scholars differed as to whether it is prescribed to recite the opening duaa in this prayer. There are two views: 1 That the opening duaa is not prescribed in the funeral prayer. This is the view of the majority, the Maalikis, Shaafais and Hanbalis. They quoted as evidence: (i) The fact that there is no report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited the opening duaa in the funeral prayer. (ii) They said that it is prescribed to make the funeral prayer brief, so it is appropriate to omit the opening duaa. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said (5/194): As for the opening duaa, there are two points of view. Our companions are agreed that it is mustahabb to omit it. End quote. Al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: As for the opening duaa, there is nothing wrong with reciting it and there is nothing wrong with omitting it, but omitting it is preferable, following the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Hasten with the funeral. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Baaz (13/141). Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it prescribed to say the opening duaa when offering the funeral prayer? He replied: The scholars stated that it is not recommended, and they gave the reason for that as being that the funeral prayer is supposed to be kept short, so the opening duaa should not be recited. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/119). 2 That the opening duaa is Sunnah in the funeral prayer. This is the view of the Hanafis. They gave the reason as being that it is a prayer, so the opening duaa should be recited in it as in all other prayers. Some of the Hanafis such as al-Tahhaawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) favoured the view that the opening duaa should not be recited in it.
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See: Badaai al-Sanaai (1/314). The view that is more likely to be correct is the view that it is not prescribed to recite the opening duaa in the funeral prayer, because there is no report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did that, and because it is supposed to be kept short, hence there is no bowing or prostrating in it and no Quraan is recited apart from al-Faatihah. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
**43. Is there any benefit in having a large number of people to pray the funeral prayer?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/9966 Praise be to Allaah. It was reported in the hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: There is no Muslim man who dies and forty men who do not associate anything with Allaah pray the funeral prayer for him, but Allaah will accept their intercession for him. (Narrated by Muslim). Hence the scholars regarded it as mustahabb to look for a mosque in which there is a large congregation to pray for the deceased. The greater the number, the closer that is to goodness and the more duaa will be made. Kitaab majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13. P/ 138
44. Is it permissible to offer the funeral prayer in the mosque?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/106423 Praise be to Allaah. The Sunnah is to offer the funeral prayer in a place that is just for funerals, outside the mosque, because of the report in al-Bukhaari (1245) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) which says that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the death of the Negus on the day on which he died, then he went out to the prayer-place and lined them up in rows, and said takbeer four times. But if the funeral prayer is offered in the mosque, there is nothing wrong with it, because of the report narrated by Muslim (973) which says that Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) issued orders that the bier of Sad ibn Abi Waqqaas be brought into the mosque and the funeral prayer be offered for him. The people objected to that, but she said: How quickly the people
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forget! The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer the funeral prayer for Suhayl ibn al-Bayda except in the mosque. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah be pleased with him)said in al-Mughni (2/186): There is nothing wrong with offering the funeral prayer for the deceased in the mosque if there is no fear that it may become contaminated. This is the view of al-Shaafai, Ishaaq, Abu Thawr and Dawood. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the correct opinion on the ruling on offering the funeral prayer for the deceased in the mosque? He replied: The correct view is that there is nothing wrong with offering the prayer for the deceased in the mosque, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for Sahl ibn Bayda in the mosque. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (17/160). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
45. Ruling on women praying the janaazah (funeral) prayer

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/14522 Praise be to Allaah. Praying the janaazah (funeral) prayer is prescribed for both men and women, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever attends the janaazah until he offers the prayer will have one qeeraat (of reward), and whoever attends until (the deceased) is buried will have two qeeraats. It was said, O Messenger of Allaah, what are the two qeeraats? He said, Like two great mountains, meaning, of reward. (Saheeh agreed upon). But women should not follow the funeral procession to the graveyard, because they are not allowed to do that, as it was reported in al-Saheehayn that Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: We were forbidden to follow the funeral procession but it was not made absolute on us. (narrated by Muslim). But women are not forbidden to offer the janaazah prayer, whether it is offered in the mosque, in a house or in a prayer-place. Women used to offer the janaazah prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his mosque and after his lifetime. Visiting graves, however, is something which is only for men, as is following the funeral procession, because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed women who visit graves. The reason for that and Allaah knows best is that there is the fear that if women were to follow funeral processions to the graveyard or visit graves, that would cause fitnah (temptation) to others or to themselves. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, I have not left behind any fitnah more harmful to men than women. (Saheeh agreed upon). And Allaah is the Source of strength.
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Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh ibn Baaz , vol. 13, p. 133
46. Funeral prayer for a child

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/23301 Detailed Question: Should a child be washed and the janaazah (funeral) prayer be offered for him? Please note that the child is 8 years old. Praise be to Allaah. A child should be washed and the funeral prayer offered for him according to all the scholars. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said that there was no dispute concerning this matter. Ibn al-Mundhir narrated that there was consensus among the scholars that a child should be prayed for. See al-Mughni, 3/458. When the prayer is offered for a child, there should be no prayer for forgiveness, and it should not be said in the prayer Allaahumma aghfir lahu (O Allaah forgive him), because no sins were recorded for him. Rather prayers should be said for forgiveness and mercy for his parents. That is because of the report narrated by Abu Dawood (3180) and al-Tirmidhi (1031) from alMugheerah ibn Shubah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The funeral prayer should be offered for him and prayers should be said for forgiveness and mercy for his parents. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 73. See also question no. 13985. And Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
47. Can one avoid funeral ceremony of a cruel Person?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/67576 Praise be to Allaah. Attending a funeral until the prayer has been offered or until the deceased has been buried is a duty that a Muslim owes to his fellow Muslim. Al-Bukhaari (1240) and Muslim (2162) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: The rights of one Muslim over another are five: returning the (greeting of) salaam, visiting the sick, attending funerals, accepting invitations and saying Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you) to one who sneezes.
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According to a version narrated by Muslim: There are five things that a Muslim must do for his brother Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said: The apparent meaning is that it is a communal obligation (fard kifaayah). End quote from Fath al-Baari, 3/136. So attending funerals is a communal obligation; if some people do it then the rest are absolved of that responsibility, but if none of them do it, then they are all sinners. The command to attend funerals is also mentioned in the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (2445) and Muslim (2066) from al-Bara ibn Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to do seven things and he forbade us to do seven, and he mentioned: Visiting the sick, attending funerals, saying Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you) to one who sneezes, returning the (greeting of) salaam, supporting the one who has been wronged, accepting invitations and fulfilling a persons oath. Concerning the virtue of attending funerals until the prayer has been offered and the deceased has been buried, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever attends the funeral until the prayer has been offered will have one qiraat (of reward) and whoever attends until the deceased has been buried will have two qiraats. It was said, What are the two qiraats? He said: Like two great mountains. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1325; Muslim, 945. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did avoid offering the funeral prayer for some people, as a punishment and a rebuke, and so as to deter others from doing what they did. He did not offer the funeral prayer for one who had stolen from the war booty, or for one who had killed himself. Muslim (978) narrated that Jaabir ibn Samurah said: A man who had killed himself with an arrow was brought to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but he did not offer the funeral prayer for him. Abu Dawood (2710), al-Nasaai (1959) and Ibn Maajah (2848) narrated from Zayd ibn Khaalid alJuhani that one of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died on the day of Khaybar. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was told about that and he said: Offer the funeral prayer for your companion. The peoples expressions changed (i.e. they did not know why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was not going to lead the funeral prayer himself). He said: Your companion stole from the war booty (when fighting) for the sake of Allaah. We searched his belongings and found some pearls from the pearls of the Jews that were not even worth two dirhams. The scholars understood from this hadeeth that the Sunnah is for the ruler not to offer the funeral prayer for one who stole from the war booty or one who killed himself, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
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Here two questions arise: 1 Should people of knowledge and virtue follow the rulers lead? 2 Should others who are like the one who stole from the war booty or one who killed himself, or worse than them such as bandits, oppressors and those who commit major sins or commit sin openly be treated in like manner? The answer is: Yes, people of knowledge and virtue should follow the rulers lead, and others who are like the one who stole from the war booty or one who killed himself, or worse than them, should be treated in like manner. Al-Baaji said in al-Muntaqa: This is the Sunnah, rulers and people of virtue should refrain from offering the funeral prayer for those who committed major sins, as a deterrent against doing similar actions. The fact that he (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) commanded others to offer the prayer for him indicates that they come under the heading of believers and are not regarded as non-believers because of the sins they committed. End quote. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If a person who did not pay zakaah and did not pray except in Ramadaan dies, the people of knowledge and religious commitment should refrain from offering the funeral prayer for him as a punishment and a rebuke to those who are like him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) refrained from offering the funeral prayer for one who had killed himself, one who had stolen from the war booty, and a debtor who had died without paying off his debt. But some people must offer the funeral prayer for him If a person who committed sin openly but still had some faith died, like those who commit major sins, and someone refuses to offer the funeral prayer for him as a rebuke to others who are like him, he has done well. If a person offers the funeral prayer for him in the hope that Allaah will have mercy on him, and because there is no purpose to be served by refraining from offering the prayer for him, he has also done well. If a person refuses outwardly to offer the funeral prayer for him but makes duaa for him in secret in order to achieve both purposes, that is better than missing out on one of them. End quote. Al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 80 In al-Insaaf (2/535), al-Mardaawi narrated that Imam Ahmad did not offer the funeral prayer for those who had committed major sins, and he said: al-Majd (i.e., Majd al-Deen ibn Taymiyah, the grandfather of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah) said that the funeral prayer should not be offered for anyone who had died openly committing sin without having repented. It says in al-Furoo: and this view is sound. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If someone were to say: Shouldnt this ruling apply to the ameer, qaadi or mufti of every town, anyone whose refusal to offer the funeral prayer would be counted as a rebuke? Does the ruling apply to them? The answer is, Yes, it applies to them. If a persons refusal to offer the funeral prayer will count as a rebuke,
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then it is Sunnah for him not to offer the funeral prayer for one who has stolen from the war booty or one who killed himself. Then he said: Are those who are like the one who steals from the war booty or who kills himself, or who are worse than them and cause more harm to the Muslims, such as bandits, to be treated in like manner? Answer: The well-known view in the madhhab is that they are not to be treated in like manner, The other view is that the imam should not offer the funeral prayer for those who are like them, or worse than them, because if shareeah prescribes a punishment for a certain sin, then it also applies to sins that are similar or worse than that. If the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer the funeral prayer for the one who stole this insignificant amount from the war booty, then what about one who robs the Muslims on the road, and kills them and takes their wealth? Is he not more deserving of a stern rebuke? The answer is, Yes, and that is the correct view: if a sin is equal to these, and the ruler thinks that there is a purpose to be served by not offering the funeral prayer for him, then he should not offer the prayer for him. End quote, from al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/442. Based on the above, if a person was known to be hard-hearted and cruel in the sense that he committed major sins or committed sin openly, then the people of knowledge and virtue, whose refusal will have the effect of deterring others from committing similar sins and will put people off these sins and those who commit them, should refrain from offering the funeral prayer for him. But ordinary people, whose refusal to attend the funeral and offer the prayer will not have any impact, should attend the funeral and offer the prayer, so that they may attain the reward for that and fulfil their duty towards their fellow-Muslim. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
48. What is the ruling on stating the gender of the deceased, whether male or female, when offering the funeral prayer for him or her?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/105371 Praise be to Allaah. There is nothing wrong with stating whether the deceased was male or female when he or she is brought forward for the funeral prayer, if the members of the congregation did not know that, so that they may offer duaa in the masculine if he was male and in the feminine if she was female, but if that is not done, it does not matter either, and the worshippers who do not know about this deceased person may intend to offer the prayer for the one who is there
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before them, and the funeral prayer will be valid whether they say it in the masculine (O Allaah forgive him), meaning this one who is present before us, or in the feminine (O Allaah forgive her), meaning this funeral bier that is before us [because the Arabic word al-haadir, meaning the one who is present, is masculine, and the word janaazah, meaning funeral bier, is feminine]. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/103)
49. How should we make duaa in the funeral prayer if it is offered for a male or a female or for two people, or if the deceased is a child?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/31139 Praise be to Allaah. Duaa should be made for all the deceased, whether males or females, by saying Allaahumma aghfir lahum warhamhum (O Allaah forgive them and have mercy on them). If they are two you should say, Allaahumma aghfir lahuma warhamhuma (O Allaah, forgive them both and have mercy on them both). If the deceased is a child, what should be said in the duaa is: Allaahumma ajalhu dhikhran li waalidayhi wa faratan wa shafeean mujaaban. Allaahumma azim bihi ujoorahuma wa thaqqil bihi mawaazeenahuma wa alhaqhu bi saalih salaf al-mumineen wajalhu fi kafaalat Ibraaheem alayhil-salaam, wa qihi bi rahmatika adhaab il-jaheem (O Allaah, make him a stored treasure for his parents, and a preceding reward and an answered intercessor. O Allaah, increase their reward through him and make their scales weigh heavily. Join him with the righteous believers who have gone on before, place him in the care of Ibraaheem, peace be upon him, and protect him from the torment of Hell by Your mercy). Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz, 13/145.
50. Can the funeral prayer be offered for one who did not pray?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/127296 Detailed Question: Are we obliged to attend the funeral prayer of a person who calls themself a Muslim (or who believes in Allah), yet drinks alcohol and has never prayed or fasted a single day in their life? Praise be to Allaah.
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Firstly: Attending the funeral of a Muslim, i.e., washing him or shrouding him or offering the prayer for him or burying him, is a communal obligation; if there is someone among the Muslims who can do that, then it becomes mustahabb for you and not obligatory. It says in Zaad al-Mustaqni: Washing the deceased, shrouding him, offering the prayer for him and burying him is a communal obligation (fard kifaayah). Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh: It should be noted that with regard to every communal obligation, if it is undertaken by one who can do it properly, it is waived in the case of the others, but if there is only one person who can do it, then in his case it becomes an individual obligation (fard ayn). The author says burying him is a communal obligation, and that on which burial depends is also a communal obligation, and that on which the prayer depends is also a communal obligation, thus carrying him from his house to the prayer place is a communal obligation, and carrying him from the prayer place to the graveyard is a communal obligation, because that without which the obligatory duty cannot be done is also obligatory. End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/265. Secondly: With regard to the one who does not pray, if he does not pray at all he is a kaafir, whether he does not pray because of laziness or because he denies that it is obligatory, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions, because of a great deal of evidence, some of which has been mentioned in the answer to question number http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/5208 and http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/83165. Based on that, it is not permissible for you to offer the funeral prayer for one who you know died not praying, because of the general meaning of the verses in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):And never (O Muhammad ) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allaah and His Messenger, and died while they were Faasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah and His Messenger ) [al-Tawbah 9:84] It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allaahs forgiveness for the Mushrikoon, even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief) [al-Tawbah 9:113]. So the one who did not pray should not be washed or shrouded or the prayer offered for him, and he should not be buried in the Muslim graveyard, because he is a kaafir, as stated above. As for the disobedient Muslim, such as the one who used to drink alcohol but he prayed regularly and did not stop praying, the funeral prayer should be offered for him, but the imam or scholar may refrain from offering the funeral prayer for him, as a rebuke to deter people
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from doing what he did and to scare those who are like him, but other people should offer the funeral prayer for him. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
**51. Can they offer the funeral prayer over one who did not pray for fear of fitnah that may result if they do not do it?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/67113 Detailed Question: There is a village in which most of the inhabitants do not pray, but they adhere to some Islamic customs. There may be among them some who are kaafirs. We are a group who are religiously-committed and we are calling them to Allaah, and we have hopes that they will be guided. We only offer the funeral prayer for those who pray, but this causes fitnah if we do not offer the prayer for those who do not pray. Is it permissible to offer the funeral prayer for all people for the sake of dawah? Praise be to Allaah. The ruling on offering the funeral prayer for one who did not pray is based on the difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether he is a Muslim who is a sinner or a kaafir. The apparent meaning of the texts and the consensus of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) is that the one who does not pray is a kaafir in the sense of major kufr. This has been discussed in the answer to question no. http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/10061. In the answer to question no. http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/70278 we stated that if a person does not pray, we cannot eat meat slaughtered by him. In the answer to question no. http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/37820 and http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/49698 we stated that if a person does not pray, no good deeds, zakaah, fasting, Hajj or anything will be accepted from him. In the answer to question no. http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/7864 we stated that the Muslims should have their own graveyards, in which no one else should be buried, and the one who does not pray and dies when he is not praying should not be buried in the Muslim graveyard. At the same time, we cannot deny that there is another scholarly opinion on this issue, and there is nothing wrong with the one who adopts it and believes in it. If you think that the one who does not pray is a kaafir, then do not offer the funeral prayer for one who died when he was not praying, and put up with any trouble that may be caused to you by the foolish. If you do not think that the one who does not pray is a kaafir, then there is nothing wrong with you offering the funeral prayer for one who died when he was not praying, although it is better
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not to offer the prayer for him, as a punishment to him and as a deterrent to others from this major sin. Perhaps by not offering the funeral prayer for him and others like him, you will motivate people to establish regular prayer. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
52. What is the ruling on travelling in order to offer the funeral prayer?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/21597 Praise be to Allaah. There is nothing wrong with that. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn AbdAllaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, p. 138.
53. How to make up what one has missed of the janaazah (funeral) prayer
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22288 Detailed Question: What is the ruling on a person who catches up with one takbeer of the imaam in the janaazah (funeral) prayer, but he has missed three takbeers? What should he do? Praise be to Allaah. He should complete the janaazah prayer and recite the three takbeers to make up what he has missed before the coffin is taken away, then he should say the salaam. The part of the prayer where he caught up with the imaam is considered to be the first part of his prayer, and it is sufficient for him to say the minimum of what is required after the second and third takbeers. After the second takbeer he may say, Allaahumma salli ala Muhammad (O Allaah, send blessings upon Muhammad) and after the third takbeer he should say, Allaahumma ighfir lahu (O Allaah, have mercy on him). And he should say salaam after the fourth takbeer. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas, 8/399
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54. Offering the funeral prayer for the deceased several years after the burial
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/90030 Detailed Question: My grandmother died and I did not offer the funeral prayer for her, although I live in the same city, because they buried her before I could get there. Now it is three years since she died. Do I have to do anything?. Praise be to Allaah. It seems from your question that you feel that you let your grandmother down. If you were in the same city and were able to attend the funeral prayer and burial, why did you not do that? What kept you from being present for the best thing that you could do to honour your grandmother when she died, and offer the funeral prayer and make duaa for her and pray for forgiveness for her? Grandfathers and grandmothers must be honoured and treated kindly, just like parents. It says in al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah (16/133): Grandfathers and grandmothers are like parents in terms of honour. End quote. But you have an opportunity to make up for what you missed, in sha Allaah. You can go and offer the funeral prayer over her grave. Imam al-Shaafai and others are of the view that it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer over the grave of the deceased. The evidence for that is: The report narrated by al-Bukhaari (458) and Muslim (956) that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for a woman at her grave. She used to clean the mosque, and the Sahaabah had buried her without informing the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) of her death. It was narrated from Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by a grave where the burial had taken place at night and said: When was this one buried? They said: Last night. He said: Why didnt you tell me? They said: We buried him in the dark of night and we did not want to wake you up. He stood up and we stood in rows behind him. Ibn Abbaas said: And I was among them, and he offered the funeral prayer for him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1321). It was narrated from Yazeed ibn Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased with him) that they went out with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) one day and he saw a new grave. He said: What is this? They said: It is So and so, the freed slave woman of Banu So and so and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recognized her name She died at noon when you were taking a nap, and we did not want to wake you up for her. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood and the people formed rows behind him, and he said takbeer four times (i.e., offered the funeral prayer). Then he said: No one should die when I am still among you without you telling me, for
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my prayer for him will be a mercy. Narrated by al-Nasaai (2022); classed as hasan by Ibn Abd al-Barr in al-Tamheed (6/271). Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaai. Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated in al-Musannaf (3/239) a number of reports from the Sahaabah and Taabieen who offered the funeral prayer over graves after the burial, including Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), who offered the funeral prayer at the grave of her brother Abd alRahmaan; and Ibn Umar who offered the funeral prayer at the grave of his brother Aasim; and Sulaymaan ibn Rabeeah and Ibn Sireen and others. This was also narrated by Ibn Hazm in alMuhalla (3/366) from Anas, Ali and Ibn Masood (may Allaah be pleased with them all). Some fuqaha did not allow offering the funeral prayer over graves at all, and some of them limited it to one month or three days, but there is no evidence for this restriction. Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Muhalla (3/366): With regard to restricting the funeral prayer to within one month or three days, it is clearly wrong because it is restricting it with no evidence. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh al-Mumti (5/436): The correct view is that we may offer the funeral prayer over graves even after one month, but some of the scholars imposed an interesting restriction, and said: That is subject to the condition that the person who is buried died at a time when the one who is praying was able to pray. For example: If a man died twenty years ago, and a man who is thirty years old goes out to pray for him, that is valid, because when he died the one who is praying was only ten years old, so he could have offered the prayer for the dead man. Another example: If a man died thirty years ago, and a man who is twenty years old goes out to pray for him, that is not valid, because the one who is praying did not exist at the time when the man died, so he could not have prayed for him. So it is not prescribed for us to offer the funeral prayer at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and we do not know of anyone who said that it is prescribed to offer the funeral prayer at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or at the graves of the Sahaabah, rather we should just stand and say duaa. End quote. For more information please see al-Umm (1/425), al-Majmoo (5/208-210), al-Mughni (2/194195), Badaai al-Sanaai (1/315) and al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah (16/35). Honouring parents or grandparents does not stop when their life ends, rather it continues after their death, and the greatest way in which a person can honour his parents is by making duaa for them and praying for forgiveness for them. It was narrated that Abu Usayd Maalik ibn Rabeeah al-Saaidi said: Whilst we were with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a man from Banu Salamah came to him and said: O Messenger of Allaah, is there anything left that I can do to honour my parents after they die? He said: Yes. Pray for them, ask for forgiveness for them, carry out their last wishes, uphold the ties of kinship that you would not have were it not for them, and
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honour their friends. Narrated by Abu Dawood (5142); classed as hasan by Ibn al-Arabi in Aaridah al-Ahwadhi (4/307); classed as saheeh by Shaykh Ibn Baaz in Majmoo al-Fataawa (9/295). The author of Awn al-Mabood (14/36) said: Pray for them means making duaa, and it includes the funeral prayer. This was the view of al-Qaari. And in Fath al-Wudood it says: What is meant is praying for mercy for them. End quote. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
55. When a person dies and the funeral prayer is not offered for him
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/20472 Detailed Question: The father of my husband died 20 years ago. Nobody was prayed and offered the Janaasah prayer. Can we do something about it? Praise be to Allaah. If this Muslim man died and the funeral prayer was not offered for him, then it must be offered for him now, either by going to his grave, which is just for men, so one or more men may go to his grave and offer the funeral prayer there; or by offering the funeral prayer in absentia for him (salaat al-ghaaib), in which both men and women may take part. This prayer may be done anywhere; they may offer the prayer in the mosque or in a house, and they should form rows as if the bier is in front of them. That is because offering the funeral prayer for the deceased is obligatory. The evidence for that includes the hadeeth narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (2176) and Saheeh Muslim (1619) from Abu Hurayrah, which says that when a dead man who had a debt was brought to him, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would ask, Did he leave behind anything with which to pay off his debt? If he had left something behind, then he would offer the funeral prayer for him, otherwise he would say, Offer the funeral prayer for your companion. When Allaah enabled him to conquer other lands, he said, I am closer to the believers than their own selves (cf. al-Ahzaab 33:6). Whoever dies in debt, I will repay it and whoever leaves behind wealth, it is for his heirs. But the funeral prayer is a communal obligation (fard kifaayah); if enough people undertake this duty, then the rest of the Muslims are absolved of blame. It was narrated by al-Bukhaari (1337) and Muslim (956) from Abu Hurayrah that a black person a man or a woman who used to clean the mosque died, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not know of the death. He mentioned him (or her) one day and he asked, What happened to that person? They said He (or she) died, O Messenger of Allaah. He said, Why did you not tell me? They said ... (as if they thought the matter was not
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important enough to tell the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about). He said, Show me where his (or her) grave is, and he went to the grave and offered the funeral prayer. This indicates that it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer for the deceased after the burial. It was narrated by al-Bukhaari (1333) and Muslim (951) from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the death of the Negus the day he died, and he took the people out to the musalla (prayer place), lined them up in rows and pronounced four Takbeers (i.e., the funeral prayer). This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer in absentia. Some scholars restricted this to one for whom the funeral prayer has not been offered, and others restricted it to scholars and virtuous people. From the texts quoted above we learn what we stated at the beginning of this answer. The scholars have stated that if the deceased has been buried and the prayer has not been offered for him, it should be offered after the burial. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said: If the funeral prayer has not been offered for him, we should offer it even if that is several years later. Al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/440 The Standing Committee was asked the following question: A child of mine died at the age of six months, and he was taken to the graveyard and buried without me offering the funeral prayer for him because I forgot. I do not know where the grave is in which the child was buried. Is there any act of charity that will make up for the prayer, or any other act that will make up for the prayer? The Committee answered: There is no other act that will make up for the funeral prayer for the deceased, whether he was a child or an adult, whether an act of charity or any other righteous deed. You have to go to the graveyard where he is buried, and stand with the graveyard between you and the qiblah, then offer the funeral prayer for this child, in a state of purity (i.e., with wudoo) and fulfilling all the conditions of prayer. That will be sufficient, since you do not know exactly where the childs grave is. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope [al-Baqarah 2:286] So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can [al-Taghaabun 64:16] And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: If I command you to do a thing, then do as much of it as you can, and if I forbid you to do a thing, then avoid it. And Allaah is the source of strength. Fataawa Islamiyyah, 1/27 And Allaah knows best. See al-Insaaf by al-Mirdaawi, 2/471; Manah al-Shaafiyaat by al-Bahooti, 1/171 .
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Islam Q&A
56. When is it prescribed to offer the funeral prayer in absentia?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22890 Praise be to Allaah. The most correct scholarly view is that offering the funeral prayer in absentia is not prescribed except when the funeral prayer has not been offered for the deceased, such as when a person dies in a kaafir land and no one offers the funeral prayer for him, because it is obligatory to offer the funeral prayer. As for those for whom the funeral prayer has been offered, the correct view is that it is not prescribed to offer the funeral prayer for them, i.e., in absentia, because that was not narrated in the Sunnah except in the case of the Negus (the ruler of Abyssinia), because the funeral prayer was not offered for the Negus in his own country. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for him in Madeenah. Other great men and leaders died but there is no report that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for them. Some of the scholars said: Whoever has benefited Islam by means of his wealth or knowledge, the funeral prayer may be offered for him in absentia but if that is not the case then the funeral prayer should not be offered. Some scholars said that the funeral prayer may be offered in absentia in all cases, but this is the weakest of the scholarly views. 70 Suaalan fi Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 9, by Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-Uthaymeen.
57. Offering the funeral prayer over the grave when visiting it
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/129100 Detailed Question: Is it permissible for me to offer the funeral prayer over my father's grave when visiting it, seeking mercy for him? If the deceased bequeathed a Mushaf, will he get reward when his children read it? Praise be to Allaah. If you already offered the funeral prayer for your father with the people, there is no need to repeat the prayer; rather you should visit his grave and offer supplication for him only; you should go to the graveyard and greet the occupants of the graves with salaam, and offer supplication for them and for your father, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.
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The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to teach his Companions, when they visited graves, to say: Al-salaamu alaykum ahl il-diyaar min al- Muslimeen walmumineen, wa innaa in sha Allaah bikum laahiqoon, yarham Allaah al-mustaqdimeena minna wal-mustakhireen, nasal Allaah lana wa lakum al-aafiyah (Peace be upon you, O occupants of the graves, Muslims and believers. Verily we will, in sha Allaah, join you. May Allaah have mercy upon those who have gone ahead of us and those who will come later on. We ask Allaah for well-being for us and for you). This is the Sunnah. So you may greet the occupants of the graves and your father, and pray (duaa) for forgiveness and mercy for him; there is no need to offer the funeral prayer. This applies if you did offer the funeral prayer for him. But if you did not offer the funeral prayer for him with the people, you may go to his grave and offer the funeral prayer for him within one month or less, if it is one month or less since he died. But if a long time has passed, one should not offer the funeral prayer, according to a number of scholars. Supplication (duaa), praying for forgiveness for your father, asking for mercy for him and giving charity on his behalf are all acts that will benefit the deceased, whether he is a father or anyone else. With regard to the Mushaf that the deceased left behind, it will benefit him if he left it as a waqf (endowment), as the reward for it will benefit him. Similarly if he gave as a waqf books of beneficial knowledge, Islamic knowledge or any permissible branch of knowledge or science from which the people can benefit, he would be rewarded for that, because it is helping in something good. Another example is if he left some land or a house or a shop as a waqf, for charity to be given to the poor or donated to the mosque by its income. For all of these things he would be rewarded. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said according to the saheeh hadeeth: When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous son who will pray for him. Ongoing charity will benefit the deceased if he was a Muslim, and he will also be benefited by the supplication of his children and others, and by the waqf that he set up for charitable purposes such as a house, land, a shop, date palms and so on. He will benefit from this waqf if people benefit from it, if they eat from its income and benefit from its income, or its income is spent on maintaining and furnishing mosques for the Muslims. End quote. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him). Fataawa Noor ala al-Darb, 1/198, 199
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**58. If a family member dies overseas, what should the family do over here? 1. can we perform the janaza prayer, that means there will be two janaza prayers, one overseas and one here. Is it allowed? 2. Are we allowed to read the quran together and hopefully the blessing will go to the deceased? 3. Do we have to do a special Quran reading and invite people for a meal after three days and after 40 days also?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/4910 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: if a relative or close friend dies in another country, a person may travel to attend the funeral prayers if that is easy to do. There is nothing wrong with this travelling because it is travelling for a legitimate purpose, even though this action was not known among Muslims in the past. It was not done in the past because they were not able to do that, unlike today when travelling has become easier with faster methods of transportation. With regard to offering the funeral prayer for the deceased in absentia, there is a great deal of difference of opinion among the scholars on this matter, because it is not reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did that, except in the case of the Negus (ruler of Abyssinia), and it was not narrated that the Muslims outside of Madeenah prayed for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in absentia when he died, even though their love for him was so great. Also, it is not reported that the Muslims prayed in absentia for any of the khulafaa alraashideen (the rightly-guided khaleefahs, the first four leaders of Islam after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) when they died. Prayer for the dead in absentia was not known among the Muslims even though circumstances might have dictated it, such as the eagerness of the Muslims to do something of benefit for their brothers, especially those who were held in high esteem by all the Muslims, or one to whom one is related or who one is fond of, which would make one seek to do something good for him by praying for him. For this reason, scholars such as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah were of the view that the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed for the Negus was an exceptional case which applied only to him, because there was no one in the land where he died who could offer the janaazah prayer for him. In my view, this is a sound view in the light of the above. Some scholars say that the funeral prayer in absentia may be offered only for certain people among the ummah, such as famous scholars and just rulers; this view is close to the previous view. On this basis, there is no reason why the funeral prayer should not be offered for the deceased both when one is present and in absentia. Secondly:
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Gathering to read Quraan and give the reward for that to the deceased is a bidah (reprehensible innovation), even if it is not done in return for any payment. If it is done in return for payment then it is haraam, because it is being done for a reason other than for the sake of Allaah, and any such action will not earn any reward. But if a person reads Quraan by himself and gives the reward for that to a relative or friend, without gathering with others for that purpose and without seeking payment, then there are two scholarly views in this case, one of which says that it is permissible and that the reward for the reading will reach the deceased. The second view is that it is not prescribed to give the reward for the reading to anyone, because there is no evidence (daleel) to indicate that this is prescribed. Thirdly: If the family of the deceased have a special reading, and invite people to a meal three days and forty days after the death, this is bidah (reprehensible innovation). And every bidah is a going astray. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever invents something in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not a part of it will have it rejected. The action mentioned is a matter that has been invented in the religion, so it is to be rejected, and the one who does it is a sinner and will not be rewarded. What people say about the soul of the deceased visiting the house after forty days to get the reward is a lie which has no basis. The person who told you that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions did not do any of these things was right. You did well to ask about the things of which you were unsure, and your eagerness to know the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and act accordingly is highly commendable. This is how the Muslim should be; his concern should be to know the truth so that he can follow it, and know what is false so that he can avoid it. We ask Allaah to make us and you steadfast in following the Straight Path. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Shaykh Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak.
**59. What is the ruling on covering the bier with a cover on which are written some Quraanic verses or Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/48991 Praise be to Allaah. This should not be done, and we should warn against that, because that exposes the Quraanic verses to inappropriate treatment, and because some people may think that this will benefit the deceased, which is a serious mistake for which there is no basis in shareeah.
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Similarly if the words Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah are written on it, this is also not prescribed in shareeah. Rather what is prescribed is to prompt the dying person to say these words when death is approaching, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Prompt your dying ones to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Narrated by Muslim. This is so that the last words the dying person says will be Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. But as for writing it on his shroud or grave, that is not permitted. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah, 68/36, 37)
**60. When following a funeral cortege some people raise their voices and ask the people to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god except Allaah) or Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great). What is the ruling on that?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/48971 Praise be to Allaah. This is a reprehensible action for which there is no basis in the pure shareeah. Rather what is prescribed when following a funeral cortege is to remember the Hereafter and death, and to pray for forgiveness and mercy for the deceased, without raising one's voice. Qays ibn Abbaad, the great Taabii (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to dislike (loud) voices on three occasions: at funerals, when reciting dhikr and when fighting. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah, 68/36.
**61. Bidah of reciting Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah when following a funeral procession. What is the Sunnah when following a funeral procession and when burying the deceased?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/109187 Praise be to Allaah. These words are innovated. There is no doubt that there is no god but Allaah and that nothing will abide forever except Allaah, but the fact that it is said in this manner as described in the question is bidah, because every way of drawing close to Allaah or of worshipping Allaah that was not done by the salaf (early generations of Islam) is an innovation (bidah). Similarly, saying Yaa Rahmaan, yaa Rahmaan at the time of burial is also an innovation.
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The Sunnah for the one who follows a funeral procession is to ponder and think about his fate and that he is now walking behind the bier, but one day he will be the one whose bier is being followed as this bier is being followed, so he should ponder his own deeds. At the time of burial, when the burial of the deceased was finished, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would stand at the graveside and say: Pray for forgiveness for your brother and ask for him to be made steadfast, for now he is being questioned. This is what is prescribed in Islam. End quote. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him). Ijaabaat Mufeedah (p. 18).
**62. Ruling on Competing to carry the bier (A coffin along with its stand)
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/13699 Detailed Question: I notice in many Muslim funerals men rush to carry the bier and push others away. They run in from the back and those at the front move away so that many men can carry the bier. I ask them why they do this and they say the basis for this is that more people can get blessings for carrying the bier. This seems somewhat unusual because it makes it very likely that the body will actually be dropped and sometimes this indeed occurs. Is there any basis for this practice in Islam? Praise be to Allaah. What is narrated in saheeh reports from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is that it is Sunnah to follow the funeral. Al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated in their Saheehs from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The duties of a Muslim towards his fellow Muslim are five: to return his greeting, visit him when he is sick, follow his funeral, accept invitations and say YarhamukAllaah (May Allaah have mercy on you) when he sneezes). They also narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever attends a funeral and prays over the deceased will have one qeeraat (of reward), and whoever attends until the deceased is buried will have two qeeraats. He was asked, What are these two qeeraats? He said, Like two huge mountains. Undoubtedly whoever carries the bier or helps to carry it until the deceased is buried will attain this great reward and more, for even if there were no saheeh hadeeth concerning this matter, the general principles of shareeah indicate that carrying the bier of a Muslim is prescribed in
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Islam, because it involves treating the deceased with kindness. But if that kind treatment will lead to the problem of people pushing and shoving, as mentioned in the question, then warding off that evil takes precedence over trying to do good. The reward of the one who hopes to gain reward by carrying the bier is not greater than the reward for the one who forsakes it out of consideration towards his Muslim brothers, and not because he is incapable of doing it. Shaykh Sad al-Humayd.
63. Carrying the deceased on a bier made of iron

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/149136 Praise be to Allaah. We do not know of anything wrong with that. We know of nothing wrong with carrying the deceased on something made of wood or on a platform made of something other than wood, such as iron. But it is better to use something light so that it will not be too difficult for those who are carrying it, because when people carry it on their shoulders, it may be difficult for them. But if the deceased is carried in a car (hearse), the matter is broader in scope, although using something light is better in all cases. Using a light board on which the deceased is placed and carried to the graveyard is better than using something heavy. But as for it being wrong, there is nothing wrong, in sha Allah, with it being made of iron or of wood. But if this iron is light and does not cause any difficulty to the people (who are carrying it), there is nothing wrong with that. But if it is heavy it should not be used, so that it will not cause hardship for those who carry it. End quote. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) Fataawa Noor ala al-Darb, 2/1121
64. Following the funeral processions of those who worshipped graves

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/7867 Detailed Question: Many of us Bedouin Arabs have parents and relatives who are accustomed to offering sacrifices at graves, seeking a means of reaching Allaah through the occupants of those graves, fulfilling vows to offer sacrifices at their graves, and seeking the help of the occupants of the graves to alleviate distress and heal disease. They have died in this state, for no one reached them who could teach them about Tawheed and the true meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, or who could teach them that vows, supplications and worship are not right unless they are
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directed to Allaah Alone. Is it correct to walk in their funeral procession, to pray over them, to make duaa and seek forgiveness for them, to perform Hajj on their behalf and to give charity on their behalf? Praise be to Allaah. If someone dies in the state which you describe, it is not permissible to walk in their funeral procession, or to pray over him, or to make duaa and seek forgiveness for him, or to perform Hajj on his behalf or give charity on his behalf because the actions mentioned (sacrificing at graves, etc.) are actions of Shirk, and Allaah has said, in the Soorah quoted above (interpretation of the meaning): It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allaahs forgiveness for the Mushrikoon, even though they be of kin *al-Tawbah 9:113]. And it was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: I asked my Lord for permission to pray for forgiveness for my mother, and He did not grant me permission. Then I asked Him for permission to visit her grave, and He granted me permission. (Narrated by Ahmad, 2/441, 5/355, 359; Muslim, 2/671, no. 976; Abu Dawood, 3/557, no. 3234; al-Nasaai, 4/90, no. 2034; Ibn Maajah, 1/501, no. 1572; Ibn Abi Shaybah, 3/343; Ibn Hibbaan, 7/440, no. 3169; al-Haakim, 1/375-376, 376; al-Bayhaqi, 4/76). They cannot be excused by saying that no one came to them who could explain that the things which they did were shirk, because the evidence to that effect in the Quraan is very clear, and there are knowledgeable people among them whom they could have asked about whether what they were doing was shirk but they turned away and were content with what they were doing. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/12
65. Following the funeral procession of one who used to pray to graves for help
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/2900 Praise be to Allaah. We put this question to Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, who replied: If when he died he was persisting in calling on the dead for help, it is not permissible to follow his funeral procession. If nobody discussed this issue with him, we should look to see whether he was in a land there were any pure monotheists who propagated the message of Tahweed and if there were any ways in which he could have learned about Tawheed. It is most likely that
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proof was established against him, so we should not follow his funeral procession. Otherwise we may do so. And Allaah knows best. Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen
66. Following the funeral procession of a kaafir

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/7869 Detailed Question: What is the ruling of Allaah concerning following the funeral procession of a kaafir which has become a political practice and tradition followed by everyone? Praise be to Allaah. If there are people among the kuffaar who can bury their own dead, then the Muslims should not bury them, or join the kuffaar and help them to bury them, or try to please the kuffaar by joining the funeral procession, even if this is a political practice. Such things are not known from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the Khulafaa alRaashidoon. In fact, Allaah forbade His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to stand by the grave of Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool, and explained that the reason for this prohibition was that the man was a kaafir. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): And never (O Muhammad) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allaah and His Messenger, and died while they were Faasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah and His Messenger). *al-Tawbah 9:84] If there is nobody among them who can bury their dead, then the Muslims should bury them, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did with those who were killed at Badr, and as he did with his uncle Abu Taalib, when he died, and he [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)+ said to Ali: Go and bury him. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/10
67. Attending the funeral of a non-Muslim relative in the church

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/145532 Detailed Question: I am a new muslim and my parents and relatives are muslim. One of my relative has dies recently and i was very close to her. I like to know if i can attend her funeral in church? I wont say any words during prayer just sit there.
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Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: It is not permissible for a Muslim to attend the funeral of a non-Muslim even if it is a relative, because attending a funeral is a right that one Muslim has over another and it is a kind of showing respect, honour and friendship that it is not permissible to show to a kaafir. Abu Taalib, the paternal uncle of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died, and he instructed Ali to bury him, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not attend his funeral or his burial, even though Abu Taalibs support and defence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was well known, and even though the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a great deal of compassion and mercy towards him. Nothing stopped him from doing that except the fact that Abu Taalib died in a state of kufr. In fact the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: I shall certainly pray for forgiveness for you so long as I am not forbidden to do so. Then the words were revealed (interpretation of the meaning): It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allaahs forgiveness for the Mushrikoon, even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief) *al-Tawbah 9:113+ and: Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, *alQasas 28:56]. Abu Dawood (3214) and al-Nasaai (2006) narrated that Ali said: I said to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Your paternal uncle, the misguided old man, has died. He said: Go and bury your father. Although Islam promotes upholding ties of kinship and treating relatives kindly, it forbids close friendship between the believer and the disbeliever, so whatever is one of the forms of close friendship is forbidden, but whatever is kindness that is less than close friendship is permitted. Imam Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The Muslim should not wash his father if his father died as a disbeliever, or attend his funeral, or go down into his grave, unless he fears that he may be neglected, in which case he may bury him. End quote from al-Mudawwanah, 1/261 It says in Sharh Muntaha al-Iraadaat (1/374): The Muslim should not wash the kaafir because it is not allowed to form a strong bond with the kuffaar, and because that implies respecting him and purifying him; therefore it is not permissible, as is the case with offering the funeral prayer for him: Do not shroud him or pray for him or attend his funeral, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): Take not as friends the people who incurred the Wrath of Allaah *al-Mumtahanah 60:13]. It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah (9/10): What is the ruling on attending the funerals of disbelievers which has become a political custom and a tradition that all agreed upon? Answer: If there are some kuffaar present who can bury their dead, then the Muslims should not bury them or join the kuffar or help them with burying them, or seek to be kind to them by attending their funerals, acting in accordance with political customs. Such matters are not
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known to have been done by the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or by the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Rather Allah forbade His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to stand over the grave of Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool, and the reason given was that he was a disbeliever. Allah said (interpretation of the meaning): And never (O Muhammad ) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allaah and His Messenger, and died while they were Faasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah and His Messenger * ) alTawbah 9:84]. But if there are none of them present who could bury him, then the Muslims should bury him as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did with the slain of Badr and his paternal uncle Abu Taalib when he died, and he said to Ali: Go and bury him. Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas Abd-Allah ibn Qaood, Abd-Allah ibn Ghadyaan, Abd al-Razzaaq Afeefi, Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allah ibn Baaz. End quote. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) issued a similar fatwa in Fataawa Noor ala al-Darb. Secondly: Attending the funeral of a kaafir in the church is much more serious than merely following the funeral procession, because this attendance implies listening to kufr and falsehood. This is something that is ignored by those who say that it is permissible to attend and stipulate that one should not participate in the rituals that take place there. Just sitting and watching and listening to kufr and falsehood is a wrong action that one should not do. And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (this Quraan) that when you hear the Verses of Allaah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them. Surely, Allaah will collect the hypocrites and disbelievers all together in Hell *Aal Imraan 3:140+. Al-Jassaas said in Ahkaam al-Quraan (2/407): In this verse there is evidence that it is obligatory to denounce the evildoers action and that part of denouncing it is expressing disapproval, if it is not possible to remove it, as well as leaving the gathering where it is happening, until they stop doing that evil action. End quote. Thus it is clear that attending the funeral rituals in the church is a great evil because of what it involves of listening to kufr and being present at innovation, whilst keeping quiet about it, in addition to the fact that attending the funeral is a sign of honour and friendship as mentioned above. We ask Allah to help us and you to be steadfast and to guide us and help us all. And Allah knows best.
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Islam Q&A
**68. Is it permissible to delay burying the deceased until some of his relatives come from other cities, at their request?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/12386 Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to delay (burial) except within the limits of what is needed to prepare him or to wait for his relatives or neighbours to come, if that will not take too long according to local custom, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Hasten to bury your dead. This hadeeth was narrated by Maalik and Ahmad, 2/240; and by al-Bukhaari, 2/87-88. It is not permitted to hold a wake for him, or to set up pavilions (for mourners to gather), i.e., so called mourning rituals. Those who could not attend the funeral may pray over his grave, if he was in the city where he was, within a period of two months, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed over the grave of Umm Sad one month after her burial. Standing Committee for Research, p. 355
69. What is the ruling on giving the adhaan at the graveside?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/105376 Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to give the adhaan or iqaamah at the graveside after burying the deceased, or in the grave before burying him, because this is an innovation (bidah). It is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it will have it rejected. Agreed upon, from the hadeeth of Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh Abd al-Razzaaq Afeefi, Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Qaood Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah (9/72)
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70. Ruling on burying the deceased in a coffin

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/34511 Detailed question: A man died and left instructions that he be buried in a coffin. What is the ruling on that? Praise be to Allaah. There is no dispute among the scholars that it is makrooh to bury the deceased in a coffin if there is no need for that. If there is a need for that, such as if the ground is wet or there is the fear that he may be dug up by wild animals, then some of the fuqaha say that it is permissible to bury the deceased in a coffin in that case. It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah (2/312): Putting the deceased in a coffin was unknown at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the time of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them), and the best for the Muslims is to follow their way. Hence it is makrooh to put the deceased in a coffin, whether the ground is hard, soft or wet. If the deceased left instructions that he be placed in a coffin, those instructions should not be carried out. The Shaafais said that it is permissible if the ground is soft or wet, but according to them such instructions should not be carried out except in such cases. Ibn Qudaamah said: It is not recommended to bury the deceased in a coffin, because there is no report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions did that, and it also involves imitating the people of this world. And the earth absorbs his remains better. It says in al-Insaaf: It is makrooh to bury the deceased in a coffin, even if the deceased is a woman. This was stated by Imam Ahmad. Al-Sharbeeni, the Shaafai khateeb, said in his book Mughni al-Muhtaaj: It is makrooh to bury the deceased in a coffin according to scholarly consensus, because it is bidah (an innovation), unless the ground is wet or soft, in which case it is not makrooh because that serves a purpose. The deceaseds instructions should not be carried out except in this case. Similarly if the deceased has been burned by fire and cannot be carried except in a coffin. In al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah it says: It is makrooh to bury the deceased in a coffin according to scholarly consensus because it is bidah, and his instructions to that effect should not be carried out. But it is not makrooh if that serves a purpose, such as if the deceased is burned and it is necessary to bury him in a coffin. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
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**71. Is it permissible to bury the dead at night?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/22285 Praise be to Allaah. It is permissible to bury the dead at night, because Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that A man died whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to visit (during his illness). He died at night and they buried him at night, and when morning came, they informed him (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)). He said, What kept you from telling me? They said, It was night, and it was dark, and we did not like to disturb you. He went to his grave and prayed for him. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). He did not rebuke them for burying him at night; rather he rebuked his companions for not telling him about that until the morning. When they gave him their excuses, he accepted them. Abu Dawood narrated that Jaabir said: Some people saw a fire in the graveyard, so they went to it, and saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the graveyard, saying, Hand me your companion. He was the one who used to raise his voice in dhikr. This happened at night, as indicated by the words of Jaabir, Some people saw a fire in the graveyard The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was buried at night. Imaam Ahmad narrated that Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: We did not know that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had been buried until we heard the sound of the shovels at the end of the night. Abu Bakr, Uthmaan, Aaishah and Ibn Masood were all buried at night. The reports which indicate that it is makrooh to bury the dead at night are to be interpreted as referring to cases where burying a person at night may lead to the prayers for him not being offered properly, as was stated in the saheeh hadeeth, or his shrouding not being done properly, and it is easier for those who want to attend the funeral to do so during the day, and it is easier to bury him properly and to follow the Sunnah when placing the deceased in the lahd during the day. This is in cases where it is not essential to hasten to bury him. Otherwise we should hasten to bury him even if that is at night. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas, 8/397
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**72. What is the correct way of burying the deceased in the shaqq [trench] & lahd (niche)?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/103880 Detailed Question: Is it permissible to fill in soil directly onto the face of the deceased who is buried in the shaqq? What is the correct way of doing this (i.e., burying the deceased in the shaqq) if we are forced to adopt this method of burial? Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The shaqq means that a trench is dug in the middle of the grave to suit the size of the deceased, and its sides are built with bricks so that it will not collapse on the deceased, and the deceased is placed in it on his right side facing the qiblah, then this trench is covered with stones or the like and the ceiling is raised a little so that it will not touch the deceased, then the soil is filled in. The lahd (niche) means that a place is dug at the bottom of the grave on the side that is closest to the qiblah, in which the deceased is placed on his right side facing the qiblah, then this hole is filled in with bricks behind the deceased, then the dirt is filled in. See: Ahkaam al-Maqaabir fil-Shareeah al-Islamiyyah (p. 30) by Dr. Abd-Allaah al-Suhaybaani. Both the lahd and the shaqq are permissible according to scholarly consensus, but the lahd is preferable, because this is what was done with the grave of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Muslim (966) narrated that Sad ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, during the illness of which he died: Make a lahd (niche) for me, and set up bricks over me, as was done for the Messenger of Allaah (S). Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (2/188): The Sunnah is to make a lahd in the grave, as was done with the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). End quote. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo (2/252): The scholars are unanimously agreed that burial in the lahd and burial in the shaqq are both permissible, but if the ground is stable and the soil will not collapse then the lahd is preferable, but if it is unstable and will collapse, then the shaqq is preferable. End quote. Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh al-Mumti (5/360): But if there is a need for the shaqq, then there is nothing wrong with it. The shaqq may be needed if the ground is sandy and it is not possible to build the lahd, because when a lahd is made in sand it will collapse. So a hole should be dug and a trench should be dug in the middle of it, and the bricks should be placed over both sides of the hole in which the deceased is placed, so that the sand will not collapse, then the deceased should be placed between these two bricks. End quote.
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Based on this, the soil should not be filled in directly on the face or body of the deceased, whether the grave is a lahd or a shaqq, because in the lahd the deceased is placed in the niche which is dug in the wall of the grave, and the soil is not filled in above him. In the shaqq, the soil is filled above the roof of the shaqq, and not directly on top of the deceased. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
**73. According to the Sunnah, what should be said at the burial?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/47902 Praise be to Allaah. It is Sunnah for the one who places the deceased in the grave to say: Bismillaah wa ala sunnati Rasool-Illaah (or: wa ala millati Rasool-Illaah) sall-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam (In the name of Allaah and according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (or: according to the religion of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)). This is narrated in the hadeeth of Ibn Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) placed the deceased in the grave he would say (and according to another version, he said: When you place your dead in the graves say:) Bismillaah wa ala sunnati Rasool-Illaah; according to another report: wa ala millati Rasool-Illaah. This was narrated by Abu Dawood, 3213; al-Tirmidhi, 1046; Ibn Maajah, 1550; al-Haakim, 1353; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 192. After completion of the burial it is Sunnah to pray for forgiveness for the deceased and pray for him to be made steadfast, because of the hadeeth of Uthmaan ibn Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had finished burying the deceased he would stand over him and say: Pray for forgiveness for your brother, and ask that he be made steadfast, for now he is being questioned. Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3221; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 198. Standing over him means standing over his grave. and *said+: Pray for forgiveness for your brother means: ask for forgiveness for him from Allaah, i.e., say: O Allaah forgive him. and ask that he be made steadfast means: ask Allaah to make his tongue steadfast in answering the two angels, i.e., say: O Allaah make him steadfast in speech. for now he is being questioned i.e., at that moment the two angels are coming to him, namely Munkar and Nakeer, so he is in the greatest need of prayers for forgiveness and steadfastness. Islam Q&A
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74. Who is the one who should lower the deceased into the grave?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/34609 Detailed Question: Who is the most entitled of people to lower the deceased into the grave, the one who has knowledge or the next of kin of the deceased? Is there a difference between men and women? Is it essential that the one who lowers a woman into her grave be one of her mahrams? Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The one who is more entitled to do that is the one whom the deceased wanted to do that for him, if he expressed a preference. If he did not express a preference, then it should be the next of kin. If there is one who is knowledgeable then he is more entitled, and if there is no one who is knowledgeable, then he may learn from one who is knowledgeable, and the one who is knowledgeable may direct the one who has no knowledge to carry out this task. It is not essential for the one who lowers the deceased into the grave to be a mahram of the woman. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded Abu Talhah (may Allaah be pleased with him) to go down into the grave of his (the Prophets) daughter and bury her in his presence and in the presence of her husband Uthmaan ibn Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him). (The hadeeth was narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1342). Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 17/180.
**75. Should the deceased be turned to face the Qiblah when he dies?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/7076 Detailed Question: I've been told that a hadith is found where it says that as soon a muslim passes away that one should be immediately moved so that one is facing the Qabaa. Also that the grave itself should be facing the Qabaa in that the persons feet should be towards the Qabaa. The explanation given to me for this is that on the Yowmul Qiyaama the muslims will rise from the graves so that they face the Qabaa. What I've come across and understood is that they're head/face should be turned, in the grave, towards Qabaa. Which is the truth? Praise be to Allaah. Ibn Hazam (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Turning the deceased to face the Qiblah is good, but if this is not done it does not matter. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
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so wherever you turn (yourselves or your faces) there is the Face of Allaah (and He is High above, over His Throne) *al-Baqarah 2:115] and there is no text (nass) which indicates that the deceased should be turned to face the Qiblah. (al-Muhallaa, 5/174) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died in the arms of Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), and she described the moments of his death in detail, and she did not say that she turned him to face the Qiblah. Her hadeeth was narrated by al-Bukhaari (4440) and Muslim (2444). This was not reported from any Sahaabi either. The report that Abu Qutaadah asked that he should be turned to face the Qiblah when he died, and that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of this by saying He has followed the fitrah is daeef (weak), not saheeh. (See Irwaa al-Ghaleel, 3/153, concerning its being daeef). With regard to how the deceased should be placed in the grave, Imaam Ibn Hazm said: The deceased should be placed in his grave on his right side, with his face towards the Qiblah and his head and legs to the right and left. This is the practice of the Muslims from the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) until the present day, and this is how all the graveyards of the Muslims are throughout the world. (al-Mahallaa, 5/173). With regard to the claim that people will be resurrected to the Kabah, this is a matter of the Unseen which needs proof what proof is there? What has been proven is that when the people are resurrected from their graves, they will head directly for the place of their gathering. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
76. What is the ruling on untying the knots in the grave and exposing the face of the deceased in the grave?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/105369 Praise be to Allaah. It is mustahabb to untie the knots in the shroud of the deceased after burying him, because they are only tied lest the shroud fall open. Once he has been placed in the grave, they may be undone. Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni (2/191): With regard to undoing the knots at his head and feet, it is mustahabb, because they were tied lest the shroud fall open, but that is no longer a concern once he has been buried. It was narrated that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) placed Nuaym ibn
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Masood al-Ashjai in the grave, he removed the ropes using his teeth. And a similar report was narrated from Ibn Masood and Samurah ibn Jundub. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/183): With regard to undoing the knots in the wrappers, there is a report concerning that from Abd-Allaah ibn Masood (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: When you have placed the deceased in the grave, undo the knots. With regard to uncovering the face of the deceased altogether, there is no basis for that. The most that has been narrated concerning it -- if it is saheeh is that Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When I die and you place me in my grave, let my cheek touch the ground. End quote. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
77. Once the deceased has been placed in the grave, is it permissible to uncover his face or should we leave it covered?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/48959 Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah hav mercy on him) said: It should not be uncovered, rather his entire body should be covered, unless he is a muhrim (in ihraam for Hajj or Umrah), in which case his face and head should be uncovered, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning a muhrim who died in Arafah: Do not cover his head, for he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection reciting the Talbiyah. Agreed upon. According to a version narrated by Muslim: Do not cover his head or his face, for he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection reciting the Talbiyah. And he also said: It is not permissible to uncover the face of the deceased, whether a man or a woman, once he or she has been placed in the lahd (niche in the grave), rather it must be covered with the shroud, unless the deceased was in ihraam, in which case neither the head nor the face should be covered. But if the deceased is a woman than her face should be covered with the shroud even if she was in ihraam, because it is awrah. Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah (68/44). Islam Q&A
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***78. Covering the grave of a woman when she is placed in it

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/105817 Detailed Question: I am from Bangladesh. In our country there is a culture, while putting a woman in to grave a long cloth i.e sort of bed cover, is placed over as a shade. In answer to it people say that women are to make hijab even after she dies. Is it supported by any Daleel? Praise be to Allaah. It is mustahabb to cover the grave of a woman as she is being placed in it, because that is more concealing for her. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (2/190): The womans grave should be covered with a cloth. We do not know of any scholar who differed from the view that this is mustahabb. Ibn Sireen narrated that Umar used to cover the graves of women, and it was narrated from Ali that he passed by some people who were burying a dead person and they had spread a cloth over his grave. He took it away and said: This is only to be done for women. Anas ibn Maalik was present at the burial of Abu Zayd al-Ansaari; the grave was covered with a cloth and Abd-Allaah ibn Anas said: Take off the cloth, for only the graves of women are to be covered. Anas was present at the graveside and he did not object. Because a woman is awrah and there is no guarantee that some part of her may not become uncovered and be seen by those present. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on covering the grave of a woman when she is lowered into the grave, and how long should the cover remain? He replied: Some of the scholars stated that the grave of a woman should be covered when she is placed in her grave, lest the features of her body become apparent, but this is not obligatory. This covering should be left until the bricks are placed over her. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/173). He also (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Liqa al-Baab il-Maftooh: As for placing an abayah over the grave when the woman is lowered into it, that is good. It was mentioned by the scholars who said: The grave of a woman should be covered when she is placed in it. End quote. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
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***79. Is it permissible to remove the bones of the deceased from the grave in order to bury someone else in it?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/141084 Detailed Question: We have two graves in which to bury our dead, and after their skin and bones have decayed, we dig it up and take out the bones and we put them in a dry well that is set aside for bones, then we bury another dead person in that grave, because there is not much space and we cannot expand it to add more graves because the land is restricted to two graves and one place for the bones. Praise be to Allaah. If the dead person is buried in the grave, he must be left until he has disintegrated and no trace of him is left. It is not permissible to exhume the grave and take out the bones of the deceased in order to bury another person in it; rather the deceased has more right to it until the remains have disintegrated. Imam al-Shaafai said concerning the one who digs up the bones of the dead person: If the bones of the dead person are taken out, I prefer for them to be put back and buried. End quote. Al-Umm, 1/316 Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo (5/273): With regard to exhuming a grave, it is not permissible unless there is a legitimate shari reason, according to the consensus of our companions. It is permissible to exhume the grave if the deceased has disintegrated and become dust. In that case it is permissible to bury someone else in the grave, and it is permissible to cultivate the land or build on it, and all other means of benefiting from it and disposing of it, according to the consensus of our companions, and if the land was something loaned, the lender may take it back. All of this applies if there is no trace left of the deceased, such as bones and so on. Our companions (may Allah have mercy on him) said: That differs from one country and land to another, and the opinion of experts should be followed. End quote. Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni (2/194): If it is known for certain that the dead person has disintegrated and turned to dust, it is permissible to dig up his grave and bury someone else in it. If there is any doubt about that, reference should be made to the experts. If a person digs and find any bones in it, he should bury them and dig somewhere else. This was stated by Ahmad. End quote. If no place can be found to bury the dead except by digging up a grave in which there is a dead body and burying people in it, that is permissible because it is a case of necessity. But in this case the person must be buried with him, and it is not permissible to remove the bones of the first deceased person from the grave.
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It says in Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj (3/173): It is haraam to put one dead person next to another, even if they are of the same gender, before the first one has completely disintegrated. It is haraam if there is no case of necessity, but in the case of necessity it is permissible as in the case of burying two people together in the grave at the same time in the case of necessity. In al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra (2/14) by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (may Allah have mercy on him) it says: When a grave is dug up either unlawfully or because it is thought that the deceased has disintegrated and there are no bones left in it, then bones are found in it, the soil must be returned and this is obligatory; and it is not permissible to bury anyone in it before the body [that is already in the grave] has disintegrated. In al-Rawdah and elsewhere it says: It is haraam to dig up the grave of a dead person and bury someone else in it before the first one has disintegrated, as determined by the people of experience in that land. If it is dug up and any bones of the deceased are found in it before completing the digging, then the soil must be put back. If they are found after the digging is complete, they should be placed at the side of the grave and it is permissible to lay down the other person beside him because it is too difficult to lay him down without moving the bones. End quote. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If the first person has been buried and settled in his grave, then he has more right to it and in that case a second person should not be placed in the same grave as him, except in cases of extreme necessity. End quote. Al-Sharh al-Mumti, 5/369 Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: We have a place for the dead which is in the form of rooms below the ground. The dead person is placed in it, then after one year this grave is opened and another dead person is placed in it. Will the sinner be punished and will the doer of good be harmed in one grave? He replied: The Sunnah is to bury each person on his own if that is possible and if the land is big enough and it is possible to bury each person on his own. This is the Sunnah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to bury the dead in al-Baqee (the cemetery of Madeenah) in this manner, each one on his own. But in the event of necessity if there is no room to do it any other way, there is nothing wrong with it, and each person will be called to account for his sins: the one who did good will be rewarded for his good deeds and the one who did bad will be requited for his bad deeds. And no bearer of burdens shall bear anothers burden *Faatir 35:18]. But whenever possible, what is prescribed is to bury each one on his own, and each grave should be separate, and they should not be joined together in one place. End quote from the shaykhs website.
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http://www.ibnbaz.org.sa/mat/14091 Based on this, what you have to do is work together to find a way to bury the dead in accordance with shareeah, by adding more places that are set aside for burial of the dead, so each deceased person will have a grave. If that is not possible, then it is permissible to place a second person into the grave of another in the case of necessity, but the bones of the first person should not be removed from the grave; rather they should be put on the side and then the second person buried with him. For more information please see the answer to question number http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/115531. And Allah knows best. Islam Q&A
**80. How should supplication be offered for the deceased after burying him and leveling the soil on the grave -- sitting or standing? Which of them is better?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/105355 Praise be to Allaah. The Sunnah for the one who wants to offer supplication for the deceased after he has been buried and the soil has been levelled over him is to offer supplication whilst standing. The basic principle concerning that is the report narrated by Abu Dawood with his isnaad from Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) finished burying the deceased person, he would stand over him and say: Ask for forgiveness for your brother and ask that he be made steadfast, for right now he is being questioned. Abu Dawood and al-Mundhiri remained silent about it. It was also narrated by alHaakim who classed it as saheeh, and by al-Bazzaar who said: It was not narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) except through this isnaad. And Allaah is the source of strength. They Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah lil-Iftaa, 9/17
***81. Should prayer for the deceased at the grave be offered together?
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Detailed Question: When the deceased has been buried in the grave, one of the people stands and offers duaa for the deceased and the people say Ameen to his duaa. Is this action part of the Sunnah? Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) issued a fatwa stating that it is permissible to offer duaa together, so one of the people attending the funeral may say duaa and the people say Ameen to his duaa, or each person may offer duaa individually. He said: The Sunnah that is proven from the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indicates that it is prescribed to say duaa for the deceased after the burial. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had finished burying someone, he would stand over the grave and say: Pray for forgiveness for your brother, and ask that he be made steadfast, for right now he is being questioned. Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3221; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. There is nothing wrong with one person saying duaa and the listeners saying Ameen, or with each person saying duaa by himself for the deceased. Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah, 68/53. This is with regard to its being permissible. However what is better and closer to the Sunnah is for each person to make duaa individually. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said concerning duaa offered together: This is not part of the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the way of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs (may Allaah be pleased with them), rather the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to tell them to pray for forgiveness for the deceased and ask for him to be made steadfast, individually and not together. Fataawa al-Janaaiz, p. 228. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
82. It is not allowed to plant trees on graves

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/14370 Detailed Question: Some people plant things such as Indian fig trees (Opuntia ficus-indica) on graves, based on the claim that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) put that on the graves of two of his companions. What is the ruling on that?
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Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to plant trees on graves, whether they are Indian fig trees or any other kind, or to sow barley or wheat or anything else on them, because the Messenger did not do that to graves, and neither did the Rightly Guided Caliphs who succeeded him (may Allaah be pleased with them). With regard to what he did to the two graves when Allaah showed him the torment of their occupants, by planting palm stalks on them, this was something that was for those two graves only, because he did not do that with any other graves. The Muslims have no right to make up new acts of worship that are not prescribed by Allaah, because of the hadeeth mentioned and because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Or have they partners with Allaah (false gods) who have instituted for them a religion which Allaah has not ordained? [al-Shoora 42:21] Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 5/407 See also question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/48958. Islam Q&A
***83. It is not prescribed to put palm-leaf stalks or flowers on graves

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/48958 Detailed Question: I read a hadeeth which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) put a palm-leaf stalk on a grave. Is it Sunnah for the one who visits a grave to do that? Praise be to Allaah. The hadeeth referred to by the questioner was narrated by al-Bukhaari (218) and Muslim (292) from Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by two graves and said: They are being punished, but they are not being punished for something that was difficult to avoid. One of them used not to take precautions to avoid (his body or clothes being soiled by) urine, and the other used to walk around spreading malicious gossip. Then he took a fresh palm-leaf stalk and split it in two, and placed one piece on each of the two graves. They said: O Messenger of Allaah, why did you do that? He said: Perhaps the torment will be reduced for them so long as this does not dry out. Some of the scholars said that the reason why the torment would be reduced for them was that the fresh palm-leaf stalk glorifies Allaah, so that would be the reason why the torment would be reduced. This is subject to further discussion. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
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This is the view of many or most of the mufassireen concerning the verse (interpretation of the meaning): and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise [al-Isra 17:44+ They said: What this means is everything that has life in it. Then they said: The life of everything is in accordance with its nature, and wood is alive so long as it has not dried out and a rock is alive so long as it has not been cut. Some mufassireen and others were of the view that this is to be understood in general terms. i.e., that the tasbeeh (glorification of Allaah) does not apply only to the fresh leaf in exclusion of the dry; rather everything, fresh or dry, glorifies and praises Allaah. Al-Khattaabi and those who followed him criticized the action of placing palm-leaf stalks and the like on graves, following this hadeeth. He said concerning this hadeeth: it is to be understood as meaning that he prayed that their torment might be reduced so long as these stalks remained fresh, not that the stalk had any significance in and of itself, nor that there is any significance in the fresh stalk that is not in the dry. Based on this, this action was something that was only for the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and it is not recommended for anyone to place palm-leaf stalks or anything else on graves. It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah: When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) put the palm-leaf stalk on the two graves and hoped that the torment of the two people on whose graves he placed it would be reduced, that was a specific incident related to those two people only, is not to be taken as generally applicable; it applies only to the two whose torment Allaah caused him to know of. That is something that was only for the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and it is not a universal Sunnah to be done to the graves of the Muslims. Rather it only occurred two or three times, if we count the number of times that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it. It is not known that any of the Sahaabah did that, and they were the keenest of all Muslims to follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and to benefit the Muslims. There is only one report from Buraydah alSulami, who left instructions that two palm-leaf stalks should be placed on his grave. But we do not know of any of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) who agreed with Buraydah in that. Shaykh Ibn Baaz said: That is not prescribed in Islam, rather it is bidah (an innovation), because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only placed the palm-leaf stalk on the two graves of the people whose torment he was made aware of; he did not place them on any other graves. From that we know that it is not permissible to put them on graves, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever introduces anything into
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this matter of ours (Islam) that is not part of it, will have it rejected. According to a version narrated by Muslim: Whoever does anything that is not part of this matter of ours (Islam), will have it rejected. Similarly, it is not permissible to write on graves or to place flowers on them, because of the two hadeeth quoted above, and because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade plastering over graves, erecting structures over them, sitting on them and writing on them. Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah, 68/50. Islam Q&A
**84. Should we place green leaves on graves so that the punishment of the deceased may be reduced?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/41643 Detailed Question: I heard in a hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) placed two leaves on two graves whose occupants were being tormented, so that the punishment might be reduced, but I do not understand the reason for that. Is it prescribed for us to do likewise? Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Yes, it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by two graves and said: They are being punished but they are not being punished for something that was difficult to avoid *?}. Then he said, One of them used to go about spreading malicious gossip, and the other used not to take precautions to avoid being contaminated with urine. Then he took a fresh branch, broke it in two and planted each piece on a grave. Then he said: May their punishment be reduced so long as this does not dry out. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1378; Muslim, 292. This indicates that the punishment may be reduced, but what is the relationship between these two branches and the reduction of these punishments for these two persons? 1 It was said that the branches glorify Allaah (by saying Subhaan-Allaah i.e., tasbeeh) so long as they do not dry out, and tasbeeh reduces the punishment of the deceased. Based on this they reached the conclusion which far-fetched that it is Sunnah for a person to go to the grave and recite tasbeeh so that the punishment of the deceased might be reduced.
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2 Some of the scholars said: This reason is daeef (weak) because the two branches would recite tasbeeh whether they were fresh or dry, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification [al-Isra 17:44+ Pebbles in the hands of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were heard to recite tasbeeh even though pebbles are dry, so how are we to understand the hadeeth? We may understand it as meaning that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) hoped that Allaah would reduce their punishment so long as these two branches remained fresh, so it was not a long period. This was so as to warn against doing what they did, because their actions were serious as it says in the report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, But it is serious. One of them did not take precautions to avoid being contaminated by urine, and if he was not free of such contamination then he was praying without being pure. The other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip, causing mischief among the slaves of Allaah and stirring up enmity and hatred among them. This is a serious matter. This is the most likely understanding of the meaning of the hadeeth, that it was a temporary intercession and a warning to the ummah, not because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to offer ongoing intercession. Secondly: Some scholars may Allaah forgive them say that it is Sunnah to place a fresh branch, etc on the grave so that the punishment might be reduced. But this understanding is very far-fetched, and it is not permissible for us to do that for several reasons. (i) We do not know that this man is being punished, unlike the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whom Allaah told by means of Revelation about the situation of those two graves. (ii) If we do that, we are mistreating the deceased, because we are thinking badly of him and assuming that he is being punished, but we do not know that. It may be that he is being blessed, or it may be that this deceased person is one of those whom Allaah blessed with forgiveness before he died because of one of the many things that bring forgiveness, so he died having been forgiven by the Lord of all people, in which case he would not deserve to be punished. (iii) This understanding is contrary to the way of the righteous salaf. This action was not part of their way and they were the most knowledgeable of people about the shareeah of Allaah. (iv) Allaah has shown us something that is better than that. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) finished burying someone he would stand over the grave and
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say, Pray for forgiveness for your brother and ask that he be made steadfast, for even now is he being questioned. From Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 2/30. Islam Q&A
85. Ruling on reading Quraan at the graveside and putting roses and fragrant herbs on the grave
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/14285 Detailed Question: We see some people reciting Quraan at the grave of their deceased loved one when they visit, and others putting some roses and fragrant herbs on the grave. What is the ruling on that? Praise be to Allaah. With regard to reciting Quraan when visiting the grave, this is something which has no basis in the Sunnah. It is not prescribed in Islam, and the fact that it is not prescribed is supported by the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Do not make your houses into graveyards, for the Shaytaan flees from a house in which Soorat al-Baqarah is recited. This was narrated by Muslim and al-Tirmidhi from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah. This indicates that graves are not the place for reading Quraan, hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged reading Quraan in our houses and told us not to make them like graveyards where it is not read. Another hadeeth indicates that they (graveyards) are not the place for prayer (salaah) either. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Pray in your houses and do not make them like graves. This was narrated by Muslim and others from Ibn Umar. A similar report was narrated by al-Bukhaari, who included it in a chapter entitled Baab Karaahat al-Salaah fil-Maqaabir (Chapter on it being disliked to pray in graveyards); thus he indicated that the hadeeth of Ibn Umar could be understood to mean that it is makrooh to pray in graveyards. Similarly the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah may be understood to mean that it is makrooh to read Quraan in graveyards. There is no difference between praying and reading Quraan in this regard. Abu Dawood said in his Masaail (p. 158): I heard Ahmad being asked about reading Quraan at the graveside. He said, No *that should not be done+. It is not prescribed in Islam to put aas leaves (a kind of tree) or fragrant herbs or roses on the grave, because this is not what the salaf did, and if it was good, they would have done it before us. Ibn Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: Every bidah (innovation) is a going
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astray, even if the people think it is good. (Narrated by Ibn Battah in al-Ibaanah an Usool alDiyaanah, 2/112; al-Laakaai in al-Sunnah, 1/21, a mawqoof report with a saheeh isnaad). We ask Allaah to bestow mercy upon the deceased Muslims. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Adapted from Ahkaam al-Janaaiz by al-Albaani
86. Does a tree growing on the grave indicate that the deceased person was righteous?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/20001 Praise be to Allaah. There is no basis for this. If trees or other plants grow on graves it is not a sign that their occupants were righteous. That is a false notion. Trees may grow on the graves of righteous and evil people alike, not only on the graves of the righteous. We should not be deceived by the claims of the myth-makers and followers of deviant beliefs who claim otherwise. And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek. Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-Allaamah Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 4, p. 380
87. Burial of one who dies at sea

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/82 If a person dies on a ship while traveling at sea, according to Imam Ahmad, the people should wait if they hope to reach some place to bury him (such as an island or beach) in a day or two and if they are confident that the body will not decay. However, if they cannot, they should wash the body, shroud and protect it, then pray the funeral prayer, and finally, tie something heavy to it and drop it in water. (Al-Mughni, 2/381) From the book What Should You Do in the Following Situations... ?
88. Where should a Christian woman be buried who was pregnant by her Muslim husband?
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Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about a Christian woman whose husband was Muslim; she died when there was a seven month old foetus in her womb. Should she be buried with the Muslims or with the Christians? The answer was that she should not be buried in the Muslim graveyard, or in the Christian graveyard, because in this case we have a Muslim and a kaafir together, and a kaafir cannot be buried with the Muslims or a Muslim with the kaafirs. Rather she should be buried on her own, with her back towards the Qiblah, because the child is facing her back, so if she is buried in this manner the face of the Muslim child will be towards the Qiblah. The child is a Muslim because his father is Muslim, even though his mother was a kaafir, according to scholarly consensus. Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 3/24, 25.
89. Burying one who neglected prayer with the Muslims

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/7864 Detailed Question: In our country the Muslims are buried in a graveyard of their own, but anyone who bears the label of Muslim may be buried there, and most of them were people who did not pray or observe the limits set down by the religion. What should be done when visiting these graves in which there is no distinction between true Muslims and those who were not Muslim? What about me, if I die and am buried with people who did not pray? Can I leave instructions that I am to be buried with people who did pray, or what should I do? Praise be to Allaah. Muslims have to have graveyards of their own, in which no one else should be buried. The person who does not pray and who dies when he is a person who has neglected prayer should not be buried in the Muslim graveyard, because the one who does not pray and denies that it is an obligation is a kaafir according to scholarly consensus. If he does not pray out of laziness, then he is a kaafir according to the more correct scholarly view. It is prescribed in Islam for a Muslim to leave instructions that he should be buried in the Muslim graveyard if there is also a non-Muslim graveyard in the vicinity, lest he be buried with the non-Muslims. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/9
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90. Burying innovators in the graveyards of Ahl al-Sunnah

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/105364 Praise be to Allaah. If the innovator is a kaafir because of his innovation, then it is not permissible to bury him in the Muslim graveyard, because the kaafir should be buried separately from the Muslims. But if he was not a kaafir because of his bidah, then there is nothing wrong with burying him with the Muslims. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/215)
91. Burying a kaafir in the Muslim graveyard

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/10026 Detailed Question: Is it permissible to bury a kaafir child in the Muslim graveyard if a Muslim has taken him to adopt him, then he dies before reaching the age of adolescence? Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to bury a kaafir in the Muslim graveyard, regardless of whether he was adopted by a Muslim or not, or whether he had reached the age of adolescence or not. But if there was any indication that he was Muslim (or that he had become Muslim), then he may be buried in the Muslim graveyard. It should also be noted that adoption [in the sense that the child is given the name of the person who adopts him] is forbidden in Islam, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers. *al-Ahzaab 33:5] And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/10
92. Burying kaafirs

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/10042 Detailed Question: What is the ruling concerning a man who becomes Muslim and his father is a kaafir and a mushrik who worships idols until he dies as a Mushrik? Is it permissible for his Muslim son to take part in washing and burying him? If he takes part in the washing and the
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burial, and the customs of the kuffaar, what is the Islamic ruling on him? What should the Muslim son do after doing these things? Praise be to Allaah. The basic principle concerning the kaafir when he dies is that his relatives should bury him in a grave so that he (the body) will not harm or disturb other people. He should not be washed or shrouded, and no prayer should be offered over him. Whoever does anything other than that or takes part with the kuffaar in their customs has to repent and seek the forgiveness of Allaah, and hope that Allaah will accept his repentance. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/14
93. It is haraam to bury the dead inside mosques

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/130887 Praise be to Allaah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade burying people in the mosque and building mosque over graves; he also cursed those who do that. That was when he was on his deathbed and warned his ummah. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that this was the action of the Jews and Christians and it was also a means that leads to associating others with Allah, because building mosque over graves and burying the dead inside mosques leads to associating the occupants of these graves in worship with Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, because people may come to believe that the occupants of these graves who are buried inside the mosque can bring benefit or cause harm, or that they have some special status which mean that people should seek to draw close to them by doing acts of worship and obedience to them instead of Allah, many He be glorified and exalted. The Muslims must beware of this dangerous phenomenon and ensure that the mosques are free of graves and are established on the basis of Tawheed and sound belief. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): And the mosques are for Allaah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allaah *al-Jinn 72:18]. The mosque should be for Allah alone, may He be glorified and exalted, and free of any manifestations of shirk, places where Allah alone is worshipped with no partner or associate. This is what is required of the Muslims. And Allah is the source of strength. End quote. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him). Fataawa al-Aqeedah, p. 26. For more information please see the answer to question number 120214
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And Allah knows best. Islam Q&A
94. Is it prescribed in Islam to give a speech or exhortation at the graveside?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/12833 Praise be to Allaah. The view that nothing of the sort was narrated at all is not correct, and the view that it is Sunnah is also not correct. There is no report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to stand at the graveside or in the graveyard when the janaazah (body prepared for burial) was brought then exhort the people and remind them as if he were delivering a khutbah on Friday. This is what we have heard of people doing, but this is bidah and may lead in the future to things that are more serious. It may lead to the speaker referring of the deceased person who has been brought. For example, if the deceased was an evildoer, the speaker may say, Look at this man, yesterday he used to play, yesterday he used to mock, yesterday he used to do such and such, but now he is in his grave and being brought to account. Or he may say concerning a businessman: Look at So and so, yesterday he was enjoying palaces and cars and servants and so on, and now he is in his grave. We think that there should not be a preacher delivering a khutbah at the graveside, because this is not Sunnah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not stand after burying the deceased, or when waiting to bury the deceased, and address the people, and we have not heard of anyone doing this among those who came before us, who were closer to the Sunnah than us. Neither have we heard of this from the khulafa who came before them. The people at the time of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and Ali did not do this, as far as we know, and the best of guidance is the guidance of those who came before, if it is in accordance with the truth. With regard to the exhortation that is like regular talk in a gathering, there is nothing wrong with that, because it is narrated in al-Sunan that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out to Baqee al-Gharqad (the graveyard of Madeenah) where some people were burying one of their number who had died. The deceased had not yet been placed in the lahd (niche in the side of the grave) and they were still digging his grave. He sat down and his companions sat around him, and he started telling them about what happens to a person when he is dying and after he has been buried. He spoke to them in a quiet manner, not in the manner of a khutbah. It is also narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari and elsewhere that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: There is no one among you for whom his place in Paradise or in Hell
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has not been decreed. They said: O Messenger of Allaah, shall we not rely on that? He said: No; strive hard, for each person will be enabled to do that for which he was created. The point is that the kind of exhortation where a man stands and delivers a speech at the burial or afterwards is not Sunnah and is not appropriate for the reasons I have mentioned. As for exhortation that does not take the form of a khutbah or speech, such as when a man sits and his companions sit with him, and he says a few words appropriate to the occasion, this is good and is following the example of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) Liqaaaat al-Baab il-Maftooh by Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen, 2/55-56.
**95. Is it permissible to put a piece of metal or a marker on a grave on which is written verses of the Quraan in addition to the name of the deceased and the date of his death, etc.?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/9986 Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to write anything on the grave, whether it be verses of the Quraan or anything else, on iron, stone tablets or anything else, because it was reported from Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that it is forbidden to plaster the walls of graves, to sit on them or to build over them. This was narrated by Imaam Muslim in his Saheeh; al-Tirmidhi and al-Nasaai added, with a saheeh isnaad, or to write on them. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah from Shaykh Ibn Baaz , vol. 9, p. 378
**96. Is it permissible to put a marker on a grave so that it will be known whose grave it is?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/8991 Detailed Question: The custom in our country is to put a stone, concrete or a peg at the head and foot of the grave, or sometimes just at the head. What is the Islamic ruling on that? Praise be to Allaah. Islam forbids erecting structures over graves, and commands that any such structures should be knocked down. But it is permitted to put a marker on the grave so that the family and friends of the deceased will know where it is. However, this marker should not be a structure or anything else that is not allowed in shareeah.
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1 With regard to the prohibition on erecting structures over graves, the evidence for that is as follows. It was narrated that Jaabir said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade plastering over graves, sitting on them and erecting structures over them. Narrated by Muslim, 970. Al-Shawkaani said: The phrase erecting structures over them: indicates that it is haraam to build anything over a grave. Al-Shaafai and his companions made the following distinction: if the structure is built on the property of the person who builds it, it is makrooh, and if it is in a public graveyard, it is haraam. But there is no evidence for making this distinction. Al-Shaafai said: I saw the imams in Makkah ordering that what had been built (over graves) was to be knocked down. The hadeeth of Ali also indicates that such structures should be destroyed. Nayl al-Awtaar, 4/132; the view of al-Shaafai is mentioned in al-Umm, 1/277 The hadeeth of Ali referred to will be quoted below. With regard to the command to knock down structures that have been built over graves, that is proven in the Sunnah. It was narrated that Abul-Hayaaj al-Asadi said: Ali ibn Abi Taalib said to me: Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any statue without erasing it, and do not leave any raised grave without leveling it. (Narrated by Muslim, 969). Al-Shawkaani said: The words do not leave any raised grave without leveling it means that the Sunnah is that a grave should not be made very high, and there should be no differentiation between those who were virtuous and those who were not virtuous. It seems that making a grave higher than the amount that is permitted is haraam. This was clearly stated by the companions of Ahmad and a group of the companions of al-Shaafai and Maalik. The view that it is not haraam because the earlier and later generations did that without anyone denouncing that action, as Imam Yahya and al-Mahdi said in al-Ghayth, is not correct, because the most that can be said is that they kept quiet about it, and keeping quiet does not count as evidence if it has to do with matters which are not definitive, and the prohibition of making graves high is not definitive. The making graves high that is mentioned in the hadeeth especially includes the domes and shrines that are built over graves, and the taking of graves as places of worship. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed those who do that. (Nayl al-Awtaar, 4/130).
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With regard to it being permissible to mark a grave with something permissible, there is evidence in the Sunnah which explains that. It was narrated from Katheer ibn Zayd al-Madani that al-Muttalib said: When Uthmaan ibn Mazoon died, his bier was brought out and he was buried, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered a man to bring a rock but he was not able to carry it. So the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood up and rolled up his sleeves. Katheer said: al-Muttalib said: the one who narrated that to me from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: it is as if I can see the whiteness of the arms of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he rolled up his sleeves. Then he carried it and placed it at the head (of the grave), and said, From this I will recognize the grave of my brother, and I can bury those among my family who die near him. (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3206) The isnaad of this hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Haafiz ibn Hajar in al-Talkhees al-Habeer, 2/133). Ibn Qudaamah said: There is nothing wrong with marking a grave with a stone of a piece of wood. There is nothing wrong with a man marking a grave so that he will know where it is. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) marked the grave of Uthmaan ibn Mazoon. Al-Mughni, 2/191. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
**97. Is it permissible to buy land so that he may be buried in it when he dies?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/82184 Praise be to Allaah. The ruling on that depends on the motive that makes him buy the land to be buried in. If she wants to prepare a decent place for her burial, because she sees that the graveyards are neglected in her city, or because she sees that a number of people are buried in one place as happens in some Muslim countries or she wants to set that land aside as a waqf for burial for herself and other people, and other such aims that are acceptable in Islam, then in that case there is nothing wrong with it if she buys this piece of land and leaves a will instructing that she be buried there, because what she wants to achieve is acceptable according to shareeah, and the fiqhi principle says that things are judged according to their purpose. Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: There is nothing wrong with a man buying the site of his grave and leaving a will instructing that he be buried there. Uthmaan ibn Affaan did that, as did Aaishah and Umar ibn Abd al-Azeez (may Allaah be pleased with them all).
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Al-Mughni (3/443). See also: Ahkaam al-Maqaabir fil-Shareeah by Dr. Abd-Allaah alSuhaybaani (23-28). If she has no such purpose, and all she wants to do is to have a prominent grave and allocate a place separate from other people, then this purpose is not acceptable according to shareeah. There is nothing in the Quraan or Sunnah to indicate that such an action is permissible, rather in the principles of shareeah and the words of the scholars there is evidence to suggest that this is makrooh. For example: 1 The fuqaha stated that it is mustahabb to be buried in the public graveyard so that the deceased may benefit from the duaa of the believers who visit it, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who buried those of his companions who died in the graveyard of al-Baqee. It says in al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah (21/9): The graveyard is the best place for burial, and that is in order to follow the Sunnah, and so that he may benefit from the duaa of visitors. It is better to be buried in the best graveyard in the town, and it is makrooh to bury anyone in ones house, even if the deceased is a small child. Ibn Aabideen said: The same applies to burial in a private plot as is done by those who build schools and so on, and have a burial place built close to it. End quote. See Radd al-Muhtaar (2/235); al-Majmoo (5/245) and Mughni al-Muhtaaj (2/52). 2 Moreover, burial in land that is owned by the deceased harms the heirs, as it will prevent them from disposing of it, when there was sufficient room in the Muslim graveyard. It says in al-Furoo by Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali (2/278): If he leaves instructions to be buried in his own land, he should be buried with the Muslims, because that (instruction) harms the heirs. End quote. 3 Moreover, leaving instructions that one be buried in private land carries the risk that in the future the grave may be tampered with, because the public graveyard is distinct and is known to all people, and no one can transgress upon it by building on it or digging and the like, as all the people will prevent their dead being dishonoured, whereas private land may be transgressed and subjected to peoples greed, as they may take the land and excavate the graves, etc. 4 Burial in private land may lead to veneration and sanctification of the grave; people may think that there is something special about it or that this is the grave of one of the awliya (saints) and so on, so they may commit various kinds of shirk there or seek blessing in haraam ways, because of this person being buried separately from other people. 5 Finally, there is the fear that the motive for leaving instructions that one be buried in a private plot is pride and the feeling that one is above being buried with other people in the same place, as can be seen in the graves of some kings and princes, who set aside private plots for themselves. It is known that pride is one of the greatest of sins but death usually breaks
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every proud and arrogant person, so the Muslim should not be like the arrogant or follow their ways. From the above it is clear that buying land and leaving instructions that one be buried there for purposes other than those which are Islamically acceptable is not the best choice. The best option is to be buried with the Muslims and to expose oneself to the blessing of the duaa of righteous Muslims. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Liqa al-Baab il-Maftooh (1/559): The will does not have to be executed if the deceased left instructions that he is only to be buried in a certain place, rather he should be buried with the Muslims, because the earth is all the same, and if anyone among them died in any place, the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) would bury him there. So these instructions do not have to be carried out, because there is no shari purpose behind them. End quote. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
98. If there is no Muslim graveyard or there is one but it is too expensive, where should the Muslim be buried?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/98408 Praise be to Allaah. If it is not possible to bury a Muslim in the Muslim graveyard because there is no Muslim graveyard or because it is too expensive, there is nothing wrong with burying him in the desert or forest, and levelling the ground so that it will not be dug up. The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: What is the ruling if a Muslim dies in France and it is not possible to transport him to an Arab land, and there is no graveyard just for the Muslims in the town where he died. Can he be buried in the Christian graveyard or what? Similarly, there is no place there for washing the deceased Muslims except the place that is used for washing deceased Christians. Can the deceased Muslims be washed there, if it is not possible to wash the deceased Muslim in his house? They replied: If there is no Muslim graveyard then if a Muslim dies he should not be buried in the Christian graveyard, rather they should look for a place in the desert and bury him there, and level the ground so that it will not be dug up. If it is possible to transport him to a land where there is a Muslim graveyard without great expense then that is better. As for washing the deceased Muslim in the place where deceased kaafirs are washed, there is nothing wrong with that if it is not possible to find an alternative without incurring expense. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah (8/454).
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And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
99. Muslim being washed and buried with the kuffaar

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22143 Detailed Question: A Muslim died in France and it was not possible to bring him to his Arab homeland. In the city where he died there was no graveyard set aside exclusively for the Muslims. Should he be buried in the Christian graveyard or what? Similarly, there is no place to wash the Muslim dead, apart from a room which is for washing the Christian dead. Can the Muslim dead be washed there if it is not possible to wash the dead Muslim in his house? Praise be to Allaah. If there is no graveyard for the Muslims, then when a Muslim dies he cannot be buried in the kaafir graveyard. Rather a place should be sought for him in the desert, where he should be buried and then the land leveled over him so that it will not be dug up. If it is possible to bring him to a city where there is a Muslim graveyard without going to too much trouble or expense, then that is preferable. With regard to washing a dead Muslim in a place where kaafirs are also washed, that is OK, if it is too difficult to find another place. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhamamd and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas, 8/454
100. What is the ruling on sprinkling water on the grave after burying the dead, justifying this by saying that it makes the dust solid on the grave? Does it make it cool for the dead?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/105363 Praise be to Allaah. There is nothing wrong with sprinkling water, because water holds the earth together so it will not be scattered right and left. With regard to what the common folk believe, that sprinkling water cools down the deceased, there is no basis for this. End quote.
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Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/194).
101. Is it permissible to bury the husband with his wife in one grave?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/96667 Praise be to Allaah. The majority of Shaafai fuqaha are of the view which is also the view of the Hanbalis that it is not permissible to bury more than one person in a grave, except in cases of necessity, such as when large numbers have been killed, or there has been an epidemic, a fire or drowning and it is too difficult to bury each person in a separate grave. In that case it is permissible to bury two or three in a single grave. A man should not be buried with a woman except in cases of extreme necessity, and a barrier of earth should be placed between them in that case. This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (1343) from Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wrapped two men of those slain at Uhud in a single cloth, then he said: Which of them had more knowledge of Qur'aan? When one of them was pointed out to him, he put him in the lahd (niche) first, and he said: I will be a witness for them on the Day of Resurrection. And he ordered that they be buried with their blood (wounds) and that they not be washed or the funeral prayer be offered for them. It was narrated by al-Nasaai (2010), al-Tirmidhi (1713) and Abu Dawood (3215) that Hishaam ibn Aamir said: We complained to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the day of Uhud and said: O Messenger of Allaah, it is too hard for us to dig a grave for every man. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Dig graves and make them deep, and dig them well, and put two or three men in each grave. They said: Who should we put first, O Messenger of Allaah? He said: Put the one who knew more Qur'aan first. He (the narrator) said: My father was the third of three in a single grave. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaai. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo (5/247): It is not permissible to bury two men or two women in a single grave except in cases of necessity. Similarly, al-Sarkhasi stated that it is not permissible. The view of the majority is that two people should not be buried in one grave, as it says in al-Musannaf. A number of scholars stated that it is mustahabb not to bury two people in one grave, but if there is a case of necessity such as a large number of people who have been killed or who died in an epidemic or as the result of a building collapse or drowning, etc, and it is too hard to bury each one in a separate grave, then it is permissible to bury two or three or more in one grave, as dictated by necessity, because of the hadeeth quoted above. Our companions said: In that case the best of them should be placed closest to the qiblah, and if a man, woman and child are buried together, the man should be placed closest to the qiblah, then the child, then the hermaphrodite, then the woman. Our
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companions said: The father should be placed before the son, even if the son was better, out of respect to the father, and the mother should be placed before the daughter. It is not permissible to put a man and a woman in the same grave unless there is definitely a case of necessity, and in that case a barrier of dirt should be put to separate them, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point. The man should be put closest to the qiblah even if he is her son. Some scholars are of the view that more than one person may be buried in a single grave, and that it is only makrooh. This is the view of the Maalikis and was mentioned in one report from Ahmad. It was also the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). See al-Insaaf (2/551); Sharh al-Kharashi (2/134). Others were of the view that it is not makrooh, but they said that it should be rejected in favour of that which is better. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The correct view in my opinion and Allaah knows best is the middle view, which is that it is makrooh, as stated by Shaykh alIslam Ibn Taymiyah. Otherwise, if the first person has been buried and is settled in his grave, then he has more right to it, and in that case a second person should not be introduced to the grave, except in cases of extreme necessity. End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti (5/369). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
102. What is the Islamic ruling on the family of the deceased standing in a single row after the burial is completed, in order to receive condolences from people?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/88141 Detailed Question: What is the Islamic ruling on the family of the deceased standing in a single row after the burial is completed, in order to receive condolences from people? Also, what is the ruling on the family of the deceased standing in a single row in the place where condolences are offered, whether it is a house or a hall, to receive condolences, then they sit down after the people leave, and stand up again when other people come, and that takes place between Maghrib and Isha? Question 2: What is the ruling on a lecturer who frequently uses the phrase al-Habeeb (the Beloved) (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)every time he mentions the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Praise be to Allaah.
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Firstly: There is nothing wrong with the family of the deceased receiving condolences in the graveyard, before or after the burial, whether they stand in a single row or separately, because their standing in a single row only serves to make it easy to reach them and offer condolences to them. With regard to their sitting in a house to receive condolences, this is not Sunnah, rather condolences should be offered to the bereaved wherever he is, in the graveyard, in the street or in the mosque. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on the family of the deceased forming a row at the gate of the graveyard in order to receive the peoples condolences immediately after the burial? He replied: The basic principle is that there is nothing wrong with that, because they are gathering in order to make it easy to reach each one of them and offer condolences. I do not know of anything wrong with that. End quote. And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: After the deceased has been buried and people have offered condolences to his family, they go to the house of the deceased, and that usually happens after Maghrib. Then they drink coffee and offer condolences to the family of the deceased again, and then they depart. What is the ruling on that? He replied: The ruling is that this is an innovation. At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and afterwards the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) did not sit in their houses expecting people to come and to offer condolences. In fact this makes the calamity heavier for the bereaved because it is as if he is saying, O people, I am sitting in my house and grieving, come and offer me condolences. The Sunnah is for a person to close his door and then whoever sees him in the marketplace or in the mosque looking sad may comfort him with condolences, and tell him to be patient and seek reward, the matter is up to Allaah, to Allaah belongs what He has taken and what He gives, and everything has an appointed time with Him. End quote. And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Hence the seekers of knowledge should explain this to the people and start with themselves, as we have started with ourselves. Our father died and we did not sit to receive condolences, and our mother died and we did not sit to receive condolences. If the people of knowledge did that, it would bring about a great deal of good, and the people would give up these customs. End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (17/352, 374, 389). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
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103. Is it permissible to play a part in establishing a venue for condolence gatherings and other occasions?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/146221 Detailed Question: In our city there is a venue for special occasions; most of what takes place there is condolence gatherings in which a shaykh comes to read Quraan for the deceased and the people listen to him. They oblige everyone in the neighbourhood to give a specific amount of money so that they all take part in setting it up. Can I pay this money or should I avoid it? Praise be to Allaah. It is not prescribed in shareeah for people to gather with the family of the deceased to offer condolences. At the very least this kind of gathering is makrooh, whether they gather in the house of the family of the deceased or in these tents that they set up, or in a venue for special occasions which is set aside for this purpose, and so on, because that is an innovation that was not done by the earlier generations. Ibn Maajah narrated that Jareer ibn Abd-Allah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to think that gathering with the family of the deceased and making food was a kind of wailing (for the deceased). Classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. If they add to that bringing a reciter to read the Quraan, it is even more prohibited. The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said: What some people do of setting up large tents and bringing reciters to read Quraan, whether that is in return for payment or not, and offering food on the forty-day anniversary of the death -- all of these are things for which we know of no basis in shareeah; rather they are innovations that have been introduced into the religion. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever introduces into this matter of ours anything that is not part of it will have it rejected. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/136. It also says (9/73): Gathering when forty days have passed since the death of the deceased is an innovation (bidah), and reading Quraan or what is called a khatmah for the deceased is a further innovation. It is haraam for the reciters to eat the food that is offered to them or to take any fee for their reading. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah narrated that there was consensus among the scholars that taking a fee for merely reading Quraan is haraam according to all the scholars, and there was no difference of opinion among them concerning that. End quote. It also says (8/352): Spending on food that is made for those who come to offer condolences and spending on setting up tents and the like is not permissible, whether it is paid for from the wealth of the deceased or from the wealth of anyone else. End quote.
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So it is not permissible to do any of these things or to help in them, because it is a kind of cooperating in sin and transgression, and Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment [al-Maaidah 5:2+. Their imposing a certain amount of money to be paid by every individual in order to set up this venue is something that is not permissible according to shareeah. It is an objectionable action that should be opposed and it is not permissible to help them in that. For more information please see the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/14396 And Allah knows best. Islam Q&A
**104. Some people offer condolences by saying, May the rest of his life be added to your life
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/9845 Praise be to Allaah. This is wrong. What can be left of a persons life when Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): when their term comes, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment) *al-Araaf 7:34+. The deceased has died at the time when his lifespan was completed; his death did not come too early or too late, so how can there be anything left of his life? Moreover, this goes against the Sunnah. The Sunnah in offering condolences is to say To Allaah belongs what He takes and to Allaah belongs what He gives or May Allaah make your reward great or May Allaah console you or May Allaah forgive your deceased loved one and so on. From al-Eemaan bil-Qadaa wal-Qadar by Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Hamad, p. 166
**105. If I want to visit my fathers grave, what should I do? What is the etiquette of visiting graveyards? Are there any things I should pay attention to?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/14287 Praise be to Allaah.
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It is prescribed to visit graves in order to learn a lesson from that and to remember the Hereafter. That is subject to the condition that one does not say anything that will anger the Lord, such as calling upon the one who is buried or seeking his help instead of Allaah, or praising him and saying that he is for certain in Paradise, etc. The purpose of visiting the graves is twofold: (a) The visitor benefits from remembering death and the dead, remembering that their destiny will be either Paradise or Hell. This is the primary purpose of the visit. (b) The deceased also benefits and is treated kindly by the visitor greeting him with salaams, making duaa for him, praying for forgiveness for him. This applies only to Muslims. Among the duaas that may be recited are: Assalaamu alaykum ahl al-diyaar min al-mumineen wal-Muslimeen, in sha Allaah bikum laahiqoon, asal Allaaha lana wa lakum al-aafiyah (peace be upon you O people of the dwellings, believers and Muslims, In sha Allaah we will join you, I ask Allaah to keep us and you safe and sound). It is permissible to raise the hands when reciting this duaa, because of the hadeeth of Aaishah who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out one night, and I sent Bareerah to follow him and see where he went. She said, He went towards Baqee al-Gharqad [the graveyard in Madeenah], and he stood at the bottom of alBaqee and raised his hands, then he went away. Bareerah came back to me and told me, and when morning came I asked him about it. I said, O Messenger of Allaah, where did you go out to last night? He said, I was sent to the people of al-Baqee, to pray for them. But you should not face the grave when making duaa for them; rather you should face the direction of the Kabah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade prayer (salaah) facing graves, and duaa is the heart and soul of salaah, as is well known, and is subject to the same rulings. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Duaa is worship then he recited the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): And your Lord said: Invoke Me *i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything+ I will respond to your (invocation). *Ghaafir 40:60+ You should not walk between the graves of the Muslims wearing your shoes. It was narrated that Uqbah ibn Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: If I were to walk on hot coals or on a sword, or if I were to mend my shoes using my feet, that would be better for me than if I were to walk on the grave of a Muslim. And it makes no difference to me if I were to relieve myself in the midst of the graves or in the middle of the market-place *i.e., both are equally bad+. (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1567) We ask Allaah, the Most High, the Omnipotent, to have mercy upon our dead and the deceased Muslims.
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Adapted from Mukhtasar Ahkaam al-Janaaiz by al-Albaani
106. Wailing and visiting graves

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/147407 Praise be to Allaah. Visiting graves is not permissible for women. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Visit the graves, for they remind you of death and the Hereafter, addressing men. And he used to teach his Companions to say, when they visited graves, Al-salaamu alaykum ahl al-diyaar min al-mumineen wal-Muslimeen, wa inna in sha Allaah lalaahiqoon. Asal Allaah lana wa lakum al-aafiyah (Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the graves, believers and Muslims. Verily we will, in sha Allaah, join you. I ask Allaah for well-being for us and for you). But in the case of women, he forbade them to do that. The curse on women who visit graves is mentioned in several ahaadeeth, so it is not permissible for women to visit graves, but it is prescribed for them to pray for forgiveness and mercy for their deceased loved ones, and to pray that they be admitted to Paradise and saved from Hell, without visiting the graves; they can pray for them at home. There is also nothing to prevent them offering the funeral prayer for the deceased in the mosque or prayer-place, as the women offered the funeral prayer at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and at the time of his Companions. With regard to wailing and listening, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade wailing and said: There are four matters of jaahiliyyah that exist among my ummah and they will not give them up: boasting about ones forefathers, casting aspersions upon peoples lineages, seeking rain by the stars and wailing for the dead. And he said: If the woman who wails does not repent before she dies, she will be raised on the Day of Resurrection wearing pants of tar and a chemise of scabs. Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that wailing for the dead is a blameworthy act of jaahiliyyah and it must not be done. Umm Atiyyah said: The Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took a pledge from us when we swore allegiance, that we would not wail. And Abu Dawood (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated in his Sunan from Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he cursed the woman who wails and the one who listen to her. There is some weakness in its isnaad, but there is corroborating evidence for its meaning, so wailing is haraam and reprehensible, and it is not permissible for a woman to be involved in wailing, or for a man to do that either. Wailing refers to raising the voice when weeping and saying, O my support, O one who clothed me, O how sad I am and so on. The one who listens is the woman who listens to the ones who are wailing and encourages them, so she sits with them and encourages them to wail. This is
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included because sitting with them is a kind of encouragement. So it is not permissible to listen to them. If the one who is wailing will not be quiet, it is obligatory to leave her and not sit with her, by way of shunning her and denouncing her. If a woman sits with her and listens to her, this is a kind of help and encouragement. So it is not permissible to listen to one who is wailing; rather she should denounce her and tell her not to do that. If she stops, all well and good, otherwise you should leave her and not sit with her and listen to her. End quote. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) Fataawa Noor ala al-Darb, 2/1174
107. Praying at graves and the conditions of intercession

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/13490 Praise be to Allaah. 1 The issue of praying at graves Praying at graves is of two types: The first type is praying to the occupant of the grave. This is major shirk which puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, because prayer is an act of worship, and it is not permissible to do any act of worship to anyone other than Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Worship Allaah and join none with Him (in worship) [al-Nisa 4:36+ Verily, Allaah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, has indeed strayed far away [al-Nisa 4:116+ The second type is praying to Allaah in the graveyard. This covers a number of issues: 1 Praying the funeral (janaazah) prayer at the graveside, which is permissible. Example: if a person dies and you are not able to offer the funeral prayer for him in the mosque, then it is permissible for you to offer the prayer for him after he is buried. The evidence for this is that this is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that a black man or a black woman used to clean the mosque, and he (or she) died. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked about him and they said, He died. He said, Why did you not tell me? Show me to his grave (or her grave). So he went to the grave and offered the funeral prayer. (Narrated by alBukhaari, 458; Muslim, 956). 2 Praying the funeral prayer in the graveyard, which is permissible
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Example: a person dies and you are not able to offer the funeral prayer for him in the mosque, so you go to the graveyard and offer the prayer there before he is buried. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It is permissible to offer the funeral prayer for the deceased inside the graveyard just as it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer for him after he is buried, because it was proven that a woman used to clean the mosque and she died. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked about her and they said, She died. He said, Why did you not tell me? Show me to her grave. So they showed him and he offered the prayer for her, then he said, These graves are filled with darkness for their occupants, but Allaah illuminates them by my prayer over them. (Narrated by Muslim, 956.) From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 8/392 3 Praying in the graveyard apart from the funeral (janaazah) prayer this prayer is invalid and does not count, whether it is an obligatory prayer or a naafil prayer. The evidence for that is as follows: (i) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: All the earth is a mosque apart from the graveyards and bathrooms. (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 317; Ibn Maajah, 745; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah, 606). (ii) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: May Allaah curse the Jews and the Christians, for they have taken the graves of their Prophets as places of worship. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 435; Muslim, 529). (iii) Praying in graveyards may be a means that leads to worshipping the graves, or to imitating those who worship graves. Hence, because the kaafirs used to prostrate to the sun as it was rising and setting, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade us to pray when the sun is rising or setting, lest that be taken as a means that leads to worshipping the sun instead of Allaah, or to resembling the kuffaar. 4 Praying towards the graveyard, which is haraam, according to the correct opinion. Example: you pray with a graveyard or grave in the direction of your qiblah, but you are not praying in the graveyard, rather you are praying on some other ground that is close to the graveyard, with no wall or barrier between you and it. The evidence for this being haraam: (i) It was narrated that Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Do not sit on graves, or pray towards them. (Narrated by Muslim, 972). This indicates that it is haraam to pray towards graveyards or towards graves or towards a single grave. (ii) The reason why it is not allowed to pray towards a graveyard is the same as the reason why it is not allowed to pray towards a grave. So long as a person is facing towards the grave or graveyard in such a way that it may be said that he is praying towards it, then this comes under the prohibition, and if it comes under the prohibition then it is not valid, because
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the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, Do not pray The prohibition here is on praying, so if a person prays towards a grave, he is combining obedience and disobedience, and it is not possible to draw closer to Allaah in such a manner. Note: If there is a wall between you and the graveyard, then the basic principle is that it is acceptable to pray in this case and it is not prohibited. Similarly, if there is a street or a considerable distance which would mean that you cannot be regarded as praying towards the graves, then this is acceptable. And Allaah knows best. See al-Mughni, 1/403; al-Sharh al-Mumti by Ibn Uthaymeen, 2/232. 2 The issue of intercession You were mistaken when you said that no one will intercede on the Day of Resurrection except the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Rather the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will intercede and so will others among the believers. See Question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/11931. But we will add here an issue that was not mentioned there, which is that there are conditions attached to intercession: 1 Permission must be granted by Allaah to the intercessor to intercede. 2 Allaah must approve of the one for whom intercession is to be made. The evidence for these two conditions is the verses in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allaah has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with [al-Najm 53:26] and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased [al-Anbiya 21:28+ As for the imaginary intercession which the idol-worshippers think their gods perform for them, this is an invalid intercession, for Allaah does not permit intercession unless He is pleased both with the intercessor and those for whom intercession is made. See al-Qawl al-Mufeed Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), p. 336-337. The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the believers will intercede does not justify asking them to intercede, as some people do when they ask the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to intercede for them even after his death. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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108. Is it permissible to face the grave when making duaa for its occupant?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/93858 Praise be to Allaah. We must distinguish between two similar issues: 1 Going to a grave and facing it when saying duaa for oneself, seeking blessings and believing that this makes a response more likely. This is undoubtedly an innovation and exaggeration that is forbidden in Islam, and it may lead one to fall into shirk if it leads to one asking the occupant of the grave to meet his needs. Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo al-Fataawa (27/165): As for visiting graves in order to make dua beside them or to seek to draw closer to Allaah through them (tawassul) or to seek intercession through them, this is not taught by Islam at all. Hence the Sunnah according to the Sahaabah and the imams of the Muslims when a person sends salaams upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his two companions (i.e., Abu Bakr and Umar, whose graves are adjacent to that of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) is to say duaa to Allaah facing the qiblah, and not to say duaa facing the grave. I do not know of any imams who disputed the fact that the Sunnah is to face the qiblah at the time of saying duaa, and not to face the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). End quote. He also (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Iqtida Siraat al-Mustaqeem (364): Perhaps what the imams said is based on the fact that it is makrooh to pray facing a grave. The prohibition concerning that is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as stated above. As it is forbidden to take graves as places of worship or directions of prayer, they were enjoined not to say duaa or pray facing graves. Maalik said in al-Mabsoot: I do not think that one should stand at the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and say duaa, rather one should say salaam and move on. This is well-established principle. It is not recommended for the one who is saying duaa to face any direction except the one that is recommended when praying. Do you not see that as the Muslim is forbidden to pray facing east or any other direction, he is also forbidden to face those directions when saying duaa. Some people, when saying duaa, try to face the direction in which the righteous man whom he venerates is, whether that is in the east or elsewhere. This is obvious misguidance and clear shirk. End quote. When the Muslim worships Allaah by saying duaa, it is mustahabb for him to face towards the Qiblah which we are enjoined to venerate, not towards the graves of human beings who cannot bring benefit to or ward off harm from themselves. It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa (1/367), which is a Hanbali book:
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The one who is saying duaa should face towards the qiblah because the best of gatherings is that which faces towards the qiblah. End quote. It says something similar in the commentary on Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj (2/105), which is a Shaafai book. Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Naqd al-Tasees (2/452): The Muslims are unanimously agreed that the qiblah which it is prescribed for the one who is saying duaa to face when saying duaa is the qiblah which it is prescribed to face when praying. End quote. 2 When visiting a grave to pray for its occupant and pray for forgiveness for him, as people do when they visit their dead loved ones in their graves, there is nothing wrong with facing the gave when saying duaa in this case, because he is not doing that to seek blessing from that grave or to venerate it. Rather he does that so as to be physically closer to the deceased and closer in his duaa. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked the following question (13/338): Is it forbidden to face the grave when saying duaa for the deceased? He (may Allaah have mercy on him) replied: That is not forbidden, rather one may say duaa for the deceased facing the qiblah or facing the grave, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood over graves after the burial and said: Pray for forgiveness for your brother and ask that he be made steadfast, for even now he is being questioned. Narrated by al-Bukhaari. And he did not say to face the qiblah. So both are permissible, whether one faces the qiblah or the grave. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) prayed for the deceased when they were gathered around the grave. End quote. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
109. Permissibility of women visiting graves

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/127 Paying visits by Muslim men to cemeteries is a practice of the sunnah, and it reminds one of his destiny so that he may strive for it. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I [once] had forbid you from visiting graves, [and I now enjoin] you to do so, so that the visit may serve as a beneficial reminder." (related by Muslim and others) and in the version of al-Haakim: " for *such visits+ soften the heart, bring tears to the eyes, and serve as a reminder of the Hereafter, [but be careful] not to speak forbidden expressions [i.e. while visiting]." (Sahih alJaami' 4584)
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Concerning visits to cemeteries by women, scholars have varied opinions on this issue: it is allowed or preferred and their case is similar to that of men it is makrooh (reprehensible), which is the opinion of jumhoor ul-'ulemaa' (the majority of the scholars) it is forbidden, this one probably being the strongest opinion, as indicated by al-hadith al-sahih in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allaah has cursed women who frequent graves," related by Ahmed and Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah and in one version, "Allaah has cursed women who visit graves and those who build mosques and place lights upon them." (related by Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa'i and al-Haakim) This condemnation would warrant the validity of the argument against women visiting cemeteries as the lawmaker (i.e. Allaah) would not condemn something that is permissible or reprehensibleonly that which is forbidden completely. Regarding what would be the reason for this condemnation, the scholars have cited two main arguments: Firstly, that women for the most part are emotionally weaker in accepting calamities and perhaps being in sight of her dear one's graves may break into wailing and loud weeping, which would be detrimental to her religious character and harmful for her body as well. Secondly, cemeteries are oftentimes isolated places which may not be safe for someone being alone, possibly exposing a woman to people of corrupt or loose moral character. In summary, the rationale behind this prohibition is that women are often not as strong emotionally in the face of calamities, and not visiting graves prevents them from the trial and from being exposed to unnecessary fitnah. Allaah the Most Knowledgeable knows what is most correct and best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
110. What is the ruling on singling out Fridays for visiting graves?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/12322 Praise be to Allaah. There is no basis for that. What is prescribed is to visit graves at any time of night or day that suits the visitor. With regard to singling out a particular day or night, this is bidah and there is no basis for this, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (Islam) that is not a part of it will have it rejected. (Saheeh, agreed upon). And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
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Whoever does anything that is not a part of this matter of ours (Islam) will have it rejected. (narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh from Aaishah, may Allaah be pleased with her). Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn AbdAllaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, no. 336
**111. It is sufficient to greet the dead with salaam once when first entering the graveyard
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/12624 Praise be to Allaah. That is sufficient, and that achieves the purpose of visiting the graves. If the graves are far away and one visits them from all directions, that is OK. Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, p. 335. The shaykh (may Allaah have mercy on him) was also asked: When visiting the graves, is it prescribed for the visitor to go to the particular grave that he wants to visit? He (may Allaah have mercy on him) answered: It is sufficient for him (to say salaams) at the first graves he comes to, but if he wants to go to the grave of the person that he wants to visit and say salaams to him, then that is OK. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz
112. What is the ruling on walking in the graveyard wearing shoes?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/106445 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The Sunnah for the one who enters the graveyard is to take off his shoes when he enters, but if the ground is thorny and will hurt him and so on, then there is nothing wrong with keeping his shoes on. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (2/224): He should take off his shoes when he enters the graveyard. This is mustahabb, because of the report narrated by Basheer ibn al-Khasaasiyah who said: Whilst I was walking with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), we saw a man who was walking among the graves, wearing shoes. He said: O you with the two shoes, take them off. The man looked, and when
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he recognized the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) he took them off and threw them aside. Narrated by Abu Dawood. End quote. The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked: Is taking off one's shoes in the graveyard Sunnah or bidah (an innovation)? They replied: It is prescribed for the one who enters the graveyard to take off his shoes, because of the report narrated by Basheer ibn al-Khasaasiyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: and they quoted the hadeeth. Then they said: Ahmad said: The isnaad of the hadeeth of Basheer ibn al-Khasaasiyah is jayyid and I would follow it unless there was a reason not to. And the reason referred to by Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) is things such as thorns or the ground being too hot to walk on and the like, in which case there is nothing wrong with wearing shoes when walking between the graves, so as to avoid harming oneself. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah lil-Ifta (9/123-124). Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Walking between the graves wearing shoes is contrary to the Sunnah, and it is better to take off ones shoes when walking between the graves, except in cases of necessity, such as if there are thorns in the graveyard or it is very hot, or there are pebbles which will hurt one, in which case there is nothing wrong with it, i.e., wearing shoes when walking between the graves. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/202).
113. Ruling on answering the call of nature in a graveyard

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/6050 Praise be to Allaah. Undoubtedly this is a reprehensible and offensive action that violates the sanctity of the dead. The grave of a dead person is like the house of a living person. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) drew attention to the repulsive nature of this action when he said: If I were to walk on live coals or a sword, or repair my shoes using my own feet, this would be better for me than walking on the grave of a Muslim. There is no difference between answering the call of nature in the middle of a graveyard or in the middle of the marketplace. (Ibn Maajah). In al-Zawaaid it says that its isnaad is saheeh, and in Irwa al-Ghaleel (63) it is classed as Saheeh. Or repair my shoes using my own feet this is something that is extremely difficult and if it were possible it would be very painful indeed, but despite all that it is still preferable to walking on the grave of a Muslim. There is no difference between answering the call of nature in the middle of a graveyard or in the middle of the marketplace means that
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both actions are equally repulsive, and whoever does one will not refrain from doing the other. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
114. What is the ruling on a Muslim visiting the graves of kaafirs?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/11890 Praise be to Allaah. It is permissible to visit the graves of those who did not die in Islam in order only to learn a lesson from that. This is because of the report of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) visited the grave of his mother, and he wept and those who were with him wept. Then he said, I asked my Lord for permission to pray for forgiveness for her, and He did not grant me permission to do that, and I asked Him for permission to visit her grave, and He gave me permission. So visit the graves, for they are a reminder of death. (Narrated by Muslim, 3/65; Abu Dawood, 2/72; al-Nasaai, 1/286; also by Ibn Maajah, alHaakim, al-Bayhaqi and Ahmad) Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated: We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on a journey (according to one report, on the campaign of the conquest [of Makkah]), and he camped with us, and we were nearly one thousand on mounts. He prayed two rakahs, then he turned to us weeping. Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) got up and went to him, and said, May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allaah, what is the matter? He said, I asked my Lord to let me pray for forgiveness for my mother, and He did not give me permission, and my eyes filled with tears out of compassion for her in the Fire. I asked my Lord for permission to visit her grave, and He granted me permission. I used to forbid you to visit the graves, but (now) visit them, for visiting them will increase you in good. (Narrated by Ahmad, 5/355-359; Ibn Abi Shaybah, 4/139; also narrated by Ibn Hibbaan and alHaakim. The other addition was narrated by al-Haakim who said, it is saheeh according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs [al-Bukhaari and Muslim], and al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and it is as they said. A briefer version was narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who classed it as saheeh). If a Muslim visits the grave of a kaafir, he does not greet h m with salaams or make duaa for him; rather he should give him the tidings of Hell. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of Sad ibn Abi Waqqaas who said: A Bedouin came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, My father used to uphold the ties of kinship, and so on and so forth - where is he now? He said, In Hell. The Bedouin got upset and said, O Messenger of Allaah, where is your father? He said, Whenever you pass by
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the grave of a kaafir, give him the tidings of Hell. The Bedouin later became a Muslim, and he said, The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave me a difficult commission. Whenever I pass by the grave of a kaafir, I give him the tidings of Hell. (Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Mujam al-Kabeer, 1/191; Ibn al-Sunni in Aml al-Yawm walLaylah, 588; al-Diyaa al-Maqdisi in al-Ahaadeeth al-Mukhtaarah, with a saheeh isnaad. AlHaythami (1/117-118) said: it was narrated by al-Bazzaar and by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, and the men of its isnaad are sound). And Abu Hurayrah narrated in a marfoo hadeeth *i.e., it is attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)+: When you pass by the graves of the people of the jaahilyyah, of our people and your people, give them the news that they are among the people of Hell. (Narrated by Ibn al-Sunni in al-Yawm wal-Laylah with an isnaad which includes Yahyaa ibn Yamaan, who had a bad memory, from Muhammad ibn Umar. I do not know it from Abu Salamah from him, but apparently he is Ibn Amr, who is hasan in narrating hadeeth. And Allaah knows best. Adapted from Mukhtasar Ahkaam al-Janaaiz by al-Albaani
115. I wanted to know if it is wrong to miss someone who has died?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/26170 Praise be to Allaah. We do not think there is anything wrong with missing a person who has died, even though that implies wishing to meet him and be close to him, although one is alive and the other person is dead, and this feeling serves no real purpose. But if we say that we wish we could meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them), and the Taabieen and the scholars, this feeling is the hope of meeting them in Paradise, and the person who wishes that he could meet these great people has to strive hard so that his Lord will be pleased with him and will admit him to Paradise with them, so that his longing will be fulfilled and will come to pass. This is the good result of longing to see the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Sahaabah. This is the way in which the Sahaabah missed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) after he died. For example, Muslim narrated that Anas said: After the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died, Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to Umar, Let us go and visit Umm Ayman as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to visit her. When they came to her, she wept, and they said, Why are you crying? What is with Allaah is better for His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). She said, I am not weeping because I do not know that what is with Allaah is better for His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Rather I am weeping because the
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Revelation from heaven has come to an end. That moved them deeply and they began to weep with her. (Muslim, 2454) But if this missing a deceased friend or relative makes a person feel grief and despair and sometimes distress and makes him object to the will and decree of Allaah, then this should not be allowed and should be denounced and forbidden, because this may lead to the development of bad characteristics which Islam strives to keep its followers away from. The Muslim should be happy and content with the will and decree of Allaah and His rule and law. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
116. Are there any saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of the ransoming of the living and the dead during Ramadaan?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/50699 Praise be to Allaah. After researching the matter, we did not find any ahaadeeth which say such a thing. There are ahaadeeth which say that Allaah ransoms people from the Fire during Ramadaan, and that happens every night. Some of these ahaadeeth are saheeh (sound), some are daeef (weak), and some are mawdoo (fabricated). Among the saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of that are the following: 1 It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When the first night of Ramadaan comes, the devils and mischievous jinn are chained up, and the gates of Hell are closed, and none of its gates are opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and none of its gates are closed. And a caller cries out: O seeker of good, proceed; O seeker of evil, desist. And Allaah has people whom He frees (from the Fire), and that happens every day. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 682; Ibn Maajah, 1642; classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 759. 2 It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: At every breaking of the fast Allaah has people whom He redeems from the Fire, and that happens every night. Narrated by Ahmad, 21698; Ibn Maajah, 1643; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
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The daeef (weak) and mawdoo (fabricated) ahaadeeth that have been narrated on this topic include the following: 1 The report narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When the first night of Ramadaan comes, Allaah looks at His creation, and if Allaah looks at a person He will never punish him. And every day Allaah has one thousand thousand whom He ransoms from the Fire. On the twenty-ninth night Allaah ransoms a number equivalent to the number whom He has already ransomed during the entire month. This is a mawdoo hadeeth. See Daeef al-Targheeb, 591 and al-Silsilah al-Daeefah, 5468. 2 It was narrated from Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: Paradise is scented with incense and adorned throughout the year, in preparation for the beginning of the month of Ramadaan. On the first night of the month of Ramadaan, a wind called al-matheerah comes from beneath the Throne And on each day of the month of Ramadaan at the time of breaking the fast, Allaah has one thousand thousand whom He ransoms from the Fire, all of whom deserved to go to Hell. And on the last day of the month of Ramadaan, Allaah ransoms on that day a number equivalent to all those whom He ransomed from the beginning of the month to the end. This is a mawdoo hadeeth. See Daeef al-Targheeb, 594. 3 It was narrated that al-Hasan said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Every night of Ramadaan Allaah has six hundred thousand whom He ransoms from the Fire. And on the last night Allaah ransoms a number equivalent to those whom He has already ransomed. This is a daeef hadeeth. See Daeef al-Targheeb, 598. Islam Q&A
117. Can I offer udhiyah (sacrifice) on behalf of my deceased parents?.

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/36596 Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The basic principle concerning the udhiyah is that it is prescribed for the living, as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions used to offer the sacrifice on behalf of themselves and their families. With regard to what some of the common folk think, that the sacrifice may be offered on behalf of the dead, there is no basis for that. Udhiyah on behalf of the dead may be of three types:
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1 When it is offered on their behalf as well as on behalf of the living, such as when a man offers a sacrifice on behalf of himself and the members of his family, and intends thereby both those who are alive and those who are dead. This is permissible, and the basis of that is the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered the sacrifice on behalf of himself and the members of his family, some of whom had previously died. 2 Offering the sacrifice on behalf of the dead in fulfillment of their last wishes (wasaaya). This is obligatory except in the case of one who is unable to do it. The basis for this is the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Then whoever changes the bequest after hearing it, the sin shall be on those who make the change. Truly, Allaah is All-Hearer, All-Knower [al-Baqarah 2:181] 3 Offering the sacrifice on behalf of the dead voluntarily and independently of the living such as offering a separate sacrifice on behalf of one's father or mother. This is permissible. The Hanbali fuqaha have stated that the reward for that will reach the deceased and benefit him, by analogy with giving charity on behalf of the dead. But we do not think that singling out the dead for offering a sacrifice on their behalf is part of the Sunnah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer a sacrifice specifically on behalf of any of his deceased loved ones. He did not offer a sacrifice on behalf of his paternal uncle Hamzah even though he was one of his dearest relatives, or on behalf of his children who died during his lifetime, who were three married daughters and three sons who died in infancy, or on behalf of his wife Khadeejah who was one of his most beloved wives. And it is not narrated that any of his companions offered a sacrifice on behalf of any of their deceased loved ones. We also think that what some people do, offering a sacrifice on behalf of a deceased loved one in the first year after his or her death, which they call Udhiyat al-Hufrah (the sacrifice of the grave), and they think that no one else can share the reward of it, is wrong as is offering a voluntary sacrifice on behalf of their deceased loved ones or in accordance with the will, and not offering a sacrifice on behalf of oneself and ones family, which some people do. If they knew that when a man offers a sacrifice paid for with his own money on behalf of himself and his family, that includes all the members of his family, both living and dead, then they would not do this. Risaalat Ahkaam al-Udhiyah wal-Dhakaah.
**118. What is the ruling on eulogizing the dead and holding parties and gatherings for that purpose?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/82357/
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Praise be to Allaah. Eulogizing (ritha) means weeping and mourning for the deceased after his death and praising him, or poetry composed for that purpose. See: Lisaan al-Arab (14/309). It also means expressing anguish when calamity comes. For example, in the hadeeth of Sad ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: But poor Sad ibn Khawlah (died in Makkah); the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was expressing his regret (yarthi) that Sad had died in Makkah. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1296). Al-Haafiz said in al-Fath that the phrase the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was expressing his regret (yarthi) that Sad had died in Makkah was the words of al-Zuhri. See: al-Faaiq (2/36). There are two scholarly views about eulogizing the dead. 1 That there is nothing wrong with eulogies. This is the view of the Hanafis and Shaafais. See: Haashiyat Ibn Aabideen (2/239); Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj (3/17). They quoted as evidence the fact that many of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) did that, as did many of the scholars. See: Sharh al-Minhaaj lil-Jaml (2/215). 2 That eulogies are makrooh. This is the view of the Shaafais. See: Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj (3/17). They quoted as evidence the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade eulogies. It was narrated that Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Awfa (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade eulogies. Narrated by Imam Ahmad (18659) and Ibn Maajah (1592). The narrator of this hadeeth is Ibraaheem al-Hijri who narrated it from Abd-Allaah. Al-Busayri said on him in Misbaah al-Zajaajah: He is daeef jiddan (very weak). He was classed as daeef by Sufyaan ibn Uyaynah, Yahya ibn Maeen, al-Nasaai and others. Al-Bukhaari said of him: he is munkar al-hadeeth, i.e., his hadeeth is to be rejected. Hence al-Albaani classed him as daeef in Daeef Ibn Maajah. It says in al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah (22/98): It says in al-Durr al-Mukhtaar, which is a Hanafi book, that there is nothing wrong with eulogizing the deceased in verse or otherwise, but it is makrooh to go to extremes in praising him, especially at his funeral. Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo, quoting from the author of alTatimmah that it is makrooh to eulogize the deceased by mentioning his forefathers, his attributes and his deeds, and it is better to pray for forgiveness for him. The Hanbalis said that that which stirs up the feelings of loss, whether it comes in the form of exhortation or reciting poetry is a form of niyaahah (wailing for the deceased), i.e. it is forbidden. This was stated by Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen. End quote.
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In al-Furooq (2/174), al-Qaraafi divided eulogizing into four categories, and said: It is not just the matter of allowing eulogies and not regarding as faasiqs (evildoers) the poets who eulogize deceased kings and prominent figures in all cases, even though that view is well known among the people. In fact eulogizing falls into four categories, haraam and a major sin, haraam and a minor sin, permissible, and recommended. The guideline on that which is haraam and a major sin is any words which make people feel that Allaah, may He be exalted, has been unfair in His decree or that expresses discontent with His will, and suggests that the death of this deceased was not a good thing, rather it was a great evil. Making the listeners believe that is haraam and a major sin, whether it is done in prose or poetry, such as if the poet says in his eulogy: There has died one among whose troops was death, one before whom the divine decree felt scared This line of verse includes a rejection of the divine decree in the words one among whose troops was death, which is a veneration of this person who has died. One such as this deceased person should not have resigned from the position of caliph; how could there ever be such a person again in the future? Similarly, the words one before whom the divine decree felt scared suggest that Allaah, may He be exalted, was afraid of him. If this is not blatant kufr then it seems from these words to be very close to it. Hence when Shaykh Izz al-Deen ibn Abd alSalaam was in the gathering in which the sultaan assembled the prominent, Quraan readers and poets to mourn the caliph in Baghdad, and one of the poets recited the line, There has died one among whose troops was death, one before whom the divine decree felt scared, when the Shaykh heard that, he ordered that he be disciplined and imprisoned, and he denounced that in the strongest terms and criticized his eulogy. After his tazeer punishment he remained in prison for a long time, then he asked him to repent after the governors and leaders interceded for him. He told him to compose a qaseedah praising Allaah, as expiation for what his poem had said about condemning the divine decree and suggesting that Allaah, may He be exalted, was afraid of the deceased. The poets often tried to indulge in such critical issues so as to attract attention by coming up with unique ideas. This type is the worst type of eulogy. The guideline on that which is haraam and a minor sin is any prose or poetry that does not go as far as the type mentioned in the first category, but it deprives the family of the deceased of consolation and stirs up their grief to such an extent that they torment themselves and have little patience, and it may lead them to despair, rending their garments and striking their cheeks. This is haraam and is a minor sin. The guideline on that kind of eulogy which is permissible is words that do not include any of the things mentioned in the two previous categories, rather it mentions the religious commitment of the deceased, and states that he has gone on to the reward for his good deeds and will be in the company of the people who are blessed; that there has come to him that which is decreed
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for all people; this is inevitable and it is something that all creatures have in common, a door which they will inevitably enter. This is permissible and is not forbidden. The guideline on the kind of eulogy that is recommended is everything that falls into the permissible category and will increase the family of the deceased in patience and encourage them to seek reward, and remind them to seek reward for their loss for the sake of Allaah and rely on Allaahs care, etc. This is recommended and enjoined. An example of this is what was narrated from al-Abbaas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (may Allaah be pleased with him), when he died and his son Abd-Allaah found it too difficult to bear. A Bedouin came from the desert and asked after Abd-Allaah ibn Abbaas. When he entered upon him he said: Be patient, we are being patient for your sake, for the people will be patient when their leader is patient. The reward that comes after is better than al-Abbaas and Allaah is better for al-Abbaas than you. When Abd-Allaah ibn al-Abbaas heard this eulogy and understood his poetry, he felt relieved. These words were the best kind of eulogy, that lessened the impact of the calamity, took away grief, and expressed a positive attitude towards the divine decree, praising the Lord in the best of ways. This is a good thing. Based on the four categories described above, we may categorize eulogies accordingly. And Allaah knows best. End quote. It says in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: If it is said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade eulogizing as was narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah, and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, if he forbade it than how could he have done it? i.e., in the hadeeth of Sad ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) quoted above. The answer is that the kind of eulogizing that is forbidden is that which praises the deceased and mentions his good qualities, so as to stir up grief and renew the sorrow, or which is done in gatherings convened for that purpose, or when the eulogy is limited to that without mentioning anything else. What is meant in this hadeeth is the Prophets expression of sorrow for Sad because he died in Makkah after having migrated from it, not praising the deceased and stirring up grief. This was stated by al-Qastallaani. End quote. See: Fath al-Baari (3/164-165) Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked: Do the qaseedahs which eulogize the dead come under the heading of death announcements that are forbidden? He replied: The qaseedahs that eulogize the dead do not come under the heading of death announcements that are forbidden, but it is not permissible for anyone to go to extremes in speaking of anyone or describe him in false terms, as is the habit of many poets. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Baaz.
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Based on this, holding gatherings to eulogize the deceased is forbidden, especially if that is accompanied by stirring up grief or expressing discontent with the divine decree, or describing the deceased in false terms that were not true, and other haraam things. As for simply listing the good qualities of the deceased and expressing ones sorrow at his passing, there is nothing wrong with that so long as it is free of the haraam things mentioned above, etc. Islam Q&A
**119. Ruling on reciting Quraan for another person, living or dead

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/20996 Detailed Question: I have a mother who cannot read and I want to honour her. I often read Quraan and dedicate the reward for that to her. When I heard that this is not permissible, I stopped doing it and I started to give money in charity on her behalf. Now she is still alive; will the reward for money or other things given in charity reach her whether she is alive or dead, or will only duaa reach her because that is the only thing mentioned in the hadeeth, When a person dies all his deeds come to an end except three: a righteous son who will pray [make duaa] for him? If a person makes a lot of duaa for his parents during salaah and at other times, standing and sitting, does this hadeeth mean that he is righteous and can hope for reward from Allaah? Praise be to Allaah. With regard to reading Quraan, there is some difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether the reward from that will reach the deceased. According to the more correct of the two opinions, it does not reach them, because there is no evidence to that effect, and because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do that for the Muslims who died, such as his daughters who died during his lifetime, neither did the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them all) did not do that either, as far as we know. So it is better for the believer not to do that and not to read Quraan for either the dead or the living, or to offer salaah or fast voluntarily on their behalf, because there is no evidence for any of these things. The basic principle regarding acts of worship is to refrain from everything except that which is proven to be enjoined by Allaah or by His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). With regard to charity, this may benefit both the living and the dead, according to the consensus of the Muslims. Similarly, duaa may benefit both the living and the dead according to the consensus of the Muslims. But the hadeeth mentions that which has to do with the dead, because this is the point concerning which people are confused. Does it benefit them or not? Hence this hadeeth was narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
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be upon him): When the son of Adam dies, all his deeds come to an end, except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge or a righteous son who will pray for him. Because it is known that death puts a stop to all deeds, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained that these [three deeds] do not stop. With regard to the living, there is no doubt that he will benefit from charity given by himself or by others, and he will benefit from duaa. If a person makes duaa for his parents whilst they are still alive, they will benefit from his duaa. They will also benefit from charity given on their behalf whilst they are still alive. The same applies to making Hajj on their behalf if they are unable to go themselves because of old age or incurable sickness. This will also benefit them. Hence it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that a woman said to him, O Messenger of Allaah, the obligation to perform Hajj has come when my father is an old man and is unable to ride. Can I perform Hajj on his behalf? He said, Perform Hajj on his behalf. Another man came and said, O Messenger of Allaah, my father is an old man and he cannot perform Hajj or travel. Can I perform Hajj or Umrah on his behalf? He said, Perform Hajj and Umrah on behalf of your father. This indicates that it is permissible to perform Hajj on behalf of the dead or on behalf of one who is living but is unable to do it because he or she is too old. Charity, duaa and Hajj or Umrah on behalf of the dead or one who is incapable will all benefit the person, according to all the scholars. Similarly, it is obligatory to fast on behalf of the deceased if he had missed any obligatory fasts, whether they were fasts in fulfillment of a vow, or as an expiation, or any missed fasts of Ramadaan, because of the general meaning of the hadeeth, Whoever dies and was obliged to fast, let his next of kin fast on his behalf. (Saheeh agreed upon). And there are other similar ahaadeeth. But whoever delayed the fast of Ramadaan for a valid excuse such as sickness or traveling, then he dies before he could make up the missed fasts, it is not obligatory to make up the fasts or to feed poor people on his behalf, because he had a valid excuse. You are doing well, in sha Allaah, by honouring your mother by giving in charity on her behalf and making duaa for her. Especially if the son is righteous, this makes the duaa more likely to be answered. Hence the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: or a righteous son who will pray for him, because the righteous son is more likely to have his duaa answered than a son who is not righteous, even though everyone is required to make duaa for his parents. But if the son is righteous then his duaa for his parents is more likely to be answered. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-Allaamah Abd alAzeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaha have mercy on him), vol 4, p. 348
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120. Is a child obliged to pay off his parents debt?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/43085 Detailed Question: My mom do not pray. From what i know, she is considered a kafir. Since i was young, she has the habit of borrowing money and not returning. She will promise to return when borrowing but will not do so. She does not take her fasting or prayers at all. Since this is the case, am i suppose to return her debts if she happans to die? From young i have been telling her the importance of islam and to return the money. But, she does not listen. From what i know the amount is too much to be paid back also as it riba was involved. She will rather go on holiday then pay back the money! The people she borrowed from are mostly kafirs also. I do not think i can afford it at all. Please tell me what to do. Alhamdulillah, under the help of Allah, i have been guided. My mom does not pray, pay zakat, does not fast, or does she wears the proper hijab. Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: You should give thanks to Allaah for blessing you with guidance. This is a blessing which many miss out on, and you can see that the closest of people to you is missing out on it. Giving thanks increases the blessing, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allaah), I will give you more (of My Blessings) [Ibraaheem 14:7] You should do your utmost to save your mother from the Fire, by calling her in the way that is best to the path that is straight. Always remind her of the Hereafter and the meeting with Allaah, exhort her and warn her, that Allaah may set her affairs straight. You should strive to do that without feeling despair or giving up. Look for people who can influence her heart and mind among her siblings, friends and neighbours. May Allaah guide them to the straight path. Secondly: You are not obliged to pay off her debts even if she is Muslim either during her lifetime or after she dies, unless she has left money behind, in which case you must pay off her debts from her money (the estate) because that has to do with peoples rights to the money. If there is enough money to pay off the debts, all well and good, otherwise none of them has the right to ask you to pay off the debt, because the debt was owed by your mother, not by you, and you have nothing to do with it. But if she dies as a Muslim, then it is recommended for you to pay off her debts as a way of honouring her, but it is not obligatory. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The heirs are not obliged to pay off the debts of the deceased, rather it should be paid from his estate.
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Minhaaj al-Sunnah, 5/232 You should warn people against giving her money, because that is a way of offering sincere advice to them and protecting their wealth, and because it will reduce worldly obligations and punishment in the Hereafter for your mother, which would result from her taking peoples money and not returning it. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
121. Ruling on offering condolences and thanking people for condolences in newspapers and magazines
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/13988 Praise be to Allaah. Yes what I think is that this comes under the heading of the kind of death announcements that are forbidden; even if it does not, it is still extravagance and a waste of money. Condolences are not like congratulations which people may be keen to offer whether the one who has been bereaved is sad or not. What is meant by offering condolences is that if you see a person who has been bereaved and his sorrow is plainly visible, you try to give him moral support and help him to bear that loss. This is the point of offering condolences. It is not something you do as a mere act of courtesy. If the people understood the purpose of offering condolences they would not go to the extreme of publishing them in the newspapers or gathering for that purpose or receiving people and offering them food, etc. Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-Uthaymeen 70 Suaalan fi Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 53.
122. Opening the grave and scattering seeds in it

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/13991 Detailed Question: If someone dies here in Sudan, after forty days the family, including the women and children, goes to visit the grave, and opens the grave. They have seeds of corn with them which they scatter over the deceased, and I think they throw stones on the deceased. Can women visit graves? Praise be to Allaah. This is an innovation (bidah) for which there is no basis in shareeah. Throwing seeds, perfume and clothes into the grave are all reprehensible actions for which there is no basis. The grave should not be opened unless there is a good reason for doing so, such as the workers forgetting
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their tools like shovels, so it may be opened for that reason, or if one of them has dropped something important, so the grave may be opened to retrieve it. But opening it to scatter seeds or clothes and the like is not permitted. Women should not visit graves, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed women who visit graves. That was narrated from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Abbaas and Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased with them). So it is not permissible for them to visit graves, but that is prescribed for men, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Visit the graves, for they remind you of the Hereafter. (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh). The reason why women are forbidden to visit graves and Allaah knows best is that they are a temptation (fitnah) and they have little patience. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah lil-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/372.
123. Ruling on excavating graves

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22748 Detailed Question: In 1934, the graves of two companions Hudhaifa al-Yamani and Jabir b. Abdullah al-Ansari were dug in Iraq and were transfered to another place. I have read a long story about them coming in the king's dream and that their face was perfectly ok when they took them out after 1300 years! Is it true? Even if its true, is it permissible to dig the graves for this purpose?. Praise be to Allaah. I do not know whether this story is true or not. With regard to the second part of the question, is it permissible to excavate graves? We say that the basic principle is that it is not permissible, because of the hadeeth of Aaishah who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Breaking the bone of a dead person is like breaking his bone when he is alive. (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3207). This indicates that the dead person has a kind of sanctity, and the Muslim has sanctity whether he is alive or dead. If that is the case, then it is not permissible (to excavate graves) unless that is for an obvious reason. Issues of this kind should be referred to a shari judge who can decide whether there is such any interest to be served by doing this. Shaykh Khaalid ibn Ali al-Mushayqih.
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124. What is the ruling on making food during the period of mourning? What is the ruling on guests of the household eating the food that has been brought to them?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/13307 Praise be to Allaah. It is better for neighbours and relatives to make food in their own houses then bring it to the household (of the deceased), because it was narrated that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard that his cousin Jafar ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) had died in the Battle of Mutah, he told his family to make food for the family of Jafar, and said, Because there has come to them that which will preoccupy them. But it is not permitted for the family to make food for people because for the sake of the deceased. This is one of the actions of the Jaahiliyyah, whether it is done on the day of the death, or on the fourth or tenth day after the death, or at the new year. All of that is not permitted, because it was narrated that Jareer ibn Abd-Allaah al-Bajali (may Allaah be pleased with him) one of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, We used to count gathering with the family of the deceased and making food for them after the burial to be a kind of wailing (niyaahah). But if guests come to the family of the deceased during the mourning period, there is nothing wrong with them making food for them for the sake of hospitality, and there is nothing wrong with the household inviting whoever they want of their neighbours and relatives to eat with them from the food that has been given to them. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-Allaamah Abd alAzeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 9, p. 325
125. Ruling on giving clothing or money to the family of the deceased instead of giving them food
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/105372 Praise be to Allaah. Giving clothing or money to the family of the deceased does not take the place of making food for them, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said at the end of the hadeeth: for there has befallen them that which is distracting them. This clearly shows that he only told people to make food for the family of the deceased because they have been distracted by their calamity from making food for themselves. But doing acts of kindness by giving clothing or money to those who need it among the family of the deceased is good in and
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of itself, and this encouraged by Islam in general terms when there is a need for that for the family of the deceased or anyone else. The one who does that to relieve distress or hardship has done good. And Allaah is the source of strength and may Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah lil-Ifta (9/94).
126. Is it permissible for a scholar to attend condolence gatherings to encourage the family of the deceased to be patient, remind them of the transience of this world, explain to them the benefits of patience, and console them so that the condolence gathering will become like one of the gardens of Paradise?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/82183 Praise be to Allaah. It is not Sunnah to attend condolence gatherings and exhort the family of the deceased so that others present can hear it too. Rather, gathering to offer condolences is makrooh as has been stated by many of the scholars. Some of them have even stated that it is bidah. Hence we encourage our Muslim brothers not to do that, i.e., not to sit and receive peoples condolences. Firstly because that was not the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or of the Sahaabah. Secondly because it is as if this person who is sitting at home and expecting people to come to him, is saying, O people, I have been stricken with a calamity so come and console me, and this is something that is not befitting for a wise man. Rather the one who has been stricken with a calamity should be patient and bear it without telling people, either implicitly or explicitly, come and console me. Thirdly Some people may go to extremes with regard to these gatherings, so that they become like wedding parties. You pass some through some neighbourhoods and see a house lit up with electric lights with the doors open, and chairs and canopies set out, and people coming and going, as if they are at a wedding party. Undoubtedly this is not Sunnah, rather it is definitely contrary to the Sunnah, and it makes people try to console themselves with these activities and not by hoping for reward or bearing it with patience, because this is no more than physical activities. Rather the house should remain as it was and the people should remain as they were, and they should bear it with patience amongst themselves and encourage one
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another to be patient. This is the Sunnah. Hence when news of the death of Jafar ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) came, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Make food for the family of Jafar, for there has come to them something that is distracting them. He did not say: go to them, gather with them and eat with them, rather he said: Make food for the family of Jafar, for there has come to them something that is distracting them, i.e., from making food. Because no matter how much faith people have, they will still be upset, especially if the calamity is great. But if the people gather and food is offered and send to them, or they make it themselves, in this case the Sahaabah regarded making food and people gathering to eat it as a kind of niyaahah (wailing for the deceased). Hence we say to our brothers: Be kind to yourselves and do not burden yourselves with these actions which will only increase you in bidah which was not known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or at the time of his companions. We say these words, and we say to the one who hears them: If you know of anything from the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that supports this, then tell us, and we will appreciate that and follow it. But if you do not have any proof, then why are you introducing something that was not done by the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions? Have you not heard that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the way of the RightlyGuided Caliphs who come after me. Adhere to it and cling firmly to it, and beware of newlyinvented matters. So we say: do not invite a scholar to attend the gathering of the family of the deceased to preach to them, rather if we see that someone is taking his grief to extremes, we should go to him, along with a family member or a seeker of knowledge who is known to him, to speak to him and say some regular words such as: Fear Allaah, be patient, seek reward, to Allaah belongs that which He has taken and to Him belongs that which He has left, everything has an appointed time with Him, this is something that was decreed fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth, that which is decreed will inevitably come to pass; the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: You should realize that that which has befallen you could never have missed you, and that which has missed you could never have befallen you; your grieving and weeping so much will not change anything, rather it only makes things worse; do you not know that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The deceased suffers because of his familys weeping for him. An ordinary person should come in an ordinary manner and talk to this one who has been overwhelmed by calamity and make it easier for him. But gathering and bringing a preacher to exhort the people etc is all innovation. End quote. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen. Fataawa Noor alal-Darb.
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**127. Is setting a date to meet and read the entire Quraan for a deceased person and to pray for him, and doing this every year a bidah.?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/1514 .Praise be to Allaah There is no indication in either the Quraan or the Sunnah that would prescribe the actions described in the question. Based on this fact, these actions are bidah (a reprehensible innovation) which is not permitted; we should avoid it and warn others not to do it. The Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) used to say in his khutbahs & Peace( Messenger of Allaah truest of speech is the Book of Allaah, the best guidance is that of Muhammad (sermons): "The things are those which are newly invented. Every newly-invented thing is a and the worst of is a going astray, and every going astray will end in the Fire of Hell." bidah, every bidah Allaah have mercy on him, in al-Sunan, Kitaab salaat al-eidayn, no. (Reported by al-Nisaai, may .)1560 It is permissible to pray for the deceased, without arranging a formal gathering, and without loves setting a specific date for doing so. We ask Allaah to help us and you to do that which He .and which will please Him. Allaah knows best Islam Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
**128. Rulings on the mourning of a woman whose husband has died

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/2628 Detailed Question: What are the regulations concerning the idda of a widow? I have been told that she cannot leave her husband's house at all during the 4 months and 10 days, but other say she must only be careful to leave only for true needs and must never sleep away from her husband's house during this time. I have also been told that she cannot wash or comb her hair. The latter especially seems contrary to Islam regarding cleanliness. A detailed response would be greatly appreciated. Jazakum Allahu khayran Praise be to Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And those of you who die and leave wives behind them, they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four months and ten days, then when they have fulfilled their term, there is
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no sin on you if they (the wives) dispose of themselves in a just and honourable manner (i.e., they can marry). And Allaah is Well-Acquainted with what you do. *al-Baqarah 2:234] And those of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath for their wives a years maintenance and residence without turning them out, but if they (wives) leave, there is no sin on you for that which they do of themselves, provided it is honourable (e.g., lawful marriage). And Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. [al-Baqarah 2:240] Umm Atiyah reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: No woman should mourn for a dead person for more than three days, except for a husband, (in which case the period of mourning is) four months and ten days. She should not wear any coloured clothes, only simple dress. She should not apply kohl to her eyes, or use perfume, except for a little qust or izfaar (types of perfume), when she cleans herself after finishing her period. (Reported by Muslim, 2739). Umm Habeebah bint Abi Sufyaan reported that when the news of her fathers death reached her, she called for some perfume and wiped it on her forearms, and said: I do not need it, but I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: It is not permitted for a woman who believes in Allaah and the Last Day to mourn for any dead person for more than three days, except for a husband, (in which case the period of mourning is) four months and ten days. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4926). Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The woman whose husband has (recently) died should not wear clothes dyed with safflower or torn clothes, or dye her hair, or use kohl. (Reported by al-Nisaai, 3479, and others). Zaynab bint Kab ibn Ujrah reported that al-Furayah bint Maalik ibn Sinaan, the sister of Abu Saeed al-Khudri, told her that she came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked him whether she should go back to her people among Banu Khudrah. Her husband had gone out in pursuit of some rebellious slaves of his, and when he caught up with them at the edge of al-Qadoom, they killed him. She said: I asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whether I should go back to my family, because my husband had not left me a place to live that belonged to him, or any money for provisions. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said yes, so I started to leave, and I had reached the hujurah (room) or the mosque, when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called me or told someone to call me. So I came back, and he asked me, What did you say? I repeated the story I had told him about my husband. He said: Stay in your house for the specified length of time. So I spent my iddah there, four months and ten days. At the time of Uthmaan, he sent word to me asking about this, so I told him, and he followed what I said and judged in accordance with it. Muhammad ibn Bashshaar told us that Yahyaa ibn Saeed informed us that Sad ibn Ishaaq ibn
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Kab ibn Ujrah informed us of something similar. Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said: This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. The majority of scholars among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and others followed this hadeeth and did not allow a widow to move out of her husbands home until her iddah was over. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 1125). On the basis of the texts quoted above, the scholars have defined the rules governing widows and described how the widows mourning should affect her life. These rules may be summed up as follows: It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to use perfume, whether on her body or on her clothes It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to adorn herself with things like henna or facial make-up, or to use kohl unnecessarily, or to use anything else that may make her beautiful and attractive to others. It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to wear attractive clothes, such as clothes dyed with safflower or saffron, or other types of red dyes and colours that are used for adornment. It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to wear jewellery. It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to spend the night outside her own home, meaning the home of her deceased husband, except for some Islamically legitimate reason, such as her being afraid for her own safety, or being evicted by the landlord of rented premises, etc. If a recently-widowed woman needs to go out for medical treatment, to attend legal proceedings in court, to take exams in school, or to go shopping when she has no-one who can do this for her, then she should do these things during the day, so long as she comes back home to her husbands house before maghrib (sunset). She is forbidden to marry or draw up a marriage contract; even engagement is forbidden, unless it is merely hinted at and not stated clearly. From the above, it is clear that Islam gives the husband immense rights. The wife should give up wearing adornments and perfume, and should stay in her husbands home during this period because of those rights. These rules also pay attention to her psychological state at this time when she has lost her support. Even though these rules are so clear, many people have still fallen prey to many different kinds of bidah when it comes to mourning, so they forbid a woman to do things that are not forbidden in Islam, and they fabricate lies and introduce bidah into the religion of Allaah. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz said: Some people may think and imagine that a recently widowed woman should not speak to anyone, or speak to anyone on the telephone, or have a bath more than once a week, or walk barefoot in her house, or go outside in the moonlight, or other such nonsense which has no basis. But in fact she is allowed to walk barefoot or with shoes in her house, to do whatever she needs to in her house, to cook food for herself and her guests, to walk in the moonlight on the roof or in the garden of her house, to take a bath whenever she wants, to speak to whomever she wants so long as it is decent talk, to shake hands with other women and with her mahram
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relatives (close relatives such as father, brother, etc.) but not with non-mahrams, and to remove her headcovering so long as there are no non-mahrams present. She should not use henna, saffron or perfume, and she is not allowed to get engaged a hint is permissible but not a clear statement. And Allaah is the source of strength. (Fataawaa Islamiyah, 3/316) Shaykh Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen said: Wearing black to mourn the deceased is a form of bidah, and the wives of the deceased only need to avoid fancy clothes, adornment, jewellery, makeup and perfume during the mourning period. Neglecting regular work during the mourning period is also a form of bidah. The recently widowed woman should still take care of cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, laundry, etc., and there is no sin invloved in doing so. And Allaah knows best. (al-Lulu al-Makeen, 39). Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen said: Wearing special clothes to accept condolences is a form of bidah, in our opinion, because it could indicate that one is discontent with the decree of Allaah, may He be glorified. (Fataawaa al-Taziyah, 38). He also said: Wearing black as a sign of mourning is a false symbol that has no basis. At times of bereavement a person should do what is taught by Islam, which is to say: Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raajioon. Allaahummajurni fi museebati wakhluf li khayran minhaa (To Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allah, recompense me for my affliction and replace it for me with something better). As regards wearing some special clothing, such as wearing black and so on, this has no basis, and it is false and reprehensible conduct. (Fataawa Islamiyah, 3/313). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
**129. What is the ruling on what many people do nowadays: if a family member dies the family gathers in his house and people come to offer them condolences?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/14396 Detailed Question: What is the ruling on what many people do nowadays: if a family member dies the family gathers in his house and people come to offer them condolences, or that may be done in a large hall that is prepared for such occasions, or they may set up large tents for that? Praise be to Allaah.
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The custom of people staying in the house to receive condolences was not known at the time of the righteous salaf, hence some of the scholars have stated that it is an innovation (bidah). It says in al-Iqnaa wa Sharhahu: It is makrooh to sit and wait for condolences, i.e., when the bereaved sits in a place to receive condolences. When discussing the ruling on making food for the family of the deceased he said: That should be intended for the family of the deceased, not for those who gather at their house. That is makrooh because it is helping to do something that is makrooh, namely gathering at the house of the bereaved family. Al-Marwazi narrated from Ahmad that this was one of the actions of the Jaahiliyyah, and he denounced it strictly. Then he mentioned the hadeeth of Jareer ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: We used to regard gathering with the family of the deceased and making food after the burial as (equivalent to) wailing for the deceased. Al-Nawawi said in Sharh al-Muhadhdhab: With regard to sitting for condolences, al-Shaafai, al-Musannaf and all our companions stated that it is makrooh. This was quoted by Abu Haamid in al-Taleeq and by others from the text of alShaafai. They said: That means when the family of the deceased gather in a house and those who want to offer condolences come to them. They said: Rather they should go about their business and whoever happens to meet them should offer condolences to them. Moreover, if the family of the deceased open the door for people to come and offer their condolences, it is as if they are saying to the people: We have been bereaved so come and offer us condolences. Placing an announcement in the newspaper, stating the place where condolences are to be offered is the same as verbally inviting everyone to come and offer condolences. 70 Suaalan fi Ahkaam al-Janaaiz, p. 53. Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-Uthaymeen.
**130. What is the origin of the forty-day anniversary? Is there any evidence that eulogizing is acceptable in Islam?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/12552 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: the origin of this is a Pharaonic custom which was practised by the Pharaohs before Islam, then it spread from them to other nations. It is a reprehensible innovation (bidah) which has no basis in Islam, and it is be rejected as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (Islam) which is not a part of it, will have it rejected. (Saheeh agreed upon). Secondly: commemorating and eulogizing the dead in the manner that is done nowadays, when people gather for that purpose and exaggerate in praising the deceased is not permitted. It was narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah, and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, that Abd-Allaah ibn
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Abi Awfaa said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade eulogizing. (And it is not permitted) because mentioning the attributes of the deceased usually involves boasting and provokes sorrow and grief. But simply speaking well of him when he is mentioned or when his funeral passes by, or mentioning his good deeds and so on, in a manner similar to the way in which the Sahaabah eulogized those who were killed at Uhud and others, is permissible. It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: A funeral passed by and they spoke well of the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, He deserved it. Then another funeral passed by and they spoke ill of the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, He deserved it. Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, What did they deserve? He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, The first one you spoke well of, and he deserved Paradise, and the second one you spoke ill of, and he deserved Hell. You are the witnesses of Allaah on earth. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh ibn Baaz , vol. 13, p.398.
**131. In the indo Pak bangladesh subcontinent, there is something in the culture where if any Muslim dies then after 40 days we observe a day of supplication and rememberance of that person so I would like to know the islamic ruling on these kind of observences?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/5871 Praise be to Allaah. What happens in some Muslim countries where the friends and relatives of the deceased gather after 40 days to read Quraan, make duaa for him and remember him is undoubtedly bidah (reprehensible innovation) for which no authority has been revealed by Allaah. It is not permissible to take part in or attend such gatherings. We have to speak out against such practices. The Muslim should pray for his brother at all times, not only for three days after his death, or forty days or one year later, etc. It should be known that this is a custom of the Kuffaar and it is not permissible for us to imitate them. May Allaah help us to follow the Sunnah, and may He bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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**132. Gathering in the house of the deceased and offering a collective duaa for him
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/9965 Detailed Question: When some one dies...families go round to the deceased houses and sit with there families and make a collective dua..is this permissable? and in the masjid they hold a 'khutam'...is this allowed? Praise be to Allaah. Among the fatwas issued by the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas is the following: We do not know of any evidence (daleel) from either the Quraan or Sunnah to indicate that it is prescribed to recite any soorah of the Quraan in any place, or in the house of the deceased. We do not know of anyone among the Sahaabah or Taabieen or Taabiee al-Taabieen *i.e., the first three generations of Islam] from whom it is reported that he did that. The basic principle is that this is not allowed, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever does any action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours *i.e., Islam+, will have it rejected. (Narrated by Muslim, al-Aqdiyah, 3243). With regard to gathering and making duaa for him, duaa is an act of worship, and acts of worship are based on the principle of tawqeef [i.e., to be based solely on the saheeh texts, with no room for adding or taking away anything]. It is not reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made duaa with his companions for any deceased person after he had completed the (funeral) prayer. It was reported that he used to stand by the grave after the ground had been levelled over its occupant and say, Pray for forgiveness for your brother, for he is being questioned now. From the above we know that the correct thing is not to offer a collective duaa after offering the funeral prayer, and that this is bidah. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/16 So pray for your deceased each one of you individually. It is OK to make duaa for him during salaah and at other times, at the times when duaas are answered, such as the last third of the night, the last hour of Asr, Fridays, between the adhaan and iqaamah, etc. You should be sincere in your duaa. When the duaa is only between you and Allaah, you will feel more khushoo and will feel more sincere than when you make duaa simply to please others, as when people recite duaa collectively to please the family of the deceased. May Allaah help us and you to do all that is good. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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133. Munkar (denounced) actions during mourning ceremonies

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/1333/ Detailed Question: We would like to ask you to explain to us whether what we do during mourning ceremonies or obsequies is correct according to shareeah. We do the following: We recite Soorat al-Faatihah over the grave of the deceased. The offering of condolences may last for three days or more, and we eat and drink during the mourning ceremonies. Twenty-five riyaals are collected from each person and the money is given to the family of the deceased. We slaughter a sheep or similar animal three days after the death. We gather pebbles whilst saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah out loud, and put them on the grave of the deceased. The women raise their voices, weeping and wailing, and they strike their cheeks and eulogize the deceased. The women wear clothes of coarse black cloth as a sign of mourning. The women do not do any kind of work during their iddah period, such as preparing food or doing any other kind of work that is usually done by women. Praise be to Allaah. There are jaahili customs, or reprehensible innovations, and you have to give them up and explain to others that they are wrong. With regard to reciting Quraan over the grave of the deceased, this is not permissible, and none of the Salaf did this. If it were good to do this, they would have done it before us. It has been reported that Soorat Yaa-Seen should be recited for the person who is dying, before his soul departs, but after he has died and when he is being buried and after the burial, there is nothing that should be recited, and one should not tell him to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah and so on. Offering condolences is Sunnah, but it need not be during the mourning ceremonies. Condolences may be offered to the family of the deceased in all places. There is nothing wrong with all the relatives of the deceased gathering together in one place so that people may come and offer their condolences, but they should gather for the purpose of food. Food should be prepared only for the immediate family of the deceased; it is makrooh for them to offer food to others. There is no need to gather this money from everyone, unless the family are poor, in which case they may be given zakaat funds.
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It is not permissible to slaughter this sheep, whether it is from the wealth of the deceased or from someone else. But if food is prepared for the family of the deceased, from one or more animals, there is nothing wrong with this. Collecting these pebbles, and making dhikr whilst doing so, and putting them on the grave this is a reprehensible innovation (bidah) which must be given up and denounced. Raising ones voice in wailing and lamenting, striking the cheeks and eulogizing the deceased are all bidah and actions of the jaahiliyyah. It was reported in a hadeeth: He is not one of us who strikes his cheeks, rends his garments and calls with the call of the jaahiliyyah. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1294, Fath 3/163; Muslim, 103; Ahmad, 1/244). Wearing black as a sign of mourning for the deceased is bidah; but the wives of the deceased should avoid wearing fancy or adorned clothes, jewellery, makeup and perfume during their period of mourning. It is bidah for women to avoid their usual work and activities; the newly-widowed woman can still prepare food, clean the house, wash the dishes, do laundry, etc. There is nothing wrong with her doing that. And Allaah knows best. Al-Lulu al-Makeen min Fataawa al-Shaykh al-Allaamah Abd-Allaah ibn Abd al-Rahmaan alJibreen, p. 37
**134. Rulings on organizing a gathering to remember the deceased

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/97389 Detailed Question: We have an association for sponsoring orphans. This association mediates between the charitable people and the families of the orphans. The manager of this association has passed away two months ago, may Allah have mercy on him. He was such a great model of sacrifice and loyalty. He was always doing his best to delight and please the families of the orphans. The brothers working here thought of making a meeting to remember him. It is not a commemoration. We decided to make this meeting about his role in the charitable work, and to give his family a certificate of achievement for the efforts the deceased exerted. The meeting includes a word about the activities and achievements of the association. The question: Is it permissible to organize such a meeting?. Praise be to Allaah. Organizing lectures, seminars and meetings to talk about deceased scholars and righteous people or those who did good is permissible and there is nothing wrong with it. But the following conditions should be adhered to:
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1 The purpose should be to encourage people to do good and to express thanks to his family and try to benefit from the bright side of the life of the deceased, and to tell people about him so as to encourage them to follow his example. The aim should not be to stir up grief and sorrow, or remember calamities and pain, or make tears fall and hearts break. Such things have no place in Islam; rather they are contrary to what is enjoined of patience in the face of calamity and acceptance of the will of Allaah. 2 This gathering should not be made into an eid that is repeated every year, because the Muslims have no eid apart from Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha only, and it is not permissible to introduce any eid on any other occasion apart from those that are mentioned in shareeah. 3 Only the truth should be spoken, without exaggerating or boasting. If the deceased was a righteous, knowledgeable and good man, mention may be made of what he did for his ummah and his religion, and that should only be mentioned for the sake of Allaah and so as to encourage people to do good, not to try to attain some position or to show tribal loyalty to a group or party. But if he was a sinner who followed whims and desires or he was one of those who mix good deeds with bad, it is not permissible to deceive the ummah by means of such people and it is not permissible to tell lies by praising them for things that are not true. What we should do is leave their case to Allaah. 4 These meetings should not be accompanied by any reprehensible actions such as customs of mourning or hanging up pictures or using musical instruments. It is also not permissible to connect such meetings to certain nights such as one week or forty days after the persons death, and other such myths that are widespread among the common folk. It says in al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (2/18): Ibn Abd al-Salaam said: some kinds of mourning are haraam, such as wailing, because that implies objecting to the divine decree. But if the qualities of a pious scholar or righteous man are mentioned so as to encourage others to follow the same path and think well of him, in that case it is more akin to obedience and exhortation, because of the goodness that may result from it. Hence many of the Sahaabah and scholars did that throughout the ages and were not denounced for it. End quote. It says in the commentary by Ibn al-Shaat on al-Furooq by al-Qarraafi (2?180-182): In fact mourning and eulogizing fall into four categories: haraam and a major sin, haraam and a minor sin, permissible and mandoob (recommended). The guideline on what is haraam and a major sin with regard to eulogizing and commemorating the dead: Any statement which suggests that Allaah has been unfair in His will and decree, such as when they exaggerate in listing the virtues and good qualities and deeds of the deceased which have come to an end with his death, which means that his death was a terrible thing and that it would have been better if he had carried on living. The guidelines on what is haraam and a minor sin:
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Words that stir up grief and lead to discontent and lack of patience, and may lead to striking ones cheeks or rending ones garment. The guidelines on what is permissible with regard to mourning and eulogizing: Words that do no more than mention the religious commitment of the deceased and that he has moved on to the realm of recompense, and that all people will meet the same fate. The guidelines on that which is recommended with regard to mourning and eulogizing: Words which enjoin and encourage the family of the deceased to be patient. End quote. The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: What is the origin of the forty-day commemoration? Is there any evidence that it is prescribed to commemorate the deceased? (They replied:) Firstly: its origin lies in Pharaonic customs, which were known to the Pharaohs before Islam, then they spread to other people. It is a reprehensible innovation that has no basis in Islam, and it is refuted by the proven words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it will have it rejected. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2550). Secondly: Commemorating and eulogizing the deceased in the manner that is known nowadays, where people gather for that purpose and go to extremes in praising him, is not permissible, because of the report which was narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Majaah, and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, from Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Awfa who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade eulogizing. And because mentioning the attributes of the deceased is usually boasting, and renews the anguish and stirs up grief. As for simply praising him when he is mentioned or when his funeral passes by, or by telling others of his good deeds and so on, which is akin to the way in which some of the Sahaabah eulogized the slain at Uhud and others, that is permissible, because of the report narrated by Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: A funeral passed by and they spoke well of him, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: It is guaranteed. Then another passed by and they spoke ill of him, and he said: It is guaranteed. Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: What is guaranteed? He said: The one of whom you spoke well, Paradise is guaranteed for him, and the one of whom you spoke ill, Hell is guaranteed for him. You are the witnesses of Allaah on earth. Agreed upon. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah (9/154-155) Some contemporary scholars regard it as mustahabb for such meetings to be organized a long time after the death, so that the grief will not be renewed. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen was asked: In some mosques they give speeches in which they recount the good qualities of the deceased and his good legacy, such as a scholar or a daaiyah. What is the ruling on this action?
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Answer: I think that this should not be done, because if it is too close to the death of the scholar or daaiyah it is regarded as a kind of eulogizing or mourning, and the people are moved to tears by it. But if it is after a long time and after the calamity has been forgotten, and his qualities and legacy are mentioned as a biography, there is nothing wrong with that, because all of the scholars are written about and their qualities and legacy recounted. But as for that which is aimed at stirring up grief and sorrow at the loss of this man, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade wailing and this is a kind of wailing. End quote. Liqaaaat al-Baab il-Maftooh (no. 207, question no. 15). To sum up: There is nothing wrong with you organizing a memorial meeting to speak of the head of the association, so long as you adhere to the conditions mentioned above. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
135. Offering condolences to the family of a sinner

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/12530 Detailed Question: Sometimes a person dies by committing suicide; or a person drinks intoxicants in such great amounts that this leads to death; or a person is attacked to put an end to his evil. Is it permissible to console the mother or other relatives of a person who dies in one of these ways? I am very confused about this matter. Should I go (and offer condolences) or not? Praise be to Allaah. There is nothing wrong with offering condolences, in fact it is mustahabb, even if the person who died was a sinner who committed suicide etc., just as it is mustahabb to offer condolences to the family of a person who was killed in retaliation (qasaas, i.e., a sentence passed in a shareeah court allowing the family of the murder victim to execute the murderer) or as a hadd punishment, such as a married adulterer, or the family of a person who drank himself to death. There is nothing to stop us offering condolences to their families, or making duaa for them and other sinners and asking for forgiveness and mercy for them. They should be washed and prayed for, but not by prominent figures in the Muslim community such as the ruler or qaadi etc. Rather some of the people should pray for them in order to deter others from committing the evil deeds that they did. As for one who dies because of the aggression of another, he has been killed unlawfully, so the funeral prayer should be offered for him and duaa should be made for him, if he was Muslim. The same applies in the case of one who is killed in retaliation (qasaas), as stated above, the funeral prayer should be offered for him and duaa should be made for him, and condolences should be offered to his family, if he was Muslim and there is no reason to assume that he was an apostate. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
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Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, p. 374.
136. Offering condolences to a non-Muslim on the death of a relative

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/105381 Detailed Question: Is it permissible for a Muslim to offer condolences to a non-Muslim if his father or mother or one of his relatives dies, if there is a fear that if he does not go to them, they may harm him or it may be a reason of their being put off Islam, or not?. Praise be to Allaah. If the aim in offering condolences is to make them think favourably of Islam, then that is permissible and this is one of the aims of shareeah. The same applies if doing so will ward off their harm from him or from the Muslims, because a small infraction may be overlooked is that may serve the general interests of Islam. And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah lil-Ifta, 9/132
137. Does mentioning the deceased and grieving over him harm him in his grave?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/2072 Detailed Question: It is said that when the living mention the dead, such as a son remembering his dead father all the time and in every place, and grieving and weeping for him, the deceased is affected and harmed by this. So they say that we should not mention the dead with sorrow and weeping, and that it is sufficient to make duaa for them and pray for forgiveness and mercy for them, and no more. How true or otherwise is this? And what should we do with regard to the dead? Praise be to Allaah. It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The deceased is punished by the weeping of his family for him. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1286). This was explained as meaning, when a person had told his family to do that, as was done
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during the Jaahiliyyah. And it was said that it meant, if their custom was to weep and wail and he did not warn them. And it was said that it meant, he would feel hurt and saddened because they were doing something that would not help them at all; it does not refer to the punishment of the Fire. But simply mentioning the person, feeling grief and saying Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raajioon (to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return) these actions are not included in this prohibition, because these feelings are something that overwhelm a person, and he cannot help thinking of the deceased, mentioning him, grieving for him and feeling sorrow because of his loss. If he mentions him, says Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raajioon, and prays to his Lord for patience and consolation and to be compensated with something better, then Allaah will reward him for bearing this loss. Al-Lulu al-Makeen min Fataawaa al-Shaykh ibn Jibreen, p. 63
**138. Is it permissible to offer a sacrifice for the dead?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/36706 Praise be to Allaah. The Muslims are agreed that it is prescribed to offer a sacrifice (udhiyah), and it is permissible to offer a sacrifice on behalf of one who has died, because of the general meaning of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), When the son of Adam dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous son who will pray for him. Narrated by Muslim. Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi and alNasaai, and by al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad from Abu Hurayrah. Slaughtering a sacrifice on his behalf is a kind of ongoing charity, because it benefits the person offering the sacrifice, the deceased person, and others. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas.
139. What is the correct way to do Umrah on behalf of my deceased father after I do it for myself?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/34594/ Praise be to Allaah. You have to enter ihraam on behalf of yourself from the meeqaat which you are going to pass, then when you have completed Umrah for yourself, by doing tawaaf and saai and cutting your hair, go out to al-Taneem or another place outside the Haram (sanctuary), and enter ihraam for
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Umrah on behalf of your father. Say, Labbayk Allaahumma bi umratin an abi (Here I am, O Allaah, for Umrah on behalf of my father). Then do tawaaf and saai, and cut your hair or shave your head, but shaving is better. You do not have to go back to the meeqaat to enter ihraam for Umrah on behalf of your father. Shaykh Ibn Baaz said: If you want to do Hajj or Umrah for yourself or for someone else who has passed away or who is unable to do it because they are very old or suffering from an incurable sickness, then you have to enter ihraam from the meeqaat which you pass when you are intending to do Hajj or Umrah. When you finish the actions of Umrah or Hajj, there is nothing wrong with you starting Umrah for yourself from the closest point outside the Haram, such as al-Taneem or alJiraanah or elsewhere. You do not need to go back to the meeqaat, because Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) entered ihraam for Umrah from the meeqaat of Madeenah with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) during the Farewell Pilgrimage, then when she finished her Hajj and Umrah she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) permission to do Umrah on its own, and he told her brother Abd al-Rahmaan to take her to al-Taneem, and she did Umrah after Hajj. He did not tell her to go back to the meeqaat. She had joined Hajj with the Umrah for which she had entered ihraam from the meeqaat as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told her to do, when she began to menstruate before she could do the rituals of Umrah. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 17/15. Islam Q&A
140. Is it possible to send someone else to do Hajj on behalf of the deceased instead of his son?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/9124 Detailed Question: My father died last year. He intended to go to Hajj this year. My question is can I send some other person to do Hajj on his behalf. Does that person need to be a relative? What about sacrifice (qurban) performed during Hajj. Would that need to be in father's name or the other person's name. Praise be to Allaah. If a Muslim dies after he has become able to perform Hajj, then his heir has to do Hajj on his behalf himself, or he can delegate someone else to do Hajj for him, paid for from the money of the deceased, because this is a debt that he owes that is more deserving of being paid off. The delegate need not be one of the deceased persons relatives. The sacrifice (qurbaan) which is done at the time of Hajj should be done in the name of the deceased father, not the name of
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the delegated person, if it is one of the requirements of Hajj. If the Hajj is ifraad (Hajj done on its own, without Umrah), then there is no (obligatory) sacrifice, unless the delegated person does something prohibited for which the fidyah (compensatory sacrifice) is required. Shaykh Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr
141. I give out money on my father's behalf (deceased). I would like to do good for my father, what else can I do other than feed a Muslim for the month of Ramadan?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/12652 Praise be to Allaah. Charity (sadaqah) given on behalf of the deceased will benefit him and its reward will reach him, according to the consensus of the Muslims. Muslim (1630) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): My father has died and left behind wealth, and he did not make a will. Will it be an expiation for him if I give in charity on his behalf? He said, Yes. Muslim also narrated (1004) from Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased wth her) that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): My mother died suddenly and I think that if she could have spoken she would have given in charity [i.e., left instructions that some of her estate be given in charity+. Will I have a reward if I spend in charity on her behalf? He said, Yes. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to give in charity on behalf of the deceased and that doing so is mustahabb, and that the reward for that will reach the deceased and benefit him or her; it will also benefit the one who gives the charity. There is consensus on all of that among the Muslims. Feeding the poor is one of the acts of kindness and charity that was enjoined by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), especially providing iftaar to one who is fasting. Also among the best things that you can do to benefit your father and honour him is to make duaa for him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity; beneficial knowledge; and a righteous son who will pray for him. Narrated by Muslim, 1631. So you should make a lot of duaa for your father, during your prayer and at other times, asking Allaah to forgive him, and admit him to Paradise, and keep him away from Hell. And Allaah knows best.
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Islam Q&A
142. What can benefit the deceased after his death? Can he hear what the living say?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/763 Detailed Question: My father passed away about two weeks ago. I wanted to know when me or my family members go to his grave, is he able to hear us and what we are saying to him? ... and if not is their any way we can have him hear what we say?.. Please respond promptly because I really want to now because I think maybe it will help me with the pain i'm dealing with. Praise be to Allaah. The principle is that the dead do not hear the words of the living, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): " but you cannot hear those who are in graves." *Faatir 35:22] and "Verily, you cannot make the dead to hear" *al-Naml 27:80] When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) addressed the slain kuffaar (disbelievers) after the Battle of Badr, Allaah caused them to hear his words, although they were at the bottom of the well in which they had been buried. This was a special case, as the scholars, may Allaah have mercy on them, have stated. (See Al-Aayaat al-Bayyinaat fi adam Samaa al-Amwaat). Perhaps the psychological motive for your wishing that you father could hear you is an attempt to do something to re-establish the communication that has been cut, in order to alleviate the pain you are feeling. But you should understand, my sister, that Islam has explained what actions on the part of the living may benefit the dead, and what may reach them in their graves. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: sadaqah jaariyah (ongoing charity, e.g. a waqf or endowment), beneficial knowledge (which he has left behind), or a righteous child who will pray for him." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no 1376; he said this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth) The most important thing that will benefit your father after his death, and that you can do for him now that he is in his grave, is to strive to pray for him and ask for forgiveness and mercy for him, and for Paradise and salvation from the Fire, and other good and beautiful duaas
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(prayers). Prayers for forgiveness offered by both sons and daughters of the deceased bring great benefits, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "A mans status will be raised in Paradise and he will ask, How did I get here? He will be told, By your sons duaas (prayers) for forgiveness for you." (Reported by Ibn Maajah, no 3660; see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 1617) Another thing that may reach the deceased is sadaqah (charity) given on his behalf, because Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) reported that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "My mother has passed away, and if she could have spoken, she would have given something in charity. Will she receive a reward if I give something on her behalf?" He said, "Yes." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 1388) Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the mother of Sad ibn Ubaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) died when he was away from her. He said: "O Messenger of Allaah, my mother has died and I am away from her. Will it benefit her anything if I give in charity on her behalf?" He said, "Yes." He said, "Then I ask you to be my witness that I am giving my garden al-Mikhraaf (so called because it bore so many dates) in charity on her behalf." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 2756) Abu Hurayrah reported that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "My father has died and left money behind. He did not make a wasiyyah (a will); will it expiate for his sins if I give some of it in charity on his behalf?" He said, "Yes." (Reported by alNisaai) Sad ibn Ubaadah said: "I said: O Messenger of Allaah, my mother has died. Should I give charity on her behalf? He said, Yes. I asked, What kind of charity is best? He said, Providing water." (Reported by al-Nisaai) Other deeds that may also benefit the deceased are Hajj and Umrah on their behalf, after the living person has first performed Hajj and Umrah on his or her own behalf. Abdullaah ibn Buraydah reported that his father (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "While I was sitting with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a woman came to him and said: I gave my mother a slave-woman in charity, and now my mother has died. He said: You have got your reward, and your right of inheritance has brought your gift back to you. She said, O Messenger of Allaah, she still had one month to fast can I fast it
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on her behalf? He said, Fast it on her behalf. She said, She never went to Hajj can I perform Hajj on her behalf? He said, Perform Hajj on her behalf." (Reported by Muslim, may Allaah have mercy on him, in his Saheeh, no. 1149) This shows that it is also permissible to fast on behalf of the deceased. Another thing that may benefit the deceased is to fulfil their nadhr (vow), because Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that a woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: "My mother made a vow to perform Hajj but she died before she could do it. Can I perform Hajj on her behalf?" He said, "Yes, perform Hajj on her behalf. Dont you think that if your mother owed a debt you would pay it off?" She said, "Yes." He said, "Then pay off what is owed to Allaah, for Allaah is more deserving of having vows fulfilled." (al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 7315) Another thing that may benefit the deceased is if his relative devotes a share to him of a sacrifice he offers. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered a sacrifice, he said: "In the name of Allaah, O Allaah, on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad" (reported by Muslim, no. 1967) and the family of Muhammad included both the living and the dead. The question of whether women may visit graves has already been addressed (please see question# 127 ) You should also know that keeping yourself busy with praying for your father is more important and better for you, and more beneficial to the deceased, than thinking about whether he can hear your voice. So try to do whatever will be of benefit both to him and you. You and your family should avoid forbidden innovations (bidah) such as marking the fortieth day after death, or the passing of one year since the death, or gatherings for reciting al-Faatihah (the first chapter or soorah of the Quraan), doing forbidden acts at graves, and so on, deeds which are done by those who are ignorant and are imitated by others. I ask Allaah to forgive your father and have mercy on him and on all the deceased Muslims, for He is the Forgiving, Most Merciful. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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***143. Benefitting the deceased by giving charity on his behalf

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/42384 Detailed Question: My father died may Allaah have mercy on him and I want to give ongoing charity on behalf of his soul so as to increase his good deeds and raise him in status before his Lord, such as building a mosque or printing a book by which the Muslims will benefit. But one of the shaykhs gave us a fatwa stating that this will not benefit him because it is not from his wealth, and ongoing charity has to be set up by the person himself during his own lifetime before his death, and has to continue after his death. Is what the Shaykh said correct? If it is not correct, then please advise me and tell me the best way to benefit my deceased father. May Allaah reward you with good. Praise be to Allaah. The scholars are agreed that the benefits of duaa, praying for forgiveness, giving charity and Hajj reach the deceased. With regard to duaa and praying for forgiveness, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): after them say: Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have And those who came in Faith preceded us [al-Hashr 59:10] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Pray for forgiveness for your brother and ask that he be made steadfast, for now he is being questioned. And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When you offer the (funeral) prayer for the deceased, then make duaa sincerely for him. With regard to charity, it was narrated in al-Saheehayn from Aaishah that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): My mother died suddenly and she did not leave a will, but I think that if she could have spoken she would have given in charity. Will she have a reward if I give in charity on her behalf? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Yes. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 1388; Muslim, no. 1004. And it was narrated by al-Bukhaari from Sad ibn Ubaadah that his mother died when he was absent, and he said: O Messenger of Allaah, my mother has died when I was absent. Will it benefit her if I give in charity on her behalf? He said: Yes. He said: I ask you to bear witness that my garden that bears fruit is given in charity on her behalf. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2756. With regard to Hajj, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to one who asked him about Hajj: Dont you think that if your mother had a debt, you would pay it off for her? She said: Yes. He said: A debt owed to Allaah is more deserving of being paid off. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6699; Muslim, 1148.
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From the above you will know that giving charity on behalf of the deceased will benefit him and its reward will reach him. There is a daeef (weak) hadeeth about offering prayer on behalf of the dead. Imam Muslim mentioned in his introduction to his Saheeh that Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mubaarak regarded this hadeeth as weak, then he said: There is no difference of opinion concerning giving charity (i.e., on behalf of the dead). End quote. Al-Nawawi said: His words There is no difference of opinion concerning giving charity (i.e., on behalf of the dead) means that this hadeeth is not to be taken as evidence. But whoever wants to honour his parents, let him give charity on their behalf, for (the reward of) charity will reach the deceased and benefit them, and there is no difference of opinion among the Muslims concerning this point. This is the correct view. With regard to the report narrated by the qaadi Abul-Hasan al-Maawardi al-Basri al-Faqeeh al-Shaafai in his book al-Haawi from some of the scholars of al-kalaam, that no reward can reach the deceased after his death, this is a view that is definitely wrong and is clearly contrary to the texts of the Quraan and Sunnah and the consensus of the ummah, so no attention should be paid to it. With regard to praying and fasting on behalf of the dead, the view of al-Shaafai and the majority of the scholars is that the reward for that does not reach the deceased, unless it is a fast that was obligatory for the deceased, so his heir or someone to whom the heir gives permission makes it up on his behalf. Two views concerning this were narrated from al-Shaafai, the better known of which is that it is not valid; the more correct view according to the later Shaafai scholars is that it is valid. With regard to reading Quraan, the well-known view of the Shaafai madhhab is that the reward for that does not reach the deceased. Some of his companions said that its reward does reach the deceased. Some of the scholars were of the view that the reward of all acts of worship prayer, fasting, reading Quraan, etc reaches the deceased Then al-Nawawi mentioned that the reward for duaa, charity and Hajj reaches the deceased, according to scholarly consensus. End quote. It says in Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj (7/72): The deceased can benefit from charity given on his behalf, which includes a waqf of a Mus-haf etc, or digging a well, or planting a tree, whether he does that during his lifetime or it is done by someone else on his behalf after his death. With regard to the best ways of benefiting your father, you should make a lot of duaa for him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young [al-Isra 17:24+
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And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When a person dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, or beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who will pray for him. With regard to charity, the best things on which charity may be spent are jihad for the sake of Allaah, building mosques, and helping seekers of knowledge by printing books for them or giving them money that they need. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
144. What is the ruling on reciting al-Faatihah and giving the reward for it to the deceased?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/9304 Praise be to Allaah. There is no evidence (daleel) for reciting al-Faatihah or any other part of the Quraan and giving (the reward for) it to the deceased. We must not do that, because it was not narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) did any such thing. It is prescribed to make duaa for the dead Muslims and to give charity on their behalf by giving to the poor and needy. In this way a person may draw closer to Allaah and ask Him to give the reward for that to his father, mother or other people, deceased or alive. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When a man dies, all his deeds come to a halt apart from three: ongoing charity (sadaqah jaariyah), beneficial knowledge or a righteous child who will pray for him. And it was reported that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): O Messenger of Allaah, my mother has died and she did not make a will. I think that if she had spoken she would have given in charity. Will she be rewarded if I give in charity on her behalf? He said, Yes. (Saheeh agreed upon) The same applies to Hajj and umrah on behalf of the deceased and paying off his debts. All of these actions will benefit him, as was narrated in the shari daleel (evidence). But if the questioner is referring to treating the family of the deceased person kindly by giving them money or meat (i.e., food), there is nothing wrong with that if they are poor. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn AbdAllaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 9, p. 324
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***145. Can I do some dhikr, praying that the reward for that will be give to my father and mother? My father has died and my mother is still alive.
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/46698 Praise be to Allaah. The scholars differed as to whether it is permissible to give reward to the dead and whether that reaches them. There are two views: 1 That any righteous deed may be given to the dead and that (the reward) reaches them such as reading Quraan, fasting, praying and other acts of worship. 2 That no righteous deed reaches the dead except those for which there is evidence that it reaches them. This is the more correct view. The evidence for that is the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And that man can have nothing but what he does [al-Najm 53:39]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When a man dies all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity (sadaqah jaariyah), beneficial knowledge and a righteous son who will pray for him. Narrated by Muslim, 1631, from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). The paternal uncle of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) Hamzah (may Allaah be pleased with him) died, as did his wife Khadeejah and three of his daughters, but it is not narrated that he read Quraan for any of them, or offered a sacrifice or fasted or prayed on their behalf. No such thing has been narrated from any of the Sahaabah either. If it were prescribed, then they would have done it before us. The exceptions for which there is evidence that the reward does reach the deceased are: Hajj, Umrah, obligatory fasts, charity and duaa. Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: And that man can have nothing but what he does: From this verse al-Shaafai and those who followed him understood that the reward for reading Quraan does not reach the deceased, because it is not something that they did or earned. Hence the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not recommend or encourage his ummah to do that, and he did not tell them to do that through any statement or gesture. Nor is it narrated that any of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) did that. If it were good they would have done that before us. So the acts of worship are restricted to those mentioned in the texts, and there is no room for analogy or personal opinions. With regard to duaa and charity, there is scholarly consensus that the reward for them reaches the deceased and that they are mentioned in shareeah. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/258.
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If we assume that the reward for all righteous deeds reaches the deceased, then the best thing that can benefit the deceased is duaa. So why should we ignore that which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has encouraged us to do, and turn to other things that he did not do and that none of his companions did? All goodness is to be found in the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about giving the reward for reading Quraan and charity to one's mother, whether she is alive or dead. He replied: With regard to reading Quraan, the scholars differed as to whether the reward for that will reach the deceased. There are two scholarly views, the more correct of which is that it does not reach the deceased because there is no evidence to that effect. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do that for his deceased Muslim loved ones such as his daughters who died during his lifetime, and the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) did not do that or approve of it, as far as we know. It is better for the believer not to do that and not to read Quraan for the dead or the living, or to pray on their behalf, or to observe voluntary fasts on their behalf, because there is no evidence for any of that. The basic principle concerning acts of worship is that we do not do anything except that which is proven to be prescribed by Allaah or His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Charity benefits both the living and the dead, according to Muslim consensus. Similarly duaa benefits both the living and the dead according to Muslim consensus. Undoubtedly the living benefit from charity given by them and by others, and they benefit from duaa. If a person makes duaa for his parents when they are alive, they benefit from his duaa, as they also benefit from charity given on their behalf when they are still alive, and from Hajj done on their behalf if they are unable to do it themselves because of old age or incurable sickness. So a person may benefit them by doing that. Hence it is narrated that a woman said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): O Messenger of Allaah, Allaahs command to perform Hajj has come when my father is an old man and cannot sit firmly in the saddle. Shall I perform Hajj on his behalf? He said: Perform Hajj on his behalf. Another man came to him and said: O Messenger of Allaah, my father is an old man and cannot perform Hajj or travel; shall I perform Hajj and Umrah on his behalf? He said: Perform Hajj and Umrah on behalf of your father. This indicates that it is permissible to perform Hajj on behalf of one who has died or on behalf of a living man or woman who is unable to do it because of old age. So giving charity, making duaa and performing Hajj on behalf of one who has died or one who is unable to do it will benefit him, according to all the scholars. Similarly one may fast on behalf of a deceased person, if he owed an obligatory fast whether as the result of a vow, as an expiation or to make up for a Ramadaan fast because of the general meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Whoever dies owing a fast, his heir must observe the fast on his behalf. Saheeh agreed upon. And there are other ahaadeeth which
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say the same thing. But whoever delays Ramadaan fasts for a legitimate reason, such as sickness or travel, then dies before he is able to make them up, there is no need to fast them on his behalf or feed the poor, because he is excused. Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 4/348. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible for a man to give money in charity and to share the reward for it with someone else? He replied: It is permissible for a person to give money in charity and intend for it to be on behalf of his father, his mother or his brother or anyone else he wants among the Muslims, because the reward is great. If charity is given sincerely for the sake of Allaah and from wealth that is acquired in a halaal manner, then the reward will be multiplied greatly, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allaah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allaah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allaah is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All-Knower [al-Baqarah 2:261] And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to slaughter a single sheep on behalf of himself and the members of his household. Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen, 18/249 From the above it is clear that what you have mentioned about giving the reward of dhikr to your parents is not correct according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions, whether they are alive or deceased. Rather what we advise you to do is to make a great deal of duaa for them and give charity on their behalf, for all goodness is in following the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his noble companions. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
146. Giving the reward for acts of worship to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/52772 Praise be to Allaah. The correct view is that giving the reward for acts of worship to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is an innovation (bidah). The evidence for that is as follows: 1 There is no need for this giving, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will have the equivalent of the reward of his ummah, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. It is proven in al-Saheeh that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow
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him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. Narrated by Muslim, 2674). And he said: Whoever sets a good precedent in Islam which is followed after he is gone, will have a reward like those who acted upon it, without it detracting from their reward in the slightest. Narrated by Muslim, 1017. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) showed all the ways of guidance to his ummah, so for a person to give the reward for his deed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is redundant, in fact the one who does this is losing out on the reward for himself without it benefiting anyone else. He loses the reward for his deed, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has an equivalent reward without him having to give it. 2 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not prescribe this for his ummah. Rather he said: Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2697; Muslim, 1718 this version narrated by Muslim. 3 The salaf including the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and the rest of the Sahaabah and Taabieen did not do that, and they knew best what is good and were more keen to follow it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the way of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. Adhere to it and cling firmly to it. And beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation (bidah) and every innovation is a going astray. Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4607; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. See the essay, Ihda al-Thawaab lil-Nabi (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). Ibn al-Ata, the student of al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on them both) was asked: Is it permissible to read Quraan and give the reward to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and is there any report concerning that? He replied: Reading the Holy Quraan is one of the best acts of worship, but with regard to giving it to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), no reliable report has been narrated concerning that. Rather that should not be done, because it is an action that is not prescribed. Moreover the reward for reading will reach him anyway, and all the good deeds of his ummah will be weighed in his balance. End quote. Al-Sakhaawi narrated from his Shaykh, al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him), that he was asked about one who read some Quraan and said in his duaa: O Allaah, add the reward for what I have read to the honour of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He replied: This is something that has been invented by later generations. I do not know of any precedent for that. End quote from Mawaahib al-Jaleel, 2/544, 454.
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Moreover there is a difference of scholarly opinion with regard to reading Quraan and giving the reward to the dead. See questions no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/70317 and http://islamqa.com/en/ref/46698. But even if it is said that that is permissible, it is not permissible to give it to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because all that is achieved by that is depriving the one who did it of the reward, without it benefiting anyone else. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
147. When I read the Holy Qur'aan I would like my relatives who passed away to benefit from my reading ?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/6648 Detaileddd Question: When I read the Holy Qur'aan I would like my relatives who passed away to benefit from my reading .Besides,I want to make supplications after reading the Qur'aan for myself and my family.What actions are exactly to be done ,for as far as I know raising hands and wiping the face are bid'ah? Praise be to Allaah. The correct view is that the dead can benefit from the physical acts of worship undertaken by their living relatives with the intention of giving the reward to them (physical acts of worship include fasting and reading Quraan). The same applies to financial acts of worship, such as giving charity on behalf of the deceased or freeing a slave on his behalf, even though some of these actions are not prescribed as such. This is indicated by the hadeeth of Sad ibn Ubaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who gave his garden in charity on behalf of his mother who had died, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of that (narrated by al-Bukhaari), and other ahaadeeth. But giving charity on behalf of the deceased is better than reading Quraan for them, just as making duaa for them and seeking forgiveness for them is better than other deeds. If you give in charity on behalf of your deceased relative, or you make duaa for him or other actions the deceased will benefit from that, and you will also have the reward for that, for the Bounty of Allaah is immense. With regard to raising one's hands when making duaa: this is not bidah; in fact it is Sunnah and is part of the teachings of guidance and one of the means of having ones duaas
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answered. It was narrated in a saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Allaah is modest and most generous; if a man raises his hands to Him, He cannot send them back empty and unanswered, (Narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawood from the hadeeth of Salmaan). But it is makrooh to raise ones hands at certain times, such as when the khateeb makes duaa at Jumuah prayers, unless the khateeb is praying for rain at Jumuah prayers, in which case it is prescribed to raise one's hands. This was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Similarly, it is not permitted to raise one's hands in congregation or individually after praying a fard prayer, as there is no evidence for doing so. Wiping the face, chest or body after making duaa is bidah and is not permitted. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
148. Can I divide my hasanaat (reward for good deeds) into three parts one third for me, one third for my mother and one third for my father?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/103966 Detailed Question: Can I divide my hasanaat into three parts - one third for me, one third for my mother and one third for my father? i.e., all the hasanaat earned by doing good deeds for which a person can be rewarded throughout his day and night, such as tasbeeh, asking for forgiveness, charity and duaa - apart, of course, from prayer, zakaah, Hajj and fasting - or can I divide only the hasanaat for charity between me and them, and not any other acts of worship that I have mentioned? Or can I give charity on their behalf whilst they are alive and after they die? Can I set up sadaqah jaariyah (ongoing charity) for my parents from my own money and let them take the reward - such as building a mosque or distributing Mushafs, when they are still alive? Can I do that after they die? If they acquired haraam wealth, for example, can I pay it off on their behalf from my own money? Finally, in every sujood (prostration) I say the following duaa three times: Lord, forgive me and my parents and their parents and my brothers, and save us from the torment of the grave and grant us eternity in al-Firdaws al-Ala. I also use the masbahah to recite 200 times every day: Lord forgive me and my parents and my brothers and all the believing men and women. Is what I am doing something good and beneficial, or is it bidah and a waste of time? If what I am doing is good and beneficial, is it actually possible by means of this ongoing duaa of mine that Allah may forgive me and my parents and their parents and my brothers for all our sins, and save us from the torment of the grave and grant us eternity in al-Firdaws al-Ala?.
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Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: We appreciate your keenness to honour your parents and to make good reach them. We ask Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, to decree reward for you and to join you with your parents and all the Muslims in Paradise. There is no difference of opinion among the scholars that the reward for charity may reach the dead if the one who gives the charity dedicates the reward to them, especially parents. Similarly, there is no difference of opinion that duaa for both living and dead will bring them goodness and mercy if Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, accepts it. A number of hadeeths in the saheeh Sunnah bear witness to that. This has also been discussed in detail in a number of questions on our site. Please see: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/12652, http://islamqa.com/en/ref/42384, http://islamqa.com/en/ref/102322. Secondly: It is permissible for the one who gives charity to intend that the reward for his charity be divided between him and his parents into three parts, whether they are alive or dead, because the reward is the property of the giver, and he may give all or part of it. For example, if he gives it to four people, each of them will get one-quarter; if he gives one-quarter and keeps the rest for himself, that is permissible, as is the case if he gives it to someone else. Quoted from alRooh by Ibn al-Qayyim (p. 190). In the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/20996 we quoted from Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) that it is permissible to give charity on behalf of both the living and the dead. But we should point out what is best, which is to do righteous deeds for yourself, and let the reward be all for you, and to make a lot of duaa for your parents. This is what is best and most perfect. See the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/42088. Thirdly: With regard to all other recommended acts of worship, such as fasting, Hajj, Umrah, reading Quraan, reciting adhkaar, treating people kindly and other righteous deeds, the scholars differed as to whether the reward for them reaches the dead or not. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Rooh (p. 170) The view of Imam Ahmad and the majority of the salaf is that [the reward] does reach them. This is also the view of some of the Hanafis. That was stated by Imam Ahmad - according to the report of Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Kahhaal. He said: It was said to Abu Abd-Allah: Can a man do a good deed such as praying, giving charity and so on, and give half of it (its reward) to his father or mother? He said: I hope so; or he said: Everything of his charity and other deeds will reach the deceased.
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He also said: Recite Aayat al-Kursi three times, and Qul huwa Allahu ahad, and say: O Allah, the virtue (reward) for it is for the people of the graves. The well known view of the Shaafai and Maaliki madhhabs is that it does not reach them. End quote. We have previously stated on our website that this second view is more likely to be correct, that no reward for righteous deeds reaches the deceased unless there is a text to indicate that it does reach him, such as charity, duaa, Hajj and Umrah, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): And that man can have nothing but what he does (good or bad) *al-Najm 53:39]. See also the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/46698. Fourthly: With regard to paying off haraam wealth on their behalf, haraam wealth, such as that which is stolen, seized by force, or taken by means of trickery and so on, two rights should be taken into consideration: the first of which is the right of Allah, may He be exalted, which was transgressed by committing a haraam action; the second is the right of the owner of the wealth, which was transgressed by taking his wealth unlawfully. If the wealth is paid back to its owner, we hope that the rights of the owner will be restored thereby. But there remains the right of Allah, may He be exalted; this can only be dealt with by repentance or the forgiveness of Allah to the wrongdoer. Fifthly: With regard to the duaa that you mentioned, there is nothing wrong with it, but do not adhere to reciting it a particular number of times, and strive to offer duaa as much as you can, without limiting it to a specific number or believing that it has any specific virtue. And Allah knows best. Islam Q&A
149. If a person offers a sacrifice on behalf of his deceased father or gives charity on his behalf or prays for him, and visits his grave, will he be aware that it is from his son so-and-so?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/120941 Praise be to Allaah. What is indicated by the Islamic texts is that the deceased benefits from charity given by the living on his behalf, and his prayers for him. Offering a sacrifice on his behalf is a kind of charity, so if the giver is sincere in giving charity on behalf of the deceased and in praying for him, then the deceased will benefit from that, and the one who prays for him or gives charity on his
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behalf will be rewarded, by the grace and mercy of Allaah. It is sufficient for him that Allaah knows of his sincerity and good deed, and He will reward both parties. But as for the deceased being aware of the identity of the one who is doing him this favour, there is no shari evidence concerning that as far as we know. It is a matter of the unseen, and cannot be known except through revelation from Allaah to His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him). And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah sent blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions. End quote Standing Committee For Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 9/ 32
150. Ruling on ataaqah or reading Quraan for the dead

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/83829 Detailed Question: My father has died, and he was sick for the last four years of his life. He died a month ago at the age of 52. He was sick with heart disease and could not move or walk; he also had diabetes and high blood pressure. I would like to know whether there is anything called ataaqah al-salaah for him. Some of the Shaykhs say that this means getting Shaykhs to read Quraan for him, but some people disagree. I would like an answer to this question. Arent his sins expiated because of his suffering during the last few years of his life, or should ataaqah salaah be offered for him as they say? Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Reading Quraan is a purely physical act of worship, and it is not permissible to accept payment for reading Quraan for the deceased, or to give payment to one who reads, and there is no reward in that case, and the one who takes payment and the one who gives it are both sinning. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: It is not correct to hire someone to read Quraan and give the reward for that to the deceased, because that has not been narrated from any of the imams. The scholars said: The one who reads for money will have no reward, so what does he have to give to the deceased? End quote. The basic principle concerning that is that acts of worship are forbidden; no act of worship should be done unless there is shari evidence to show that it is prescribed. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And obey Allaah and the Messenger [al-Maaidah 5:92+
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The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever does anything that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected. According to another report: Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it will have it rejected. This action hiring someone to read Quraan for the dead is something that it is not known that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or any of his companions did it, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the worst of matters are those which are innovated. All goodness is in following that which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) brought, with the proper intention. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And whosoever submits his face (himself) to Allaah, while he is a Muhsin (good-doer, i.e. performs good deeds totally for Allaahs sake without any show-off or to gain praise or fame and does them in accordance with the Sunnah of Allaahs Messenger Muhammad), then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold [Luqmaan 31:22] Yes, but whoever submits his face (himself) to Allaah (i.e. follows Allaahs religion of Islamic Monotheism) and he is a Muhsin then his reward is with his Lord (Allaah), on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve [al-Baqarah 2:112] All evil lies in going against that which was brought by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and directing ones intention in any deed to someone or something other than Allaah. End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah. There is no basis for this ataaqah in shareeah; it is a reprehensible innovation that was not done by the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he did not tell us to do it, and none of his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) did it either. Whatever is like that, no believer should do it. Secondly: What is prescribed is to say duaa for the deceased, and to give charity on his behalf, as Muslim (1631) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity (sadaqah jaariyah), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous son who will pray for him. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: This indicates that the reward for duaa will reach the deceased, as will that of charity. As for reading Quraan and giving the reward for that to the deceased, offering prayers on his behalf, etc, the view of al-Shaafai and the majority of scholars is that this does not reach the deceased. End quote. See also question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/12652.
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So say a great deal of duaa for your father, and give whatever you can in charity on his behalf; if he did not do Hajj or Umrah and you can do Hajj or Umrah on his behalf, then do that. This is what will benefit him, by Allaahs leave. Another way of honouring ones deceased father is to honour his friends and uphold ties of kinship. Allaah makes sickness an expiation for His believing slave, and it may also be a means of raising his status, if he is patient and seeks reward thereby. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: No hardship, distress, worry or grief befalls a Muslim, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah will expiate some of his sins thereby. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5642) and Muslim (2573). We ask Allaah to have mercy on the deceased Muslims. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
**151. What is the ruling on reading Quraan over graves? Saying duaa for the deceased at the graveside? Saying duaa for oneself at the graveside?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/105370 Praise be to Allaah. Reading the Holy Quraan at the graveside is bidah. It was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from his companions. As it is not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from his companions, then we should not introduce it by ourselves, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, according to a saheeh report: Every introduced matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a going astray, and every going astray will be in the Fire. What the Muslims must do is to follow the example of the earlier generations, the Sahaabah and those who followed them in truth, so that they will be following goodness and true guidance, because it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The best of speech is the Book of Allaah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). As for saying duaa for the deceased at the graveside, there is nothing wrong with that. A person may stand at the graveside and say whatever duaas he can, such as saying, O Allaah, forgive him; O Allaah, have mercy on him; O Allaah, admit him to Paradise; O Allaah, make his grave spacious and so on. With regard to a person saying duaa for himself at the graveside, if he does it deliberately then it is also an innovation (bidah), because no place is specified as a place for duaa unless there is
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a text concerning it. If there is no text concerning it and no Sunnah has been narrated concerning it, then that i.e., singling out a place for duaa, no matter what the place is is a bidah. End quote. Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/228) For more information please see the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/36513. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
**152. Ruling on reading Quraan over the grave of a dead person

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/9979 Detailed Quuuestion: Some people in our village bring together some shaykhs who know how to read Quraan well, and they read Quraan on the grounds that this Quraan will benefit the deceased and bring mercy to him. Some others invite one or two shaykhs to read at the grave of a particular person, and others organize big gatherings where they invite one of the famous readers to read over loudspeakers, to commemorate the anniversary of a loved ones death. What is the Islamic ruling on that? Does reading Quraan at the graveside or elsewhere benefit the deceased? What is the best way to benefit the dead? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you greatly on our behalf, and we thank you very much. Praise be to Allaah. This action is bidah (reprehensible innovation) and is not permissible, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not a part of it, will have it rejected. (Saheeh agreed upon). And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever does anything that is not a part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) will have it rejected. (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh). And there are many similar ahaadeeth. It is not the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the way of his rightly-guided successors (the Khulafaa al-Raashideen may Allaah be pleased with them) to read Quraan over graves or to have gatherings to commemorate the anniversary of a persons death. All goodness is to be found in following the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his rightly-guided successors, and those who followed their path, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success *al-Tawbah 9:100]
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And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: I urge you to adhere to my way (Sunnah) and the way of the rightly-guided Khulafaa who come after me. Adhere to it and bite onto it with your eyeteeth (i.e. cling firmly to it). Beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going-astray. And it was reported in a saheeh hadeeth that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in a Friday khutbah: The best of speech is the Book of Allaah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The most evil of things are those which are newly-invented, and every innovation is a going-astray. And there are many similar ahaadeeth. According to the saheeh ahaadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained the things that will benefit the Muslim after he dies. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When a man dies, all his good deeds come to a halt, apart from three: ongoing charity (sadaqah jaariyah); beneficial knowledge; or a righteous child who will pray for him. (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh). A man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), O Messenger of Allaah, is there anything that I can do to continue honouring my parents after they die? He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Yes: pray for them, ask for forgiveness for them, fulfil their last wishes (wasiyah or will), honour their friends and uphold the ties of kinship which you would not have were it not for them. The last wishes (wasiyah or will) expressed by the person before he or she died should be fulfilled so long as they are in accordance with shareeah. Other ways of honouring ones parents is to give in charity on their behalf, to make duaa for them and to perform Hajj and Umrah on their behalf. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Kitaab Majmoo Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwiah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-Allaamah Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 9, p. 319
**153. Reading Quraan together, giving good deeds to the dead, and alMawlid al-Nabawi (celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him))
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/70317 Detailed Quuuestion: On every last Sunday of the month, we get together with a group of 30 or more sisters and each of us reads two or three hizb (portions of Quraan) until we complete the Holy Quraan in one and a half or two hours. We have been told that this will count in sha Allaah as a completion of the Quraan for each one of us. Is that correct? After that we make duaa and ask Allaah to give the reward for our reading to the rest of the believers, living and dead. Will the reward reach the dead? They quote as evidence for that the words of our master
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Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge or a righteous son who will pray for him. On the festival of the Prophets birthday (al-mawlid al-nabawi), they hold a ribaat (vigil) which starts at 10 a.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. They start with prayers for forgiveness, praise of Allaah, tasbeeh and takbeer, and sending blessings upon our master Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) silently, then they read the Quraan, and some sisters fast on that day. Is singling out this day for all these acts of worship regarded as an innovation (bidah)? We also have a lengthy duaa seeking blessing that we say at the time of suhoor, for those who are able to say it. It is called duaa al-raabitah. It starts by sending blessings and salaams upon our master Muhammad and his party and the other Prophets, and the Mothers of the Believers, and the female companions of the Prophet, the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Taabieen, and the righteous close friends (awliya) of Allaah, mentioning each of them by name. Is it correct that mentioning all these names will make their owners recognize us and call out to us in Paradise? Is this duaa an innovation? I feel that it is, but most of the sisters disagree with me. Will I be punished by Allaah if I am wrong? How can I convince them if I am correct? This matter is making me lose sleep and every time I remember the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which says that every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going-astray, and every going-astray will be in the Fire, my worry and grief get even worse. Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: In the saheeh Sunnah there are many reports which speak of the virtues of gathering to read the Book of Allaah, but in order for the Muslim to attain those rewards, he should ensure that the gathering is in accordance with shareeah. One of the prescribed ways in which people may gather to read Quraan is for the people gathered to read together for the purpose of study, learning the meanings and how to recite properly. Another kind of gathering that is prescribed is for each of them to read and the others to listen, so that they may ponder the meanings of the verses. Both are mentioned in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). For more information please see question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22722, which explains the ruling on gathering to read the Quraan. With regard to what each person reads being counted as a khatmah (complete reading of the Quraan) for each of them, this is not correct, because none of them has read the entire Quraan, or even listened to it, rather each of them has read a part of it, so they will only be rewarded for whatever they have read of the Quraan. The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
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Distributing ajza or parts of the Quraan to those who are present so that each one of them may read a hizb of the Quraan is not necessarily regarded as a khatmah or complete reading of the Quraan on the part of each one of them. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 2/480 Secondly: It is not prescribed to say duaa together after reading Quraan, and it is not permissible to pray that the reward for the reading go to any of the dead or the living. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do that, and neither did any of his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible for me to read the entire Quraan for my parents, knowing that they are illiterate and cannot read or write? Is it permissible for me to read the entire Quraan for a person who knows how to read and write, but I want to give this khatmah to him? Is it permissible for me to read the entire Quraan for more than one person? He replied: There is no report in the Holy Quraan or in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or from his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) to indicate that it is prescribed to give one's reading of Quraan (or the reward thereof) to one's parents or to anyone else. Rather Allaah has enjoined reading Quraan so that one may benefit from it, learn from it, ponder its meanings and act upon it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): (This is) a Book (the Quraan) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember [Saad 38:29] Verily, this Quraan guides to that which is most just and right [al-Isra 17:90+ Say: It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing [Fussilat 41:44] And our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Read the Quraan, for it will come as an intercessor for its companions. And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The Quraan will be brought on the Day of Resurrection along with its people who used to act upon it, preceded by Soorat al-Baqarah and Aal Imraan, like two clouds or two flocks of birds, spreading their wings, pleading on behalf of their companions (i.e., those who used to read them). The point is that it was revealed to be acted upon and pondered, to be read as an act of worship and read a great deal, not to be given to the dead or to anyone else. I do not know of any reliable basis for giving it to ones parents or anyone else. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever does any action that is not in accordance with this
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matter of ours will have it rejected. Some of the scholars are of the view that that is permissible, and they said: There is no reason why the reward for reading Quraan and other righteous actions cannot be given to others, and they liken that to the case of charity and duaa for the deceased and others. But the correct view is the first view, because of the hadeeth quoted above, and other similar reports. If giving the reward for reading to another was permissible or prescribed, the righteous salaf would have done it. It is not permissible to make analogies with regard to acts of worship, because they can only be proven by a text from the Book of Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, or the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because of the hadeeth quoted above and other similar reports. Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 8/360, 361 With regard to their quoting the hadeeth, When the son of Adam dies, all his good deeds come to an end this is not correct, rather if you think about it, you will see that the hadeeth indicates that it is not prescribed to give the reward for reading Quraan to the dead, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: A son who will pray for him, not who will read Quraan for him. Thirdly: We should not write the letter (S) or abbreviations for the blessing upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If a person can write such a lengthy question, he is not incapable of writing the blessing upon the Prophet in full. We have already discussed the ruling on writing such abbreviations in the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/47976. Fourthly: Celebrating the Prophets birthday (al-mawlid) is an innovation, and doing special acts of worship on this day such as saying tasbeeh and tahmeed, observing itikaaf, reading Quraan and fasting is an innovation for which a person will not receive any reward, for these are all rejected. It was narrated from Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it will have it rejected. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2550; Muslim, 1718. According to a version narrated by Muslim (1718) he said: Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected. Al-Faakihaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: I do not know of any basis for this mawlid in the Quraan or Sunnah, and there is no report that any of the scholars of this ummah, who are examples in matters of religion and adhere to the path of those who came before, did this. Rather it is an innovation (bidah) which was introduced by those who have nothing better to do, and it is a means for them to have fun and eat a lot.
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Al-Mawrid fi Aml al-Mawlid, quoted in Rasaail fi Hukm al-Ihtifaal bil-Mawlid al-Nabawi, 1/8, 9 Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If celebrating the Prophets birthday was prescribed, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have told his ummah of that, because he is the most sincere of people and there is no Prophet after him who could explain anything he did not speak about. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the Seal of the Prophets and he explained to the people what he had to explain of the truth, such as loving him and following his shareeah, sending blessings and salaams upon him and other rights of his that are explained in the Quraan and Sunnah. He did not tell his ummah that celebrating the day of his birth was something prescribed so that they would do that. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do that during his lifetime and his companions (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who were the dearest of people to him and the most knowledgeable of his rights did not celebrate that day, neither did the Rightly-Guided Caliphs or any others. Then those who followed them in truth of the best three generations did not celebrate this day either. Do you think that all these people were ignorant of his rights or fell short with regard to them, until the later generations came and made up for this shortfall and made the truth complete? No, by Allaah. No wise man who understands the nature of the Sahaabah and how they followed the truth would say this. If you understand that the celebration of the Prophets birthday was unknown at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the time of his companions and the time of their earliest followers, you will realize that it is an innovation that has been introduced into the faith, and it is not permissible to do it, approve of it or advocate it, rather we must denounce it and warn people against it. Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/318, 319 Fifthly: It is not permissible for anyone to make up a duaa or dhikhr and promulgate it among the people. The duaa that is called duaa al-raabitah is an innovated duaa, and thinking of those who are being prayed for and believing that they will recognize the one who is praying for them and will call out to him in Paradise all of that is Sufi myths and fables that have no basis in the religion of Allaah. The Islamic guidelines by means of which a person can distinguish between Sunnah and bidah, right and wrong, are clear. The basic principle with regard to acts of worship is that nothing is permitted unless there is evidence. We cannot seek to draw closer to Allaah by doing an act of worship unless there is evidence from the Quraan or saheeh Sunnah that it is prescribed. The basic principle for the Muslim is to follow and not to innovate, and innovations will be rejected. Allaah has completed this shareeah for us and has completed His blessing upon us, so what need do we have for such innovations to be part of our lives at the time when we are falling so far short with regard to that which is proven in shareeah? For more information see the answer to questions no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/27237 and http://islamqa.com/en/ref/6745
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We hope that what we have mentioned is sufficient to make these sisters refrain from their innovation. We advise them to fear Allaah and follow the Sunnah. They should remember that Allaah does not accept any innovated act of worship, no matter what efforts and wealth are expended on it. Being moderate in following the Sunnah is better than striving hard in following innovation, as the great Sahaabi Abd-Allaah ibn Masood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said. We ask Allaah to guide those sisters to that which pleases Him, and we advise you to convey this message well and not take part in that with them, and to be patient in bearing any problems that may result from that. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
154. How to write a will

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/10447 Detailed Question: I checked in the Holy Quran in regards as how to make a will. It's kind of complicated for me, that's why I am hoping you can help me Insha Allah. Can you please advise on how to make an islamic will for a married woman. 1. Personal savings account. 2. Home & other realestate investment shared with spouse. Personal belongings such as jewelries etc..I have a husband, father,brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces.Can you specify for me how to distribute everything.Does everything needs to be distributed in shares or can I give some things to a favorite niece for example just because I want to.would that be going against the quranic law? I look forward to your reply. Please try to reply to my email adress personally because I really need to know this. I know making a will is very important islamically and I want to do it correctly. Praise be to Allaah. There is a difference between a will and a gift. Property that is willingly given away whilst one is alive is considered to be a gift, which does not come under the same rulings as a will. But it should be noted that it is not permissible for a person to give a gift to some of his children and not others, or to prefer some of them over others in gift-giving. Rather they must be treated fairly, because of the hadeeth of al-Numaan ibn Basheer, who said that his father brought him to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when he gave him a gift, to ask the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to bear witness to it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked, Have you given something similar to all your
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children? He said, No. He said, Then take it back. Then he said: Fear Allaah and treat your children fairly. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Hibbah, 2398) With regard to the will, this is instructions on how (ones property) is to be disposed of after ones death, or how it is to be given away after ones death. The evidence that this (writing a will) is prescribed in Islam is to be found in the Quraan and Sunnah, and the consensus of the scholars. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): It is prescribed for you, when death approaches any of you, if he leaves wealth, that he makes a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable manners. (This is) a duty upon AlMuttaqoon (the pious)*al-Baqarah 2:180] (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies he may have bequeathed or debts*al-Nisa 4:11] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Allaah was being generous to you when He allowed you to give one-third of your wealth (in charity) when you die, to increase your good deeds. (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, al-Wasaayaa, 2700; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah, no. 2190) The scholars agreed that this is permissible. And it (writing a will) may be obligatory with regard to the dues of others where there is no proof, lest they be lost or neglected, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: It is not permissible for any Muslim who something to will to stay for two nights without having his last will and testament written and kept ready with him. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Wasaayaa 2533). And it is mustahabb for a man to will that some of his wealth be used for charitable purposes, so that the reward for that may reach him after his death. So Allaah granted permission for a person to dispose of one third of his wealth for that purpose when death approaches. It is permitted to write a will concerning one third or less. Some of the scholars said it is preferable for it to be less than one-third, and the will does not apply to any of the heirs, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: There is no will for the heirs. (narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Wasaayaa, 2047; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 1722). If the will is intended to harm the heirs or make things difficult for them, then that is haraam, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): so that no loss is caused (to anyone)*al-Nisaa 4:12+ The will comes into effect when the person dies. It is permissible for the person who writes the will to revoke it or cancel it or revoke part of it. Carrying out the will is an important matter which was confirmed by Allaah and mentioned before other things, and there is a stern warning issued to those who change it.
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With regard to the distribution of personal belongings, he does not have the right to state how they should be distributed after he dies, because the share of each heir has been defined by Allaah, and He has explained who inherits and who does not inherit. So it is not permitted for any person to transgress the limits set by Allaah, because Allaah has warned against doing that. Allaah says in Soorat al-Nisaa (interpretation of the meaning): Allaah commands you as regards your childrens (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; if (there are) only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of inheritance to each if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers or (sisters), the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies he may have bequeathed or debts. You know not which of them, whether your parents or your children, are nearest to you in benefit; (these fixed shares) are ordained by Allaah. And Allaah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise. In that which your wives leave, your share is a half if they have no child; but if they leave a child, you get a fourth of that which they leave after payment of legacies that they may have bequeathed or debts. In that which you leave, their (your wives) share is a fourth if you leave no child; but if you leave a child, they get an eighth of that which you leave after payment of legacies that you may have bequeathed or debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third, after payment of legacies he (or she) may have bequeathed or debts, so that no loss is caused (to anyone). This is a Commandment from Allaah; and Allaah is Ever All-Knowing, Most-Forbearing. These are the limits (set by) Allaah (or ordainments as regards laws of inheritance), and whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad) will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and that will be the great success. And whosoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment*alNisaa 4:11-14] And Allaah knows best. For more information, see al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi by Saalih al-Fawzaan, 2/172-182 There is no reason why you should not give your nephews and nieces whatever you want of your wealth whilst you are alive. As they are not your own children, you are not obliged to give to them all equally. You can give gifts to those whom you love and to whomever you wish, or to whoever among them is in need according to his or her need. Try to give to those who are religiously committed in ways that will help them to obey Allaah. It is also permitted to bequeath to them one-third or less of your wealth so long as they are not your heirs. And Allaah knows best. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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155. What is the shari wording of the will?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/69827 Detailed Question: There is a wording for the will that can be found on some websites on the Internet. I would like to know whether this is prescribed in shareeah. Do you have a specific wording for the will? Praise be to Allaah. Al-Bukhaari (2738) and Muslim (1627) narrated from Abd-Allah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: It is not right for a Muslim man who has anything that he wants to bequeath, to stay for more than two nights without having his will written with him. Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: In this hadeeth there is encouragement to make a will, and the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is enjoined, but our view and the view of the majority is that it is recommended and not obligatory. Dawood and other literalists said: It is obligatory, because of this hadeeth, but they have no evidence to that effect. It does not clearly state that it is obligatory, but if a person owes a debt or is owed something or has something deposited with him for safekeeping and so on, then he has to leave instructions concerning it. Al-Shaafai (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The meaning of the hadeeth is: It is more appropriate for the Muslim to have his will written with him, and it is mustahabb to do it sooner rather than later, and to write it when he is in good health and to have it witnessed; he should write in it what he needs, and if something new comes up that needs a will, he should add it to it. They said: He does not have to write down every day the minor matters and transactions that may happen on a daily basis. End quote. Wills are of two types: Obligatory will, in which a person explains what he owes and what is owed to him of rights, such as a debt, loan and items entrusted to his care; or rights that he is owed by other people. In this case the will is obligatory to protect his wealth and to absolve himself of responsibility. Recommended will, which is purely voluntary, such as a will in which a man bequeaths one third or less of his wealth to a relative who is not an heir, or to someone else; or a will giving instructions concerning righteous deeds of charity to the poor and needy, or other good causes. See: Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 16/264. A man may give instructions to his family with regard to matters having to do with his funeral, such as who will wash him, who will offer the prayer for him and so on. He can also instruct them to refrain from bidahs and innovated matters, and to avoid wailing and other forbidden actions, especially if he knows that they might do some of these things.
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This is indicated in the report narrated by Muslim (121), according to which Amr ibn al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) said when he was dying: If I die, do not let any wailing woman or fire accompany me. And al-Tirmidhi (986) and Ibn Maajah (1476) narrated that Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If I die, do not inform anyone of it, for I am afraid that that would be a public death announcement. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbidding making public death announcements. This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. Ahmad (10141) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If I die, do not set up a tent over me, and do not follow me with fire; hasten to send me to my Lord, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: When the slave or righteous man is placed on his bier, he says: Take me forward, take me forward. But when the bad man is placed on his bier, he says: Woe to you, where are you taking me? This hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shuayb al-Arnaoot in Tahqeeq al-Musnad. Al-Haakim narrated in al-Mustadrak (1409) that Qays ibn Aasim (may Allah be pleased with him) left instructions when he died saying: If I die, do not wail over me, for there was no wailing over the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Al-Haakim said: This is a hadeeth with a saheeh isnaad, although they [al-Bukhaari and Muslim] did not narrate it. AlDhahabi said in al-Talkhees: It is saheeh. This and other reports indicate that it is prescribed to make a will concerning some matters having to do with the funeral or warning against wailing, and so on. But there is no specific wording for the will to which a person has to adhere; rather he may leave instructions in whatever way is appropriate for his situation and that of his family, and regarding what he is owed and what he owes, as mentioned above. What matters is that one should not believe that there is some specific wording mentioned in some report that must be used. The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked about the will that appears in the pamphlet, This is my Islamic will. They replied: After reading the will mentioned, we did not find anything in it that is contrary to shareeah, but wording it in a specific way and distributing it among people gives the impression that it is mustahabb for every individual to mention in his will what is mentioned in that will, or to buy this will and give it to one who will take care of his estate after he dies, even though there is no need for that, because the rulings on funerals are to be found in the books of fiqh and the one who needs to know them may refer to those books without having to follow any specific wording, especially since the Muslims in this land, praise be to Allah, are following the Sunnah with regard to the rulings on funerals. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 16/289. And Allah knows best.
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Islam Q&A
156. Is it permissible for the heirs to agree on males and females taking equal shares?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/12221 Detailed Question: Most of the questions posted talked about a husband/father as the deceased. In my case, it was my mother who passed away and she left some cash & properties behind for the family. As the eldest child ( a daughter ) I was given the task to administer the distribution accordingly. For yr info: i) my mother was a muslim convert. When she died, she left behind a sister & 2 brothers ( all of whom are non-muslims)Her parents had deceased. ii) There are 5 children out of my mother, 3 daughters & 2 sons, one of which is underaged ( according to my country's interpretation of Islamic Law - 18 yrs old is considered an adult. Anything below that is considered a minor )Hence the appointment of legal guardian will have to be considered. iii) my mother's husband, the father of my 4 siblings is still alive. I came from a different father who died when I was 18 months old. My mother then remarried my stepfather and was legally his only wife until the day she died. How shall the wealth be divided and distributed according to Syariah Law ? Another question: I was informed that though distribution of wealth of a muslim deceased is governed by Islamic Law, if the eligible heirs agreed to distribute the said wealth according to their own arrangement, their decision will overwrite the Law itself. Is that true? If it does, what is the right procedure to do it? Shall the wealth be first distributed according to the Law, and later re-distributed according to the earlier agreement or can the wealth be distributed according to the heirs' arrangement straight-away? Please explain in details because I want to make sure I take this responsibility as accorded by the Law. Anything less than that means I am answerable to Allah in life after death! May Allah Bless all of us generously! Praise be to Allaah. It is essential to point out something, which is that you say in your question, Syariah *Shareeah+ Law. This is not a good expression, so perhaps you should use the phrase Rulings of Islamic shareeah instead. With regard to your question, it is clear from your question that the inheritance is limited to your mothers husband, yourself and your siblings, and that the number of males is two and the number of females is three.
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You can easily divide the wealth into 12 shares, of which your mothers husband will take three shares, and the rest will be shared out among you and your siblings, with each male getting the share of two females. (Or you may divide the remainder into seven shares, giving two shares to each male and one share to each female). So if the amount is 10,000 (ten thousand), and you take away 2500 for (your mothers) husband, that leaves 7500 to be divided by seven. So each share will be approximately 1071.5, which will be the share of each female. Multiplied by 2 it makes 2143, which will be the share of each male. This is how the inheritance is to be divided if each of the heirs wants to take the share prescribed for him by Allaah. But if the heirs agree amongst themselves to share the wealth equally amongst themselves, so that there will be no difference between the husband and the children, or between the males and females, this is permissible according to shareeah. With regard to how this may be implemented officially, that depends on the system in your country. Shaykh Sad al-Humayd .
157. What is narrated in saheeh ahaadeeth about the description of Munkar and Nakeer?
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/72400 Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: It is narrated in saheeh reports that the two angels whose task it is to question the deceased are black and blue, and one is called al-Munkar and the other is called al-Nakeer. Al-Tirmidhi (1071) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When the deceased or one of you is buried, there come to him two black and blue angels, one of whom is called al-Munkar and the other al-Nakeer. They say: What did you say about this man? and he says what he used to say: He is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. They say: We knew that you would say that. Then his grave is made spacious for him, seventy cubits by seventy, and it is illuminated for him. Then it is said to him: Sleep, and he says: May I go back to my family and tell them? They say: Sleep like the bridegroom who will be woken by none but the dearest of his family to him, until Allaah raises him from that resting-place of his. But if he is a hypocrite he says: I heard the people saying something so I said something like what they said. I do not know. They say: We knew that you would say that. Then it is said to
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the earth: Squeeze him. So it squeezes him until his ribs interlock, and he will continue to be tormented therein until Allaah raises him from that resting-place of his. This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. With regard to the hadeeth of Umar to which you refer, it was narrated via daeef (weak) isnaads, such as the mursal report narrated by Abd al-Razzaaq in his Musannaaf (6738) from Amr ibn Dinar, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Umar: How will you deal, O Umar, with the two testers in the grave, when they come to you digging the earth with their eyeteeth, stepping on their hair (because it is so long), their eyes like dazzling lightning and their voices like deafening thunder, with a whip so heavy that if the whole world were to gather together to lift it, they would not be able? Umar said: I will be as I am today. He said: As you are today? He said: Then I shall take care of them for you, in sha Allaah. Al-Iraaqi said in Takhreej al-Ihya (4/223): This was narrated like this, as a mursal report, by Ibn Abil-Dunya in Kitaab al-Quboor, and its men are thiqaat (trustworthy). Al-Bayhaqi said in alItiqaad: We have narrated it via a saheeh isnaad in a mursal report from Ata ibn Yasaar. I say: Ibn Battah narrated it in a mawsool report in al-Ibaanah, from the hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas, and it was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in al-Itiqaad from the hadeeth of Umar, but he said it is ghareeb with this isnaad, which was narrated only by Mufaddal. Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan also narrated from the hadeeth of Abd-Allaah ibn Umar that Umar said: Will our awareness be restored to us? He said: Yes, just as you are today. Umar said: Then I will throw a stone in his mouth. end quote. Professor Fareej ibn Saalih al-Bahlaal said in his commentary on al-Itiqaad by al-Bayhaqi (p. 254), after referring to the daeef isnaad: Perhaps by virtue of these isnaads and corroborating reports its isnaad may be hasan. End quote. Secondly: The questions which the angels put to the deceased in his grave are: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this man who was sent among you? See also question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/10403 and http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22203 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
158. If a woman passes by a graveyard, should she say salaam to the occupants?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/31908 We know that women are not allowed to visit graveyards but what do you say about a woman who passes alongside the wall of the graveyard when she is on her way somewhere and she can
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see the graves should she recite the duaa narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or is she not allowed to, or what should she do?. Praise be to Allaah. There is nothing wrong with her reciting the duaa narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (Al-salaamu alaykum ahl al-diyaar) and there is no sin on her, because she is not intending to visit the graves and she has not entered the graveyard, rather she is just passing by unintentionally. From Madha tafal fil-haalaat al-aatiyah, p. 18.
159. Womens bad behaviour in graveyards

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/4024 Detailed Question: What is the ruling on reciting Quraan and wailing over graves, and mentioning things that are not appropriate, and on women uncovering their faces with men around them? Praise be to Allaah. Wailing is forbidden for both men and women according to the well-known imaams. It was reported in al-Saheeh that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: If the woman who wails does not repent before she dies, on the Day of Resurrection she will be wearing a garment of scabs and pants made of melted tar. In al-Sunan it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the woman who wails and the one who listens to her. In al-Saheeh it is reported that he said: He is not one of us who strikes his cheeks, rends his garments and says things like the people of Jaahiliyyah say. For women to uncover their faces where strangers (i.e., men to whom they are not related) can see them is not permitted. The man who is in charge must enjoin what is good and forbid this evil and others. Whoever does not refrain from doing this should be punished in such a way as to make them stop, especially women who wail at gravesides, because this is a sin that is hated by Allaah and His Messenger, as it involves panic, lamenting and wailing. It hurts the dead and causes fitnah (trial, temptation) to the living, and consumes peoples wealth unlawfully. It makes people forget about the patience and hope for reward enjoined upon them by Allaah, and it may lead to evil deeds. The Muslims should put a stop to such practices. And Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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***160. How can he seek the forgiveness of one who has died?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/2470 Detailed Question: My grandmother died 4 years ago. I have grown up in front of her and have great memories of her. She taught me to pray and said great and wise things, I have tremendous love for her. I foolishly did something that I should not have, for which I am really sorry. I may have humiliated her in a way, but she didn't say any thing about it. I haven't had a chance to ask her forgiveness, I have repented to my sin. I constantly ask Allah to forgive me. Is there a way to ask my grandmother for forgiveness now? I have given great thought to it, but I am unable to come up with any suitable solution. I would be grateful if you guide me in this matter. I ask Allah for forgiveness and guidance for all who are alive and dead. Praise be to Allaah. Since your grandmother has died and gone to her Lord, you cannot know whether she has forgiven you or not. There is no way that you can ask for her forgiveness now that she has died. This confirms the importance of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Whoever has wronged his brother with regard to his honour or something, let him ask him for forgiveness before the time when there will be neither dinar nor dirham, and if he has any good deeds it will be taken from him in proportion to the wrong he did, and if he does not have any good deeds (hasanaat), some of the other person's evil deeds (sayiaat) will be taken and given to him to bear. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2296). Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on this hadeeth: Whoever has wronged his brother i.e., if he has done something wrong to his brother. with regard to his honour or something i.e., anything else this includes all kinds of wealth and wounding, even a slap in the face and so on. According to a report narrated by al-Tirmidhi, with regard to his honour or his wealth. Before the time when there will be neither dinar nor dirham i.e., the Day of Resurrection. Some of the other person's evil deeds (sayiaat) will be taken i.e., they will be taken from the account of the person who was wronged and given to him to bear i.e., they will be added to the account of the wrongdoer. Muslim also narrated a hadeeth similar in meaning to this through a different isnaad. This version is clearer in meaning: The one who is bankrupt among my ummah is the one who will come on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting and zakaah to his credit, but he will come having slandered one person and shed the blood of another and wrongfully consumed the wealth of a third, so (his victims) will be given some of his hasanaat (good deeds), and if his
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hasanaat run out before the score is settled, some of their sins will be taken and thrown onto him, and he will be thrown into Hell. According to a report also narrated by al-Bukhaari from Abu Hurayrah, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever has done wrong to his brother, let him seek his forgiveness, because in the Hereafter there will be no dinar or dirham, and let him ask for his forgiveness before some of his hasanaat are taken and given to his brother, and if he has no hasanaat, some of his brothers sayiaat will be taken and thrown onto him. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6053) Abu Naeem reported from Ibn Masood that a person will be taken by the hand and made to stand before all of mankind, and a caller will cry out: This is So and so the son of So and so. Whoever is owed anything by him, let him come forward. So they will come forward, and the Lord will say, Give them what is due to them. He will say, O Lord, the world is finished, so how can I give them anything? He *Allaah+ will say to the angels, Take from his righteous deeds and give each one what he is asking for. If he is to be saved and there is even a mustardseed worth of his hasanaat left over, Allaah will multiply it until He admits him thereby to Paradise. Ahmad and al-Haakim reported from Jaabir from Abd-Allaah ibn Unays, who attributed it to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): No one of the people of Paradise will be allowed to enter Paradise when one of the people of Hell has been wronged by him, until I settle the score, even with regard to a slap in the face. We *the Sahaabah+ said: O Messenger of Allaah, how will that be, when we will be gathered barefoot and naked? He said, By virtue of sayiaat and hasanaat. (Fath al-Baari Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari). In any case, you have taken a very important step, which is repenting to Allaah. If you sincerely repent to Him and do as much as you can to honour your grandmother (for more details, see Question #763), and she sees in her record (on the Day of Judgement) that you sought forgiveness for her, perhaps she will forgive you on that Day if she had not already forgiven you in this world. Make lots of duaa for her. May Allaah forgive us all. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
**161. Salutations at graves

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/34561 Detailed Question: What are the salutations done at graves? Is there any difference in greeting the Prophets and Martyrs at graves? Is it right to say As-salamu ^alaykum ya rasula Allah' on Prophets grave and Asslam-o-Alaikum ya Ahlol Quboor at the entrance of the graveyard or Does it count as Shirk?
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Praise be to Allaah. Visiting graves is mustahabb for men, because according to the hadeeth of Buraydah ibn alHusayb, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: I used to forbid you to visit graves, but now visit them. (Narrated by Muslim, 977). According to another report, for they will remind you of the Hereafter. (Narrated by Ahmad, 1240; Ibn Maajah, 1569; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh ibn Maajah). When visiting the graves it is mustahabb to greet the occupants of the graves with salaam and to make duaa for them saying the words that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach his companions. It was narrated that Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): O Messenger of Allaah, what should I say to them (i.e., to the occupants of the graves)? He said, Say: Alsalaamu ala ahl il-diyaar min al-mumineen wal-Muslimeen, wa yarham Allaah almustaqdimeena minna wal-mustakhireen, wa innaa in sha Allaah bikum la laahiqoon (Peace be upon the inhabitants of the graves, believers and Muslims. May Allaah have mercy upon those who have gone ahead of us and those who come later on, and verily we will, in sha Allaah, join you). Narrated by Muslim, 974. It was narrated from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach them, when they went out to the graveyard, to say: Al-salaamu alaykum ahl al-diyaar min al-mumineen wal-Muslimeen, wa inna in sha Allaah lalaahiqoon. Asal Allaah lana wa lakum al-aafiyah (Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the graves, believers and Muslims. Verily we will, in sha Allaah, join you. I ask Allaah for well-being for us and for you). With regard to the graves of the Sahaabah, he should say the same duaas as described above; there is no special duaa for that. With regard to visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his two companions Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them), what was narrated from the Sahaabah is to greet them with salaam. Ibn Umar used to say, Al-salaamu alayka ya Rasool-Allaah, al-salaam alayka ya Aba Bakr, al-salaamu alayka ya abati (O my father), then he would go away. This was classed as saheeh by al-Haafiz ibn Hajar. Some of the scholars added to that: Al-salaamu alayka ya kheerat Allaah min khalqihi, alsalaamu alayka ya sayyid al-mursaleen, ash-hadu annaka ballaghta al-risaalah (Peace be upon you, whom Allaah chose from among His creation; peace be upon you O leader of the Messengers, I bear witness that you indeed conveyed the message). See al-Adhkaar by al-Nawawi, p. 174; al-Mughni, 5/466 Al-Tabari said: If the visitor says the above longer version, there is nothing wrong with that, but following the example (of the Sahaabah) is better, i.e., limiting oneself to what was narrated from the Sahaabah is better.
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Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Manaasik al-Hajj wal-Umrah: After (the pilgrim) prays upon arrival in the Prophets Mosque as much as Allaah wills he should pray, he should go and send salaams upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his two companions Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them). 1 He should stand in front of the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), facing the grave and with his back towards the qiblah, and say, Al-salaamu alayka ayyuhal-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allaah). If he wants to add something appropriate there is nothing wrong with that, such as saying, Al-salaamu alayka ya khaleel-Allaah wa ameenahu ala waheehi wa kheeratahu min khalqihi, ash-hadu annaka qad ballaghta al-risaalah wa addayta alamaanah wa nasahta al-ummah wa jaahadta fi Allaahi haqqa jihaadihi (Peace be upon you, O close friend of Allaah, the one with whom He entrusted His revelation and the one whom He chose from among His creation. I bear witness that you conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, sincerely advised the ummah and strove with all your might for the sake of Allaah). But if he limits himself to the first salutation, that is good. Ibn Umar used to say Al-salaamu alayka ya Rasool-Allaah, al-salaam alayka ya Aba Bakr, al-salaamu alayka ya abati (O my father), then he would go away 2 Then he should take one step to his right so that he is in front of Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) and say, Al-salaamu alayka ya Aba Bakr, al-salaamu alayka ya khaleefat Rasool-illaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fi ummatihi, radiya Allaahu anka wa jazaaka an ummati Muhammadin khayran (Peace be upon you, O Abu Bakr, peace be upon you O successor of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his ummah, may Allaah be pleased with you and reward you with good on behalf of Muhammad). 3 Then he should take one step to his right so that he is in front of Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) and say, Al-salaamu alayka ya Umar, al-salaamu alayka ya ameer almumineen, radiya Allaahu anka wa jazaaka an ummati Muhammadin khayran (Peace be upon you, O Umar, peace be upon you, O leader of the believers, may Allaah be pleased with you and reward you with good on behalf of Muhammad). But he should send salaams upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his two companions with proper etiquette and in a low voice, for raising the voice in the mosque is forbidden, especially in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and at his grave. Manaasik al-Hajj wal-Umrah wal-Mashroo fil-Ziyaarah, p. 107, 108 If a person says al-salaamu alayum when visiting graves, and says, Al-salaamu alayka ya Rasool-Allaah when visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), this is not considered to be shirk, because it is not a prayer to the dead or seeking their help. Rather it is duaa for them, praying that Allaah may keep them safe from all the dangers
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that a person may encounter after death, such as the torment of the grave, the resurrection, the reckoning and the horrors of the Hereafter. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allaah knows best. See Zaad al-Mustanqi, 5/473; Ashraat al-Saaah by Dr. Yoosuf al-Waabil, p. 337. Islam Q&A
***162. It is haraam for women to visit the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/36812 Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: That is not permissible for them, because of the general meaning of the ahaadeeth which forbid women to visit graves and which curse them for doing so. The difference of opinion concerning women visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is well known, but if they refrain from doing so that is more on the safe side and more in accordance with the Sunnah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not make any exception in the case of his grave or the grave of anyone else. Rather he forbade them in general terms, and cursed those women who do that. So we should follow the general meaning so long as there is no text that specifically exempts his grave, and there is no such text. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 17/419.
163. Is it permissible to pray for one who committed suicide?

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/45617 Praise be to Allaah. Killing oneself is a major sin, and there are stern warnings addressed to the one who does that, but it does not put one beyond the pale of Islam. In the Sunnah it shows that it is permissible for ordinary people to offer the funeral prayer for one who commits suicide, but it is prescribed for the elite, such as scholars and prominent figures, not to offer the funeral prayer for him, as a rebuke and so as to deter others from doing likewise. It was narrated that Jaabir ibn Samurah said: A man who had killed himself with a broad, sharp-edged arrow was brought to the
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Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he did not offer the funeral prayer for him. Narrated by Muslim (978). Al-Nawawi said: The scholars said: this hadeeth is to be understood as a deterrent to suicide, just as he did not offer the funeral prayer for one who was in debt, but the Sahaabah offered the funeral prayer for the debtor on the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). That was in order to deter others from getting into debt, not because he was a kaafir. According to Maalik it is makrooh to offer the funeral prayer for one who has been stoned to death as a hadd punishment, and one who was immoral, as an expression of disapproval. Sharh Muslim, 7/47. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about a man who claimed to be a holy man, then he saw a snake and some of the people wanted to kill it, but he stopped them, then he picked up the snake trying to do a miraculous deed, but the snake bit him and he died. Is it permissible to offer the funeral prayer for him or not? He replied: Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. The scholars and people who are religiously committed should not pray for this man and others like him, but the ordinary people should pray for him, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) refrained from praying for a man who had committed suicide, and one who had stolen from the war-booty, but he said: Pray for your companion. They said to Samurah ibn Jundub: Your son did not sleep last night. He said, Was it because he ate too much? They said: Yes. He said: If he had died I would not have prayed for him. Samurah explained that if he died because he had eaten too much, he would not pray for him, because he would have killed himself by eating too much. And it is more appropriate that the scholars and those who are religiously-committed should refrain from offering the funeral prayer for this man who prevented others from killing the snake, and held it in his hand until it killed him, because he killed himself. Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 3/20, 21 Shaykh al-Islam also said: If a person refrains from praying for one of them i.e., the one who stole from the war-booty, the one who killed himself and the debtor as a deterrent to others from doing likewise, then that is good. But if he refrains from praying for him in public but makes duaa for him in private, then he will achieve two ends, which is better than omitting one of them. Al-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Ilmiyyah, p. 52. Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz was asked: Can the funeral prayer be offered for one who kills himself? He replied: Some of the Muslims should pray for him, as for any other sinner, because he is still a Muslim according to Ahl al-Sunnah.
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Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 13/162. And he was asked: Should one who killed himself be washed and the funeral prayer offered for him? He replied: The one who killed himself should be washed and the funeral prayer offered for him, and he should be buried with the Muslims, because he is a sinner, but he is not a kaafir; killing oneself is a sin, it is not kufr. If a person kills himself Allaah forbid he should be washed and shrouded, and the funeral prayer offered for him, but the ruler and important figures should refrain from offering the funeral prayer for him as an act of denunciation, lest anyone think that they approve of what he did. If the caliph, ruler, judges, governor, mayor etc do not offer the funeral prayer for him as an act of denunciation and a declaration that this was wrong, then that is a good thing, but some of the worshippers should offer the prayer for him. Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 13/122; Fataawa Islamiyyah, 2/62 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
164. Ruling on suicide and on offering the funeral prayer and praying for one who has committed suicide
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/70363 Praise be to Allaah. Suicide is a major sin. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stated that the one who commits suicide will be punished with something like that with which he killed himself. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever throws himself down from a mountain and kills himself will be in the Fire of Hell, throwing himself down therein for ever and ever. Whoever takes poison and kills himself, his poison will be in his hand and he will be sipping it in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever kills himself with a piece of iron, that piece of iron will be in his hand and he will be stabbing himself in the stomach with it in the Fire of Hell, for ever and ever. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5442; Muslim, 109. It was narrated from Thaabit ibn al-Dahhaak (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever kills himself with something in this world will be punished with it on the Day of Resurrection. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5700; Muslim, 110.
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It was narrated that Jundub ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Among those who came before you there was a man who was wounded and he panicked, so he took a knife and cut his hand with it, and the blood did not stop flowing until he died. Allaah said: My slave hastened to bring about his demise; I have forbidden Paradise to him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3276; Muslim, 113. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) refrained from offering the funeral prayer for one who had committed suicide, as a punishment to him and so as to deter others from doing what he had done. But he gave the people permission to offer the funeral prayer for him, so it is Sunnah for the people of knowledge and virtue not to offer the funeral prayer for one who has committed suicide, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was narrated that Jaabir ibn Samurah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: A man who had killed himself with a broad arrow-head was brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he did not offer the funeral prayer for him. Narrated by Muslim, 978. This hadeeth is evidence for those who say that the funeral prayer should not be offered for one who killed himself because of his sin. This is the view of Umar ibn Abd al-Azeez and alAwzaai. But al-Hasan, al-Nakhai, Qataadah, Maalik, Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafai and the majority of scholars said that the funeral prayer should be offered for him. They responded to this hadeeth by pointing out that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer the funeral prayer for him himself so as to deter the people from doing something similar, but the Sahaabah offered the funeral prayer for him. End quote. Sharh Muslim, 7/47 This does not mean if it is proven that your cousin did commit suicide that you should not pray for mercy and forgiveness for her, rather you must do that because she needs that. Suicide is not kufr that puts a person beyond the pale of Islam as some people think, rather it is a major sin that is subject to the will of Allaah on the Day of Resurrection: if He wills, He will forgive it, and if He wills He will punish for it. So do not neglect to make duaa for her and be sincere in doing so; perhaps that may be the means of Allaah forgiving her. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
***165. Rulings on miscarried foetus

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/71161 Detailed Question: My daughter died in the womb after seven months of pregnancy. Should we have offered aqeeqah for her? Because aqeeqah was not done for her. Should she have been given a name? Because she was not given a name.
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My husband only washed her and shrouded her, and offered the funeral prayer for her and buried her. Is what he did correct? But now my husband has divorced me. Can I offer aqeeqah for her if it is obligatory?. Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: You should note that patience in acceptance the divine will and decree is one of the attitudes of the righteous, and acceptance of Allaahs decree is one of the characteristics of those who are close to Him. The best way in which a person can respond to calamity is to say, Al-hamdu Lillaah, innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raajioon (Praise be to Allaah, verily we belong to Allaah and unto Him is our return). The best that we can tell you is that which was narrated from Abu Moosa al-Ashari (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: When the child of a person dies, Allaah says to His angels: You have taken the soul of the child of My slave? They say: Yes. He says: You have taken the apple of his eye? They say: Yes. He says: What did My slave say? They say: He praised You and said innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raajioon. And Allaah says: Build for My slave a house in Paradise, and call it the house of praise. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1021; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The death of one of one's children is a screen against the Fire, and the same applies to miscarriage, and Allaah knows best. Al-Majmoo, 5/287; see also Haashiyat Ibn Aabideen, 2/228 It was narrated from Muaadh ibn Jabal that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the miscarried foetus will drag his mother by his umbilical cord to Paradise, if she (was patient and) sought reward (for her loss). Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1609; classed as daeef by al-Nawawi in al-Khulaasah (2/1066) and al-Boosayri, but classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. See also question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/5226. Secondly: The scholars are unanimously agreed that if the child is known to have lived and he made a sound, then he should be washed and shrouded and the funeral prayer offered for him.
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Consensus on this point was narrated by Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Qudaamah in al-Mughni (2/328) and al-Kaasaani in Bidaai al-Sanaai, 1/302. Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo (5/210): He should be shrouded like an adult, with three pieces of cloth. But if the child did not make a sound, then in the answer to questions no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13198 and http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13985 we have explained that what matters in this case is whether the soul had been breathed into the foetus or not, which happens after four months of pregnancy. If the soul has been breathed into him then he should be washed and shrouded, and the funeral prayer should be offered for him, but if the soul has not been breathed into him, then he should not be washed and the funeral prayer should not be offered for him. See: al-Mughni, 2/328; al-Insaaf, 2/504. Thirdly: With regard to offering aqeeqah for a miscarried foetus if he had reached the age of four months gestation, the scholars differed as to whether this is prescribed in Islam. In the answer to questions no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/12475 and http://islamqa.com/en/ref/50106, we stated that the scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas, and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen, favoured the view that it is prescribed and is mustahabb. They are also of the view that the child should be given a name. Fourthly: The one who is commanded to do the aqeeqah is the one who is obliged to spend on the child, namely the father if he is present; if he refuses to do that then there is nothing wrong with someone else doing it, such as the mother. It says in al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah (30/279): The Shaafais are of the view that the aqeeqah is required from the one who is obliged to spend on the child, and he should pay for it from his own wealth, not the childs wealth. No one who is not obliged to spend on the child should do it, except with permission from the one who is obliged to spend on him. The Hanbalis stated that no one should do the aqeeqah except the father, unless he cannot do it because he is deceased or he is refusing to do it. If someone other than the father does it, that is not makrooh, but it is not an aqeeqah. The only reason why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did the aqeeqah for al-Hasan and al-Husayn was because he is closer to the believers than their own selves. End quote. If the father is alive and can afford it, then he is advised to offer the aqeeqah on behalf of the child. If he refuses or he gives the mother permission to do the aqeeqah, then that is Islamically acceptable.
209
Conclusion: what your husband did, washing and shrouding her and offering the funeral prayer for her is correct and is prescribed in Islam, but you still have to give her a name and offer the aqeeqah on her behalf. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
166. Before she died, my wife miscarried a foetus aged four months. She took the foetus and buried it without praying for it. Please advise me as to whether I have to do anything.
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13985 Praise be to Allaah. The foetus should have been washed, shrouded and prayed for, according to the correct scholarly view, so long as it had reached the age of four months, because of the general meaning of the report narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi from al-Mugheerah ibn Shubah (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The miscarried foetus should be prayed for. But the time for doing that has passed, so you do not have to do anything. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas.
167. Is there any report that more souls are taken during Shabaan?
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/113939 Praise be to Allaah. What is mentioned in some reports is that the names of those for whom death has been decreed in the coming year are all revealed to the Angel of Death in the month of Shabaan, and that he is told of their names in scrolls from Allaah, or that the annual decree of peoples deaths is written in Shabaan, so death is decreed in this month according to these reports. But these reports and ahaadeeth are all weak (daeef), so they should not be relied upon and no attention should be paid to their contents. Al-Qaadi Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: There is no reliable hadeeth about Laylat al-Nusf min Shabaan (the fifteenth of Shabaan) or about its virtues, or that peoples deaths are decreed on this day, so no attention should be paid to that. End quote. Ahkaam al-Quraan (4/117):
210
This has been discussed previously, and we have quoted comments of the scholars on this topic in the answers to questions no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/8907, http://islamqa.com/en/ref/49675 and http://islamqa.com/en/ref/49678. We will quote here some of the reports quoted by al-Suyooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) which speak of the decree of death during Shabaan, in his book al-Durr al-Manthoor (7/401401), and we will comment briefly on each report. He (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Ibn Jareer, Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Abi Haatim narrated via Muhammad ibn Sooqah from Ikrimah: Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments *al-Dukhaan 44:4]. He said: On the night before the fifteenth of Shabaan, the affairs of the year are decreed, and death is decreed for some people, and it is decreed who is going to perform Hajj, and no name will be added to or omitted from whatever is decreed. This is contrary to the correct view and interpretation of the verse on which the salaf were agreed, which is that what is meant thereby is Laylat al-Qadar. This has been discussed in the answer to question no. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/11722 Ibn Zanjawayh and al-Daylami narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Death is decreed from one Shabaan to another, even if a man gets married and a child is born to him when his name is among those who are going to die. This was classed as daeef by al-Shawkaani in Fath al-Qadeer (4/801); al-Albaani said in al-Silsilat al-Daeefah (no. 6607): It is munkar. Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated that Ata ibn Yasaar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast in any month more than he did in Shabaan, and this is because death is decreed for some people in that month for the coming year. This is mursal and daeef. Abu Yala narrated from Aaishah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast all of Shabaan, and she asked him about that and he said: Allaah decrees in it every soul who will die that year, and I want the decree of my death to come to me when I am fasting. This was narrated by Abu Yala in al-Musnad (8/311). Its isnaad includes Suwayd ibn Saeed alHadathaani, and Muslim ibn Khaalid al-Zanji, and Tareef, all of whom are classed as daeef in books of narrators biographies. Al-Deenoori narrated in al-Mujaalasah from Raashid ibn Sad that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: On the night before the fifteenth of Shaban, Allaah reveals to the angel of death to take the soul of every person whom He wants to take (in death) that year. Al-Mujaalisah wa Jawaahir al-Ilm (p. 206). It is mursal and was classed as daeef by al-Albaani in Daeef al-Jaami (no. 4019).
211
Ibn Jareer and al-Bayhaqi in Shuab al-Eemaan narrated from al-Zuhri, that Uthmaan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Mugheerah ibn al-Akhnas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Death is decreed from one Shabaan to another, even if a man gets married and a child is born to him when his name is among those who are going to die. Shaykh al-Albaani said in al-Silsilat al-Daeefah (no. 6607): It is munkar. Ibn Abil-Dunya narrated that Ata ibn Yasaar said: When the night before the fifteenth of Shabaan comes, a scroll is given to the angel of death, and it is said: Take (the souls) of those who are mentioned in this scroll. A man may furnish a house and get married and build houses, but his name is already written among those who are to die. These are only the words of Ata; there is no isnaad for this report. Al-Khateeb and Ibn al-Najjaar narrated that Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast all of Shabaan, until he joined it to Ramadaan, and he did not fast any month in full except Shabaan. I said: O Messenger of Allaah, is Shabaan one of the dearest of months to you in which to fast? He said: Yes, O Aaishah, for there is no soul who is to die during the year but his death is decreed in Shabaan, and I want my death to be decreed when I am worshipping my Lord and doing righteous deeds. The version narrated by Ibn al-Najjaar says: O Aaishah, in it the angel of death writes down whose soul he will take, and I do not want my name to be written down except when I am fasting. Narrated by al-Khateeb in Tareekh Baghdaad (4/436). Its isnaad includes Abu Bilaal al-Ashari who was classed as daeef by al-Daraqutni, as it says in Mizaan al-Itidaal (4/507). It also includes Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Humayd al-Makhdoob, Abu Jafar al-Muqri, of whom alDaaraqutni said: he is not strong. So the hadeeth is daeef jiddan (very weak). To sum up: There is no saheeh hadeeth to suggest that there are more deaths in Shabaan. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
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ISLAMQA Ruling Compilation About The Dead

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ISLAMQA Ruling Compilation About The Dead

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ISLAMQA Rulings regarding Dying-Dead Person, Funeral Prayers, Burial Ceremonies, Visiting Graves etc.

May Allah Accept this effort

****7. What to do if someone dies suddenly in your house

9. Is the one who dies in a car accident a martyr (shaheed)?

10. What is the ruling on one who dies in a state of janaabah?

13. Ruling on extracting the foetus from a dead woman

14. Is there a reward for preparing the deceased for burial?

15. Taking the deceased back to his homeland

20. Is it permissible to be paid for washing the deceased?

21. Ghusl for deceased who is burned

25. How a woman is to be shrouded

26. Is it permissible to shroud a man in a chemise?

27. Should the shaheed be washed and shrouded?

32. Ruling on placing death notices on the board in the mosque

34. Reserving one's grave

36. Ruling on visiting a sick kaafir and attending his funeral

39. Ruling on reciting al-Faatihah during the Janaazah (funeral) prayer

42. Is the opening duaa prescribed in the funeral prayer?

44. Is it permissible to offer the funeral prayer in the mosque?

45. Ruling on women praying the janaazah (funeral) prayer

46. Funeral prayer for a child

47. Can one avoid funeral ceremony of a cruel Person?

56. When is it prescribed to offer the funeral prayer in absentia?

63. Carrying the deceased on a bier made of iron

64. Following the funeral processions of those who worshipped graves

66. Following the funeral procession of a kaafir

67. Attending the funeral of a non-Muslim relative in the church

69. What is the ruling on giving the adhaan at the graveside?

70. Ruling on burying the deceased in a coffin

**71. Is it permissible to bury the dead at night?

**73. According to the Sunnah, what should be said at the burial?

***78. Covering the grave of a woman when she is placed in it

82. It is not allowed to plant trees on graves

***83. It is not prescribed to put palm-leaf stalks or flowers on graves

87. Burial of one who dies at sea

89. Burying one who neglected prayer with the Muslims

90. Burying innovators in the graveyards of Ahl al-Sunnah

91. Burying a kaafir in the Muslim graveyard

92. Burying kaafirs

93. It is haraam to bury the dead inside mosques

And Allah knows best. Islam Q&A

94. Is it prescribed in Islam to give a speech or exhortation at the graveside?

**97. Is it permissible to buy land so that he may be buried in it when he dies?

And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A

99. Muslim being washed and buried with the kuffaar

Majmoo Fataawa Ibn Uthaymeen (17/194).

Adapted from Mukhtasar Ahkaam al-Janaaiz by al-Albaani

106. Wailing and visiting graves

107. Praying at graves and the conditions of intercession

109. Permissibility of women visiting graves

112. What is the ruling on walking in the graveyard wearing shoes?

113. Ruling on answering the call of nature in a graveyard

114. What is the ruling on a Muslim visiting the graves of kaafirs?

115. I wanted to know if it is wrong to miss someone who has died?

117. Can I offer udhiyah (sacrifice) on behalf of my deceased parents?.

**119. Ruling on reciting Quraan for another person, living or dead

120. Is a child obliged to pay off his parents debt?

122. Opening the grave and scattering seeds in it

123. Ruling on excavating graves

**128. Rulings on the mourning of a woman whose husband has died

133. Munkar (denounced) actions during mourning ceremonies

**134. Rulings on organizing a gathering to remember the deceased

135. Offering condolences to the family of a sinner