Does the Dead Hear the Sound of Footsteps? Ḥadīth, Qur’ān, and Narrator Analysis
1. Is the Ḥadīth “The Dead Hear the Sound of Footsteps” a Khabar al-Āḥād, and Is Khabar al-Āḥād Valid in ʿAqīdah?
- Yes, the ḥadīth is khabar al-āḥād (a report narrated by one chain in some levels).
- However, according to the principles of ḥadīth and ʿaqīdah, a khabar al-āḥād which reaches the level of authenticity (ṣaḥīḥ) is a valid proof in matters of creed as well.
- This narration is recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and is authentic, thus it can be used as a basis for belief.
2. Is the Ḥadīth in Conflict with the Following Qur’ānic Verses?
The ḥadīth states:
“When a person is buried and people walk away, he hears the sound of their sandals.” (Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Janāʾiz)
The verses in question are:
- ﴿لَا يَسْمَعُوْا دُعَآءَكُمْ﴾ – “…they do not hear your call.” [Fāṭir: 14]
- ﴿إِنَّكَ لَا تُسْمِعُ الْمَوْتَى﴾ – “Indeed, you cannot make the dead hear.” [al-Rūm: 52]
- ﴿وَمَا أَنتَ بِمُسْمِعٍ مَّن فِي الْقُبُورِ﴾ – “…and you cannot make those in the graves hear.” [Fāṭir: 22]
Explanation:
- These āyāt speak about general conditions — the dead do not hear people’s conversations, calls, or daʿwah.
- The ḥadīth describes a specific scenario — right after burial, when the deceased hears the sound of the departing footsteps.
- There is no contradiction; the Qur’ān does not deny this specific occurrence.
- Since there is no contradiction, the concept of naskh (abrogation) does not apply here.
3. Analysis of the Narrator ʿAbd al-Aʿlā and the Ibn Mājah Report
- In one isnād of the Bukhārī ḥadīth “hears the sound of sandals” (khabq al-niʿāl), the narrator ʿAbd al-Aʿlā appears.
- However, in another isnād within Bukhārī, this same ḥadīth is transmitted without ʿAbd al-Aʿlā.
- This means the authenticity of the ḥadīth is not dependent on ʿAbd al-Aʿlā alone.
- Regarding Ibn Mājah’s narration about “the verse of stoning and verse of adult breastfeeding being eaten by a goat”:
- This narration also contains ʿAbd al-Aʿlā.
- Scholars have graded that particular isnād as ḍaʿīf (weak).
- The weakness of one narration in which a narrator appears does not invalidate all narrations he transmits, especially when the other narration is supported by stronger, independent chains — as in the case of the khabq al-niʿāl ḥadīth in Bukhārī.
✅ Conclusion:
- The “hears the sound of sandals” narration is authentic and a valid proof, even in ʿaqīdah.
- It does not contradict the Qur’ān because the Qur’ānic negation concerns general hearing, whereas the ḥadīth describes a specific event after burial.
- The narrator ʿAbd al-Aʿlā’s presence in a weak Ibn Mājah narration does not affect the soundness of the Bukhārī narration, as it has multiple authentic chains.
