سنن ابي داود
Abu Dawud
كتاب الجنائزFunerals (Kitab Al-Janaiz)
باب الرَّجُلِ يَمُوتُ لَهُ قَرَابَةُ مُشْرِكٍChapter: If A Man’s Idolater Relative Dies.
Hadith 3214
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو إِسْحَاق ، عَنْ نَاجِيَةَ بْنِ كَعْبٍ ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " إِنَّ عَمَّكَ الشَّيْخَ الضَّالَّ قَدْ مَاتَ ، قَالَ : اذْهَبْ فَوَارِ أَبَاكَ ، ثُمَّ لَا تُحْدِثَنَّ شَيْئًا حَتَّى تَأْتِيَنِي ، فَذَهَبْتُ فَوَارَيْتُهُ ، وَجِئْتُهُ ، فَأَمَرَنِي ، فَاغْتَسَلْتُ وَدَعَا لِي " .
Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib: I said to the Prophet ﷺ: Your old and astray uncle has died. He said: Go and bury your father, and then do not do anything until you come to me. So I went, buried him and came to him. He ordered me (to take a bath), so I took a bath, and he prayed for me.
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊
This is a clear proof
that the uncle of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), Abu Talib, did not die upon Islam,
rather, he died upon disbelief.
Therefore, his funeral prayer was not performed.
Neither did the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) perform the funeral prayer,
nor did Ali (radi Allahu anhu), nor anyone else.
➋
Since Abu Talib remained a denier of the blessing of Islam and died upon polytheism (shirk),
there are no prescribed Islamic etiquettes for the shrouding and burial of such a person; even the word "burial" (dafn) has not been used.
➌
For a polytheist relative, simply placing him in a pit is sufficient.
➍
In such a situation, it is Sunnah to perform ritual bath (ghusl) after the burial.
➊
This is a clear proof
that the uncle of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), Abu Talib, did not die upon Islam,
rather, he died upon disbelief.
Therefore, his funeral prayer was not performed.
Neither did the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) perform the funeral prayer,
nor did Ali (radi Allahu anhu), nor anyone else.
➋
Since Abu Talib remained a denier of the blessing of Islam and died upon polytheism (shirk),
there are no prescribed Islamic etiquettes for the shrouding and burial of such a person; even the word "burial" (dafn) has not been used.
➌
For a polytheist relative, simply placing him in a pit is sufficient.
➍
In such a situation, it is Sunnah to perform ritual bath (ghusl) after the burial.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 3214
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
190. Commentary:
➊ This narration explicitly shows that Abu Talib died upon disbelief and polytheism (kufr wa shirk). Whose testimony could be more reliable than that of his son and nephew?
➋ If a person has died upon disbelief and polytheism, then it is incumbent upon his Muslim heirs to bury his body, but the Islamic method of shrouding and burial should not be adopted. Rather, after washing and covering the body in a non-Sunnah manner, the body should be buried. The Sunnah ablution (wudu), ritual bath (ghusl), Sunnah shroud (kafan), facing the qiblah, and supplications, etc., should be avoided.
➌ Since a disbeliever is impure (najas), and after death becomes even more impure, therefore, after washing and burying him, one should perform a ritual bath (ghusl) so that any splashes that may have fallen on the body or clothes are removed. Most scholars have considered this ritual bath to be recommended (mustahabb), but if the reason for the ritual bath is taken into account—especially since there is also a command to perform it—then to say it is obligatory (wajib) appears closer to what is correct. And Allah knows best.
➍ One should treat close relatives with kindness, even if they are disbelievers.
➊ This narration explicitly shows that Abu Talib died upon disbelief and polytheism (kufr wa shirk). Whose testimony could be more reliable than that of his son and nephew?
➋ If a person has died upon disbelief and polytheism, then it is incumbent upon his Muslim heirs to bury his body, but the Islamic method of shrouding and burial should not be adopted. Rather, after washing and covering the body in a non-Sunnah manner, the body should be buried. The Sunnah ablution (wudu), ritual bath (ghusl), Sunnah shroud (kafan), facing the qiblah, and supplications, etc., should be avoided.
➌ Since a disbeliever is impure (najas), and after death becomes even more impure, therefore, after washing and burying him, one should perform a ritual bath (ghusl) so that any splashes that may have fallen on the body or clothes are removed. Most scholars have considered this ritual bath to be recommended (mustahabb), but if the reason for the ritual bath is taken into account—especially since there is also a command to perform it—then to say it is obligatory (wajib) appears closer to what is correct. And Allah knows best.
➍ One should treat close relatives with kindness, even if they are disbelievers.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 190
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
(1) Your uncle Abu Talib, despite your efforts, passed away without accepting Islam. This caused great sorrow to you and to Ali (radi Allahu anhu), which is being expressed in the above words. Nevertheless, he continued to support you wholeheartedly and acted as a shield in front of the disbelievers. This is the reason why Allah, the Exalted, will also grant him some alleviation in the punishment.
(2) "Bury him" — Even a disbelieving relative should be buried, especially if he is a father, then he must be buried with respect. However, the prescribed (masnun) shrouding and burial rites are only for Muslims. Also, the grave of a disbeliever should be in a place separate from the graves of Muslims.
(2) "Bury him" — Even a disbelieving relative should be buried, especially if he is a father, then he must be buried with respect. However, the prescribed (masnun) shrouding and burial rites are only for Muslims. Also, the grave of a disbeliever should be in a place separate from the graves of Muslims.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 2008
