Abu Dawud

Benefits and Issues:
➊
It is Sunnah that after the burial, while returning, one should supplicate for forgiveness and steadfastness for the deceased at the grave.
The innovation (bid‘ah) of supplicating after walking forty steps away from the grave or cemetery is completely incorrect.
➋
The deceased is made to sit up alive in the grave,
and is questioned and answered.
Thus, this supplication is for steadfastness in that situation.

Prompting the Deceased to Recite the Shahada After Death

Question: Is it established to prompt the deceased to recite the Shahada after death?

Answer: When a monotheist Muslim passes away, it is Sunnah to supplicate for ease in reckoning and steadfastness for him after burying him in the grave. This was the practice of the Noble Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and his noble Companions radi Allahu anhum. As is narrated from Sayyiduna Uthman ibn Affan radi Allahu anhu, that when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would finish the burial of the deceased, he would say: “Pray for forgiveness for your brother and ask for steadfastness for him, for now he is being questioned.” [أبوداؤد، كتاب الجنائز: باب الاستغفار عند القبر للميت فى وقت الانصراف 3221، مستدرك حاكم 370/1، بيهقي 56/4]

Commenting on this hadith, Mawlana Shams al-Haq Azimabadi rahimahullah says:

«في الحديث مشروعية الاستغفار للميت عند الفراغ من دفنه وسؤال التثبيت له لانه يسئل فى تلك الحال» [عون المعبود 209/3]

“This hadith establishes the legitimacy of supplicating for forgiveness for the deceased at the time of finishing his burial, and also of asking for steadfastness for him, because he is being questioned in that very state.”

From this authentic hadith, it is clear that after burying the deceased, it is Sunnah to supplicate to Allah Almighty for his forgiveness. Other than this, prompting the deceased to recite the testimony of faith (Shahada) or prompting him regarding the questions and answers is not established from any authentic hadith.

In the commentary of this same hadith, Mawlana Ubaidullah Rahmani Mubarakpuri rahimahullah says:

“This hadith establishes the legitimacy of supplicating at the time of finishing the burial of the deceased, and of asking for steadfastness for him. Undoubtedly, the supplication of the living benefits the dead. There is no evidence in this hadith regarding prompting (talqin) at the time of burial, as is the custom among the Shafi’is, nor is there any authentic marfu’ hadith regarding talqin. And the narration reported from Abu Umamah radi Allahu anhu regarding this is weak and not a valid proof.” [مرعاة المفاتيح 230/1]

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah says:

“You sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would not sit by the grave for recitation, nor would you prompt the deceased as people do today.” [زاد المعاد 523/1]

In this context, the narration reported from Abu Umamah radi Allahu anhu that is presented is as follows:

Sa’id ibn Abdullah al-Awdi said: “I was present with Abu Umamah while he was in the throes of death. He said: ‘When I die, deal with me as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded. He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “When one of your brothers dies and you have leveled the earth over his grave, let one of you stand at the head of his grave and say: ‘O so-and-so, son of so-and-so!’ He hears but does not reply. Then say: ‘O so-and-so, son of so-and-so!’ He sits up straight. Then say: ‘O so-and-so, son of so-and-so!’ He says: ‘Guide us, may Allah have mercy on you,’ but you do not perceive it. Then say: ‘Remember that which you departed this world upon, the testimony that there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’ And it should be said to him: ‘Indeed, you were content with Allah as your Lord, with Islam as your religion, with Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as your Prophet, and with the Qur’an as your guide.’ For indeed, each of the two angels Munkar and Nakir will take his hand and say: ‘Come with us, we will not sit with one who has been prompted with his proof and evidence.’ Then Allah Almighty becomes his judge over them both.” A man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! What if he does not know his mother?’ He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ‘Then attribute him to Hawwa and say: “O so-and-so, son of Hawwa.”’” After narrating this, Imam Haythami rahimahullah says: “It was narrated by Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, and in its chain are narrators whom I do not know.” [مجمع الزوائد 48/3]

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah says:

“This hadith is not established as marfu’ (attributed to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).” [زاد المعاد 523/10]

Imam San’ani rahimahullah says:

“It is established from the words of the verifying Imams that this hadith is weak, and acting upon it is an innovation. Do not be deceived by the large number of people who do this.” [سبل السلام 773/2]

Imam Nawawi rahimahullah has also declared it weak. [المجموع 304/5]

Hafiz Iraqi rahimahullah has declared it weak. [إحياء العلوم 420/4]

Allamah Albani rahimahullah has declared it munkar (rejected). [سلسلة الأحاديث الضعيفة 64/2، 599]

Similarly, the following narration is also used as evidence for talqin at the grave, that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

«لقنوا موتاكم لا الٰه الا الله» [مسلم، كتاب الجنائز: باب تلقين الموتٰي لا اله الا الله 916]

“Prompt your dying ones to say: ‘There is no god but Allah.’”

This narration is found in detail in Sahih Ibn Hibban, from which it is clear that what is meant is to prompt the person near death to say “La ilaha illallah” so that his death occurs upon the testimony of monotheism.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

«لقنوا موتاكم لا الٰه الا الله من كان آخر كلامه لا الٰه الا الله عند الموت دخل الجنة يوما من الدهر وان اصابه قبل ذٰلك ما اصابه» [صحيح ابن حبان 719، الموارد]

“Prompt your dying ones to say: ‘La ilaha illallah.’ Whoever’s last words at the time of death are ‘La ilaha illallah’ will enter Paradise at some point, even if he is afflicted before that with whatever affliction he may face.”

From this authentic hadith, it is clear that the hadith «لقنوا موتاكم» does not mean at all that after his death, after burying him, he should be prompted to say “La ilaha illallah.” Rather, its clear meaning is that when a person is near death, he should be told to say “La ilaha illallah” so that it becomes a means for his entry into Paradise.

From the practice of the Noble Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as well, it is established to tell the person near death to say “La ilaha illallah.” There is a hadith from Anas radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam went to visit a man from Banu Najjar who was ill, and he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to him: «لا الٰه الا الله» Say. He said: “Is «لا الٰه الا الله» better for me to say?” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Yes!” [مسند أحمد 152/3، 154]

This hadith is authentic according to the conditions of Muslim.

Mawlana Ubaidullah Rahmani Mubarakpuri rahimahullah says:

«واما قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم لقنوا موتاكم لا الٰه الا الله فالمراد عند الموت لا عند دفن الميت» [مرعاة المفاتيح 230/1]

“The statement of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: ‘Prompt your dying ones to say La ilaha illallah’ refers to the time of death, not to the time after burial of the deceased.”

Because if «لا الٰه الا الله» departed this world knowing it, he will enter Paradise; after death, prompting «لا الٰه الا الله» will not be beneficial. From the above explanation, it is clear that there is no evidence from any authentic hadith for prompting the deceased after death, after burial, at the grave.

Among the Shafi’is, it is considered recommended, but there is no Shari’ah evidence for it. Among us, those who do this talqin are Hanafis, and even in the Hanafi school there is no justification for it.

It is stated in Fatawa Alamgiri:

“The manner of talqin is that at the time of death, before the soul reaches the throat, it should be said in a loud voice near him so that he hears it «أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللهِ» it should not be said: ‘Recite the kalima’ (rather, it should simply be recited), and this talqin which is done after death, according to us, in the apparent narration, it should not be done, as is mentioned in ‘Ayni Sharh al-Hidayah’ and ‘Mi’raj al-Dirayah.’” [فتاويٰ عالمگيري 157/1]

Allamah Ayni Hanafi rahimahullah, clarifying this, says: “The purpose of this talqin is that the last words of the deceased should be the testimony of faith. This is not achieved by prompting at the grave, because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ‘Whoever’s last words are La ilaha illallah will enter Paradise.’ This talqin which is done after death is not permissible according to us in the apparent narration.” [البناية فى شرح الهداية 207/3]

Allamah Alauddin al-Kasani al-Hanafi writes:

“Prompting the person near death to recite the testimony of faith is done because of the statement of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: ‘Prompt your dying ones to say La ilaha illallah.’ The deceased referred to here is the one who is in the throes of death, because his death is near. He is called deceased due to being near death.” [بدائع الصنائع 443/1]

From these evidences, it is clear that this practice is not established from the Book and Sunnah, nor from the apparent narration of Hanafi fiqh. Therefore, whoever acts upon it is opposing both the Qur’an and Sunnah as well as his own school of thought.

... Original Article ...

Ahkam wa Masail (Rulings and Issues)

Authentication of the Hadith: The chain of this hadith is hasan (good).
Both Al-Hakim and Al-Dhahabi have declared it sahih (authentic). [المستدرك وتلخيص المستدرك 1؍37]
◄ In the chain of this hadith, Abu Sa‘id Hani al-Barbari (the freed slave of ‘Uthman radi Allahu anhu) is a trustworthy (saduq) narrator. [تقریب التہذیب : 7266]
◄ The other narrator, ‘Abdullah ibn Buhayr ibn Raysan Abu Wa’il al-Qass al-San‘ani, is considered reliable (thiqah) by the majority of hadith scholars.
Therefore, the hadith is hasan (good). For details, see: [تهذيب الكمال 33/10] and others.

Jurisprudence of the Hadith:
➊ After the deceased, making supplication (du‘a) at the grave, both individually and collectively, is correct.
➋ Questioning and answering in the grave is a reality.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ From this hadith, it is understood that the deceased is questioned in the grave.
➋ This hadith also shows that the Sunnah is to supplicate for forgiveness and steadfastness for the deceased at the grave after burial.
➌ The practice of moving forty steps away from the graveyard and then supplicating, or performing other such rituals, is completely incorrect. There is absolutely no evidence for this in Islamic law.