Hadith 4671

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ ، قَالَ غَيْرُهُ : حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ ، حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ ، عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ ، قَالَ : أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ، عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ : لَمَّا مَاتَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أُبَيٍّ ابْنُ سَلُولَ ، دُعِيَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِيُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ ، فَلَمَّا قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَثَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ، فَقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، أَتُصَلِّي عَلَى ابْنِ أُبَيٍّ ، وَقَدْ قَالَ : يَوْمَ كَذَا ، كَذَا ، وَكَذَا ، قَالَ : أُعَدِّدُ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلَهُ ، فَتَبَسَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، وَقَالَ أَخِّرْ : عَنِّي يَا عُمَرُ ، فَلَمَّا أَكْثَرْتُ عَلَيْهِ ، قَالَ : " إِنِّي خُيِّرْتُ فَاخْتَرْتُ ، لَوْ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي إِنْ زِدْتُ عَلَى السَّبْعِينَ يُغْفَرْ لَهُ لَزِدْتُ عَلَيْهَا " ، قَالَ : فَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ ، فَلَمْ يَمْكُثْ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا حَتَّى نَزَلَتِ الْآيَتَانِ مِنْ بَرَاءَةَ وَلا تُصَلِّ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ مَاتَ أَبَدًا إِلَى قَوْلِهِ وَهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ سورة التوبة آية 84 ، قَالَ : فَعَجِبْتُ بَعْدُ مِنْ جُرْأَتِي عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَاللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ .
Narrated `Umar bin Al-Khattab: When `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul died, Allah's Messenger was called in order to offer the funeral prayer for him. When Allah's Messenger got up (to offer the prayer) I jumped towards him and said, "O Allah's Messenger ! Do you offer the prayer for Ibn Ubai although he said so-and-so on such-and-such-a day?" I went on mentioning his sayings. Allah's Messenger smiled and said, "Keep away from me, O `Umar!" But when I spoke too much to him, he said, "I have been given the choice, and I have chosen (this) ; and if I knew that if I asked forgiveness for him more than seventy times, he would be for given, I would ask it for more times than that." So Allah's Messenger offered the funeral prayer for him and then left, but he did not stay long before the two Verses of Surat-Bara'a were revealed, i.e.:-- 'And never (O Muhammad) pray for anyone of them that dies.... and died in a state of rebellion.' (9.84) Later I was astonished at my daring to speak like that to Allah's Messenger and Allah and His Apostle know best.
Hadith Reference صحيح البخاري / كتاب تفسير القرآن / 4671
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح البخاريّ كلّها صحيحة
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
Allah gave the command in accordance with the opinion of Umar (radi Allahu anhu).
How remarkable is Umar (radi Allahu anhu); he was truly exceptional in sound judgment.
In administrative matters and statesmanship, he had no equal.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had a certain expediency in view, the explanation of which has already been mentioned previously.
After the explicit prohibition was revealed, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not perform the funeral prayer for any hypocrite.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 4671
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:

In one hadith, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had him (the deceased) taken out from the grave, placed him on his knees, applied his blessed saliva to his mouth, and clothed him in his own shirt.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Funerals, Hadith 1350.)
But Allah, the Exalted, made a clear declaration regarding the lack of forgiveness for him.
From this, it is understood that whoever is deprived of faith, even the supplication for forgiveness and intercession of the greatest personality in the world will not benefit him in any way.


The death of the chief of the hypocrites, Abdullah bin Ubayy, occurred in Dhu al-Qa'dah, 9 AH, after the return from the Battle of Tabuk.
This wretch did not participate in the Battle of Tabuk.
This verse of the Noble Qur’an:
“If these hypocrites had gone forth with you, they would have added nothing to you except corruption.” (al-Tawbah: 84: 9)
was revealed concerning Abdullah bin Ubayy and those who stayed behind from the Battle of Tabuk along with him.


Honored readers should keep in mind that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also understood the same meaning of Surah al-Tawbah, verse 80, as Umar (radi Allahu anhu) did. In fact, he was certain that none of our actions would bring forgiveness to this hypocrite. However, from the apparent wording of the verse, he was given the choice, and no other verse had yet been revealed prohibiting it. On the other hand, it was also intended to obtain deliverance in this world from the favor of a hypocrite, and to console his sincere companion, his son. Besides this, there was also the expectation that, through this matter, other disbelievers might come closer to Islam. Therefore, in view of these considerations, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) preferred to perform the funeral prayer for this hypocrite, while Umar (radi Allahu anhu) thought that since it had been established from verse 80 that forgiveness would not be granted, then performing the funeral prayer and seeking forgiveness for him was a futile and useless act, which was contrary to the dignity of prophethood. This is what he expressed as a prohibition. However, although the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not consider this act beneficial in itself, he had in view the benefit of others embracing Islam, and thus, in his view, this act was not without benefit.


With this explanation, neither does any objection remain regarding the action of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), nor is there any criticism of the statement of al-Faruq al-Azam (radi Allahu anhu).
In any case, after this, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not perform the funeral prayer for any hypocrite, nor did he stand at their graves to supplicate for forgiveness.
(Fath al-Bari: 8/427)
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 4671
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Explanation:
1:
Whether you seek forgiveness for them (the hypocrites) or do not seek forgiveness, even if you seek forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will never forgive them.
(al-Tawbah: 80)

2:
That is, my boldness was for the sake of truth, not out of disrespect.

3:
Never perform the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) for any of them (the hypocrites) who dies,
nor stand by his grave.
(al-Tawbah: 84)
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 3097