Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:

➊ The mentioned narration has been declared weak in chain (sanadan da'if) by our esteemed researcher. However, other scholars have declared it authentic (sahih). For details, see: (al-Mawsu‘ah al-Hadithiyyah, Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 11/505, 506; Ahkam al-Jana’iz, p. 167; Sunan Ibn Majah by Dr. Bashar ‘Awwad, Hadith: 162). In any case, the opinion of the latter-mentioned scholars regarding this hadith appears to be more weighty. And Allah knows best.

➋ The Sunnah method of offering condolences (ta‘ziyah) is that whenever and wherever one meets a relative of the deceased, one should offer condolences there, or if one goes to the house of the deceased, one should offer condolences and then return. Sitting there without necessity, and the gathering of relatives and neighbors, is contrary to the Sunnah.

➌ Food should be prepared for the family of the deceased, but when people from near and far come and, in the name of condolences, become guests, the one preparing the food is compelled to prepare food for all of them. This is an undue burden.

➍ Such gatherings have been likened to lamentation (nawhah) because in lamentation as well, women gather together. And the purpose of this gathering is nothing except the expression of grief, which can be achieved without gathering in this manner. Similarly, for men as well, there is no need to gather and sit together for the expression of grief and condolences; condolences can be offered without this as well.