Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:

➊
In the grave, a human’s body gradually turns into soil.
Even the bones become soil and mix with the earth.
Despite this, the punishment or reward of the grave remains.

➋
The last vertebra of the spinal column remains protected from decay.
Because from this, the human body will be recreated.
How this vertebra remains preserved—
its knowledge is with none except Allah.

Hadith Commentary: Ibn Marduyah narrated from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma) that there will be an interval of forty years between the two blowings (of the Trumpet).

Hadith Commentary:
➊ Some scholars have stated, with reference to Sahih Muslim, that there will be a forty-year interval between the two trumpet blasts. However, there is no such explicit statement in Sahih Muslim. Rather, Ibn Marduyah has narrated a report that there will be a forty-year interval between them, but that narration is irregular (shadh).

➋ The scholars have said that, according to the generality of the hadith, the bodies of the Prophets (alayhimussalam) are excepted, because the earth will not consume their bodies, as is explicitly stated in the hadith.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Salat, Hadith: 1047 and Irwa’ al-Ghalil by al-Albani, Hadith number: 4)
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
In this narration, it is as stated; however, in the narration of Ibn Mardawayh, forty years are mentioned.
The same has been transmitted from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma) as well.
Halimi said that most narrations agree that there will be an interval of forty years between the two trumpet blasts.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
In one narration, it is mentioned that people asked about (‘ajbu al-dhanab) — what is it? So he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) replied: “It is like a mustard seed in size.” (Musnad Ahmad: 28/3) Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah writes that this too is one of Allah’s secrets, which no one knows except Him, because the All-Powerful created man from absolute non-existence, so in the case of re-creation, what need is there to preserve this bone so that the composition of creation is made from it? It is also possible that it is kept as a sign for the recognition of the angels, so that they may know the human being from his essence and return the soul to him again.

2.
The pure bodies of the Prophets (alayhimussalam) are exempt from this, because the earth does not consume their bodies. (Fath al-Bari: 8/702)

Explanation:
«عجب الذنب» refers to that bone from which the tail of an animal is formed; in the human body, it is called the "dhaddi" (coccyx). Thus, it is stated that the entire body of a person decomposes in the soil except for the "dhaddi," which does not decompose. The creation of a human in the womb also begins from this very place, and on the Day of Resurrection, the reconstruction will also commence from this bone. All the dust of the body will gather there, and the body will be reformed just as it was. The statement that the "dhaddi" does not decompose means that either it itself does not decompose, or its subtle original particles do not decompose, even if the non-essential parts do decompose. (Tuhfat al-Akhyar)

Hadith Authentication:
[وأخرجه أبوداود 4743، والنسائي 112،111/4، ح 2079، من حديث ما لك به ورواه مسلم فواد 142/ 2955، من حديث ابي الزناد به]

Jurisprudential Points:
➊ The bodies of ordinary people are consumed by the earth, but the bodies of the Prophets, Companions (Sahabah), and some martyrs and righteous individuals (salihin) remain preserved.
➋ When Sayyiduna Jabir radi Allahu anhu exhumed the blessed body of his father, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin Haram radi Allahu anhu, six months after burial, the body had not deteriorated. See: [طبقات ابن سعد 563/3 روايتة حماد بن زيد عن ابي سلمه عن ابي نضرة عنه وسنده صحيح]
➌ The summary of a narration reported by Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu is that after the conquest of Tustar, the blessed body of a Prophet was found in a chest, which was completely preserved. See: [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه13 /27، 28/13 ح 33808 وسنده صحیح]

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:

‘Ajab al-dhanab:
At the end of an animal’s tail there is an extremely small bone, from which the creation of a human being begins, and from which it will be recreated.

Benefits and Issues:
According to authentic ahadith, the bodies of the Prophets and Messengers (alayhimussalam) are protected from being consumed by the earth.

(1) "The earth consumes [the body]"—that is, all the limbs turn to dust. However, this is not necessary for every person, because it is explicitly stated regarding the Prophets (alayhimus-salam) that their sacred bodies remain intact. In the hadith it is mentioned: "Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets." (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Salat, Chapter: The Virtue of Friday, Hadith: 1047; and Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab Iqamat al-Salat, Chapter: On the Virtue of Friday, Hadith: 1085) Apart from them, if Allah, the Exalted, wills, the body of anyone else can also remain [intact].

(2) "Ban Dam"—this is a very small and subtle part, which is not necessarily visible separately. In another narration, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) likened it to a mustard seed. See: (Al-Mawsu‘ah al-Hadithiyyah, Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 17/332, Hadith: 111230), meaning it is very small. It has been said that this is the first part to be formed in the human body, and the body of the Hereafter will also be created from this. And this will remain until the Day of Resurrection. According to them, the meaning of this hadith is that when a new body is created, its beginning will also be from the ban dam, even if it is newly created. And Allah knows best.