صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب الإمارةThe Book on Government
باب فِي بَيَانِ أَنَّ أَرْوَاحَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَأَنَّهُمْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ:Chapter: The souls of the martyrs are in Paradise, and they are alive with their Lord and they have provision
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَي بْنُ يَحْيَي ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ كِلَاهُمَا ، عَنْ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ . ح وحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ ، وَعِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ جميعا ، عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ . ح وحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَسْبَاطٌ ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ ، قَالَا : حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُرَّةَ ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ ، قَالَ : سَأَلْنَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ عَنْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ وَلا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ سورة آل عمران آية 169 ، قَالَ : أَمَا إِنَّا قَدْ سَأَلْنَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ ، فَقَالَ : " أَرْوَاحُهُمْ فِي جَوْفِ طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ لَهَا قَنَادِيلُ مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِالْعَرْشِ ، تَسْرَحُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ ثُمَّ تَأْوِي إِلَى تِلْكَ الْقَنَادِيلِ ، فَاطَّلَعَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمُ اطِّلَاعَةً ، فَقَالَ : هَلْ تَشْتَهُونَ شَيْئًا ؟ قَالُوا : أَيَّ شَيْءٍ نَشْتَهِي وَنَحْنُ نَسْرَحُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ شِئْنَا " ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ بِهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُتْرَكُوا مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلُوا ، قَالُوا : يَا رَبِّ نُرِيدُ أَنْ تَرُدَّ أَرْوَاحَنَا فِي أَجْسَادِنَا حَتَّى نُقْتَلَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَنْ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ حَاجَةٌ تُرِكُوا .
It has been narrated on the authority of Masruq Who said: We asked 'Abdullah about the Qur'anic verse:" Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they are alive, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord.." (iii. 169). He said: We asked the meaning of the verse (from the Holy Prophet) who said: The souls, of the martyrs live in the bodies of green birds who have their nests in chandeliers hung from the throne of the Almighty. They eat the fruits of Paradise from wherever they like and then nestle in these chandeliers. Once their Lord cast a glance at them and said: Do ye want anything? They said: What more shall we desire? We eat the fruit of Paradise from wherever we like. Their Lord asked them the same question thrice. When they saw that they will continue to be asked and not left (without answering the question). they said: O Lord, we wish that Thou mayest return our souls to our bodies so that we may be slain in Thy way once again. When He (Allah) saw that they had no need, they were left (to their joy in heaven).
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
This hadith establishes that the souls of the martyrs (shuhada) are in Paradise within the bodies of green birds,
meaning that instead of their own bodies, they have been given bodies in the form of green birds,
in which they enjoy the blessings of Paradise and reside in lanterns hanging from the Throne (‘Arsh), and their desire to return to this world is not fulfilled.
Their connection with this world is severed, and their connection with the intermediate realm (barzakh) is established.
However, the soul of an ordinary believer is given the form of a bird,
whereas the soul of a martyr is in the belly of a green bird,
thus there is a difference between the two.
Their rank and status are not the same, nor is their enjoyment of the blessings of Paradise equal.
But it is not possible to know the complete details of this in this world.
However, to use this hadith as evidence for transmigration of souls (tanasukh or avagone) is incorrect,
because in transmigration, the soul leaves one body in this mortal world and enters another body,
then leaves that and enters yet another,
and thus the cycle of reward and punishment continues in this world.
Whereas the souls of the martyrs are in green birds in the realm of barzakh, not in this world,
they have no connection with this world, and until the Day of Resurrection, they will not leave these and enter any other body. In transmigration, this cycle continues repeatedly in this world, and this hadith also establishes
that Paradise already exists,
where the souls of the martyrs are enjoying the blessings in a complete manner.
This hadith establishes that the souls of the martyrs (shuhada) are in Paradise within the bodies of green birds,
meaning that instead of their own bodies, they have been given bodies in the form of green birds,
in which they enjoy the blessings of Paradise and reside in lanterns hanging from the Throne (‘Arsh), and their desire to return to this world is not fulfilled.
Their connection with this world is severed, and their connection with the intermediate realm (barzakh) is established.
However, the soul of an ordinary believer is given the form of a bird,
whereas the soul of a martyr is in the belly of a green bird,
thus there is a difference between the two.
Their rank and status are not the same, nor is their enjoyment of the blessings of Paradise equal.
But it is not possible to know the complete details of this in this world.
However, to use this hadith as evidence for transmigration of souls (tanasukh or avagone) is incorrect,
because in transmigration, the soul leaves one body in this mortal world and enters another body,
then leaves that and enters yet another,
and thus the cycle of reward and punishment continues in this world.
Whereas the souls of the martyrs are in green birds in the realm of barzakh, not in this world,
they have no connection with this world, and until the Day of Resurrection, they will not leave these and enter any other body. In transmigration, this cycle continues repeatedly in this world, and this hadith also establishes
that Paradise already exists,
where the souls of the martyrs are enjoying the blessings in a complete manner.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 4885
