Chapter 19 of 332 min read

1. Wailing

1. النياحة

The Prophet (r) strictly forbade wailing and screaming, or the hiring of mourners. Furthermore, he identified such practices as acts of Kufr (disbelief), because they indicate displeasure with what Allaah has decreed. Eemaan (faith) includes the belief that Allaah is the source of all good and all of His actions are wise. Proper Eemaan would never allow those who possess it to commit such acts of ignorance. ِﻭلُ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪﺴﺓﹶ ﻗﹶﺎلَ ﻗﹶﺎلَ ﺭﺭﻴﺭ ﺃَﺒِﻲ ﻫﻥﻋ r :)) ﻓِﻲ ﻥ ﺍﻟﻁﱠﻌ ﻜﹸﻔﹾﺭﺎ ﺒِﻬِﻡﻤﺍﺜﹾﻨﹶﺘﹶﺎﻥِ ﻓِﻲ ﺍﻟﻨﱠﺎﺱِ ﻫ ﺕِﻴﻠﹶﻰ ﺍﻟﹾﻤﺔﹸ ﻋﺎﺤﺍﻟﻨﱢﻴﺏِ ﻭﺍﻟﻨﱠﺴ ((. Aboo Hurayrah quoted the Prophet (r) as saying, “There are two practices found among people, both of which indicate Kufr: ridiculing the ancestry (of others) and wailing over the dead.”37 ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar also reported that Hafsah38 cried when ‘Umar died and he said to her “Take it easy. Don’t you know that the Messenger of Allaah (r) said, )) ِﻪﻠﹶﻴﻠِﻪِ ﻋﻜﹶﺎﺀِ ﺃَﻫ ﺒِﺒﺫﱠﺏﻌﺕﹶ ﻴﻴ ﺍﻟﹾﻤﺇِﻥ (( “Verily the dead are punished in their grave by the wailing of their family over them.”39 The dead will suffer due to the wailing of relatives in two cases : 37 Reported by Aboo Hurayrah and collected by Muslim and al-Bayhaqee Sahih Muslim, vol.1, p.44 no. 128. 38 Hafsah was one of the Prophet’s wives and daughter of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, the second caliph. 39 Reported by Ibn ‘Umar and collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.2, p.213 no.379, Sahih Muslim, vol.2, p.439 no.2015, Sunan Abu Dawud, vol.2, p.891 no. 3123, Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, vol.2, p.444 no.1593 and Mishkat Al-Masabih,, vol.1, pp.360-61 by ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar.

(a) When the deceased requested mourning prior to his death. (b) If the deceased knew that it was the practice of the people and he did not request that they do not do so over him.

Chapter 19 of 332 min read

1. Wailing

1. النياحة

The Prophet (r) strictly forbade wailing and screaming, or the hiring of mourners. Furthermore, he identified such practices as acts of Kufr (disbelief), because they indicate displeasure with what Allaah has decreed. Eemaan (faith) includes the belief that Allaah is the source of all good and all of His actions are wise. Proper Eemaan would never allow those who possess it to commit such acts of ignorance. ِﻭلُ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪﺴﺓﹶ ﻗﹶﺎلَ ﻗﹶﺎلَ ﺭﺭﻴﺭ ﺃَﺒِﻲ ﻫﻥﻋ r :)) ﻓِﻲ ﻥ ﺍﻟﻁﱠﻌ ﻜﹸﻔﹾﺭﺎ ﺒِﻬِﻡﻤﺍﺜﹾﻨﹶﺘﹶﺎﻥِ ﻓِﻲ ﺍﻟﻨﱠﺎﺱِ ﻫ ﺕِﻴﻠﹶﻰ ﺍﻟﹾﻤﺔﹸ ﻋﺎﺤﺍﻟﻨﱢﻴﺏِ ﻭﺍﻟﻨﱠﺴ ((. Aboo Hurayrah quoted the Prophet (r) as saying, “There are two practices found among people, both of which indicate Kufr: ridiculing the ancestry (of others) and wailing over the dead.”37 ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar also reported that Hafsah38 cried when ‘Umar died and he said to her “Take it easy. Don’t you know that the Messenger of Allaah (r) said, )) ِﻪﻠﹶﻴﻠِﻪِ ﻋﻜﹶﺎﺀِ ﺃَﻫ ﺒِﺒﺫﱠﺏﻌﺕﹶ ﻴﻴ ﺍﻟﹾﻤﺇِﻥ (( “Verily the dead are punished in their grave by the wailing of their family over them.”39 The dead will suffer due to the wailing of relatives in two cases : 37 Reported by Aboo Hurayrah and collected by Muslim and al-Bayhaqee Sahih Muslim, vol.1, p.44 no. 128. 38 Hafsah was one of the Prophet’s wives and daughter of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, the second caliph. 39 Reported by Ibn ‘Umar and collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.2, p.213 no.379, Sahih Muslim, vol.2, p.439 no.2015, Sunan Abu Dawud, vol.2, p.891 no. 3123, Sunan Ibn-i-Majah, vol.2, p.444 no.1593 and Mishkat Al-Masabih,, vol.1, pp.360-61 by ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar.

(a) When the deceased requested mourning prior to his death. (b) If the deceased knew that it was the practice of the people and he did not request that they do not do so over him.