Dead hear the living
Evidence that the dead are aware of the living
Salam alaykum:
Last week Dr. al-Buti cited this hadith as evidence from a major companion that they had received firm evidence from the Prophet — Allah bless and greet him — that caused him to say: “When you bury me, fill my grave well with earth, then stand around it for a time which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy and (in your company) ascertain what answer I can give to the messengers (angels) of Allah.”
[Complete text of the hadith]
Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Number 0220: Narrated Amr ibn al-‘As:
Ibn Shamasah said: We went to Amr ibn al-‘As and he was about to die. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. His son said: Did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) not give you tidings of this? Did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) not give you tidings of this? He (the narrator) said: He turned his face (towards the audience) and said: The best thing which we can count upon is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Verily I have passed through three phases.
(The first was one) in which I found myself averse to none else more than I was averse to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and there was no other desire stronger in me than the one that I should overpower him and kill him. Had I died in this state, I should have been definitely one of the denizens of Fire.
When Allah instilled the love of Islam in my heart, I came to the Apostle (peace be upon him) and said: Stretch out your right hand so that I may pledge my allegiance to you. He stretched out his right hand. I withdrew my hand. He (the Holy Prophet) said: What has happened to you, O’ Amr? I replied: I intend to lay down a condition. He asked: What condition do you intend to put forward? I said: I should be granted pardon. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Are you not aware of the fact that Islam wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)? Verily migration wipes out all the previous (misdeeds) and verily the pilgrimage wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds.
After that no one was more dear to me than the Messenger of Allah and none was more sublime in my eyes than he. Never could I pluck up courage to catch a full glimpse of his face due to its splendour. So if I am asked to describe his features, I cannot do that for I have not eyed him fully. Had I died in this state I had every reason to hope that I should have been among the dwellers of Paradise.
Then we were responsible for certain things (in the light of which) I am unable to know what is in store for me. When I die, let neither female mourner nor fire accompany me. When you bury me, fill my grave well with earth, then stand around it for a time which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy and (in your company) ascertain what answer I can give to the messengers (angels) of Allah.
GF Haddad [email protected]
