Question: It is reported:
A funeral procession passed and the people praised the
deceased. The Prophet said: It has become compulsory for him. Then another
funeral procession passed and the people spoke badly of the deceased. The
Prophet said: It has become compulsory for him. ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khat@t@a#b
asked Allah’s Apostle: What has been affirmed? He replied: You praised
this [person], so Paradise has become compulsory for him; and you spoke
badly of this [person], so Hell has become compulsory for him. You people
are Allah’s witnesses on earth. (Tirmadhi#,
Kita#bu’l-Jana#’iz)
Another similar reporting is:
I came to Madi#nah.
While I was sitting with ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khat@t@a#b
a funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. ‘Umar
said: It has been made compulsory for him. And another funeral procession
passed by and the people praised the deceased. ‘Umar said: It has
been made compulsory for him. A third (funeral procession) passed by and
the people spoke badly of the deceased. He said: It has been made compulsory
for him. I (Abu# Al-Aswad) asked:
O chief of the believers! What has been made compulsory for him? He replied:
I said the same as the Prophet had said, that is: if four persons testify
to the piety of a Muslim, Allah will grant him Paradise. We asked: If three
persons testify to his piety? He [the Prophet] replied: Even three. Then
we asked: If two? He replied: Even two. (Nisa#‘i#,
Kita#bu’l-Jana#’iz)
Could you please explain what is implied
in these Ah@a#di#th?
Answer: If all the texts of the above
Ah@a#di#th
are collected and analysed, and related to the Qur’a#n
the picture which emerges is:
1. These Ah@a#di#th
are specifically related to the testimonies of the Companions of the
Prophet (sws) about some of the people of their own times. They have no
bearing upon us.
2. The Qur’a#n
has called the Companions of the Prophet (sws) the witnesses of the
religion of Truth:
Thus have We made you [O companions of the Prophet!]
an intermediate group that you might be witnesses over the nations [about
the religion of the truth] and the prophet a witness over yourselves. (2:143)
The words mentioned in some texts of these
Ah@a#di#th:
‘You people are Allah’s witnesses on earth’ also refer to this very fact.
Bearing witness to the truth by the Prophets of Allah means that they unveil
the truth before their nation in such an ultimate form that these people
are left with no excuse to deny it. In such circumstances, the dividing
line between the believers and the non believers becomes very distinct
and the two groups become very distinguished from each other. In other
words, the Prophets of Allah are given such signs by the Almighty that
they in their personal capacity become witnesses of the truth. It is only
as a result of this that their companions are able to extend this phenomenon
to other nations of the world of their own times. Now if the Companions
of the Prophet (sws) bear witness to the piety of a certain individual,
then it is certain because of their special position that he will be sent
to paradise. This of course means that his good deeds will outnumber the
bad ones and will be instrumental in sending to him to paradise.
3. These Ah@a#di#th,
therefore, actually bring out the lofty status of the Companions of the
Prophet (sws) and give glad tidings to the heirs of the deceased – for
whom the Companions have testified – that they should rest assured: their
dear departed will be sent to Paradise. |