The ruling on guiding the deceased when he is placed in the grave
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Q564: The questioner, A. D. A. A. from the People's Republic of Benin, says: Among the known and widespread customs among us is guiding the deceased after he is placed in his grave and buried in the earth. We see that most scholars agree on this, while some pay no attention to it, meaning the scholars of our country. They cite as evidence for this that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when his son Ibrahim died, stood at his grave and guided him. One of the Companions said: “O Messenger of Allah, you are the best of creation, and after your death, who will guide us?” He said to them: [Ibrahim 14:27]. The question is: What is the authenticity of this report regarding the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)? And if guiding the deceased is prescribed, what is its wording and method?
A564: The prescribed guidance is guiding the dying person when his soul is departing; by guiding him to say “There is no god but Allah”; based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 1444Sahih (Darussalam) so that this great word may be his last word from this world,
so that he may meet Allah the Exalted with it, and it may be his standard, so it is given to him while he is in the state of dying, with gentleness and softness. If he utters it, it is not repeated to him again, unless he speaks other words after it. If he speaks other words after it, it is repeated to him with gentleness and softness so that he may utter it, and it may be his last word. This is the prescribed guidance. As for after the soul has departed and the term has ended, the deceased is not guided, neither before burial nor after burial. We do not know of any authentic Sunnah regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, a group of scholars recommended guiding the deceased after his burial, but we do not know of any established evidence for them from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Accordingly, guiding the deceased after burial has no basis, and some scholars said it based on independent legal reasoning. Every person’s statement is taken and left, except the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). From the statement of the independent reasoner, what agrees with the evidence is taken, and what has no evidence for it is left. As for what you asked about regarding the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guiding his son Ibrahim, I have not found a basis for this either, and it appears that it has no basis. How could the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guide Ibrahim while he was a child? He died while a child, and the religious obligations were not fully imposed upon him, which indicates that
this has no basis in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The conclusion is: It is obligatory for the Muslim to return to the truth, even if people oppose it, and to leave what has no evidence for it, even if people do it. Because we are obligated to follow the evidence and follow what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) brought, not to take what we find people doing without verification and presenting it to the Book and the Sunnah. This is what I advise you, and I advise my Muslim brothers. Guiding the deceased after burial has no basis. Rather, the prescribed guidance is at the time of dying; because it is what benefits the dying person, and the dying person understands it; because he is still alive, and he is able to utter this word, and he is still in the abode of action; because the abode of this world is the abode of action. As for after death, the time of action has ended, the action has been sealed, and he has moved to another abode. And Allah the Exalted knows best.
Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills.
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُA564: The prescribed guidance is guiding the dying person when his soul is departing; by guiding him to say “There is no god but Allah”; based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
‘Urge your dying ones to say La ilaha illallah.”
لقنوا موتاكم لا إله إلا اللهso that he may meet Allah the Exalted with it, and it may be his standard, so it is given to him while he is in the state of dying, with gentleness and softness. If he utters it, it is not repeated to him again, unless he speaks other words after it. If he speaks other words after it, it is repeated to him with gentleness and softness so that he may utter it, and it may be his last word. This is the prescribed guidance. As for after the soul has departed and the term has ended, the deceased is not guided, neither before burial nor after burial. We do not know of any authentic Sunnah regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, a group of scholars recommended guiding the deceased after his burial, but we do not know of any established evidence for them from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Accordingly, guiding the deceased after burial has no basis, and some scholars said it based on independent legal reasoning. Every person’s statement is taken and left, except the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). From the statement of the independent reasoner, what agrees with the evidence is taken, and what has no evidence for it is left. As for what you asked about regarding the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guiding his son Ibrahim, I have not found a basis for this either, and it appears that it has no basis. How could the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guide Ibrahim while he was a child? He died while a child, and the religious obligations were not fully imposed upon him, which indicates that
this has no basis in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The conclusion is: It is obligatory for the Muslim to return to the truth, even if people oppose it, and to leave what has no evidence for it, even if people do it. Because we are obligated to follow the evidence and follow what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) brought, not to take what we find people doing without verification and presenting it to the Book and the Sunnah. This is what I advise you, and I advise my Muslim brothers. Guiding the deceased after burial has no basis. Rather, the prescribed guidance is at the time of dying; because it is what benefits the dying person, and the dying person understands it; because he is still alive, and he is able to utter this word, and he is still in the abode of action; because the abode of this world is the abode of action. As for after death, the time of action has ended, the action has been sealed, and he has moved to another abode. And Allah the Exalted knows best.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.