Is condolence in the houses a part of the funeral rites, or is it a custom among people, meaning it has no connection to acts of worship?

The questioner : Regarding condolence, is condolence in the houses a part of the funeral rites, or is it a custom among people, meaning it has no connection to the rulings of acts of worship?

The Shaykh : No, it has a connection, because this is not attached to the funeral rites, but it is from the recommended practices of the Muslims. I had mentioned this long ago in my book *Rulings on Funerals and Their Innovations* that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to see a man attending his circle, meaning his gathering of knowledge, with a small child of his. Then he did not see him for days. Then the man returned as he used to attend his gathering (peace and blessings be upon him). So he asked him about the reason for his absence, and he mentioned that that child of his had died. So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned to him that he would live and grow up. So this was the condolence of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to this man who was afflicted in his son. Then, what is the purpose of condolence, which confirms its legitimacy? It is intended to alleviate the pain of the calamity for this afflicted person with good words, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did, and as came in another hadith in *al-Sahihayn* that his daughter Zaynab sent to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that a son of hers was on the verge of death, and I think it came in the narration that his soul was departing. So she sent to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) with this. It appears that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was in a situation where he could not go to fulfill her wish, so he sent on his behalf this advice. He ordered her to say to him: "To Allah belongs what He takes and to Him belongs what He gives." Because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) understood that the child was on the path to death, and perhaps the Messenger did not reach her before our Lord took back His trust, as they say. So such good words are a source of consolation for the afflicted, and this is undoubtedly a matter of cooperating with the Muslim to alleviate his affliction.