What is the meaning of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Indeed, the grave has a squeezing, and if anyone were to be saved from it, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh would be saved from it”? And why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mention Sa'd ibn Mu'adh in this hadith?
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The questioner : The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ?
The Shaykh : This hadith is well-known among the scholars, and assuming its authenticity: the squeezing of the earth for the believer is a squeezing of mercy and compassion, like a mother holding her child to her chest.
As for its squeezing of the disbeliever, it is a squeezing of punishment, may Allah protect us from it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that when a person is buried, two angels come to him and ask him about three fundamentals: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? And who is your Prophet? So the believer says: My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad. I ask Allah the Exalted to make my answer and your answer this. As for the hypocrite, may Allah protect us from it, or the one who doubts, may Allah protect us and you from this, he says: Hmm, hmm, I do not know. I heard the people saying something, so I said it. Then the grave is squeezed tight upon him until his ribs are crushed, may Allah protect us from it, some of them entering into others due to the intensity of the squeezing. So there is a difference between the squeezing of the earth for the disbeliever or the doubter and its squeezing for the believer.
The questioner : Why was Sa'd ibn Mu'adh specifically mentioned in the hadith?
The Shaykh : Because Sa'd ibn Mu'adh informed the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) that the Throne of Allah the Exalted shook at his death, as Hassan ibn Thabit said:
“And the Throne of Allah did not shake for any one who died *** We heard of, except for Sa'd, the father of 'Umar”
And Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) had great stations. He was the leader of the Aws, and his allies were the Banu Qurayzah. When the Banu Qurayzah surrendered on the condition that they would submit to the judgment of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, thinking that Sa'd ibn Mu'adh would be like the head of the hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, who had given safe conduct to their Jewish allies, they said: We will look at Sa'd ibn Mu'adh. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) had been wounded in his wrist during the Battle of the Trench, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set up a tent for him in the mosque to visit him from close by, because he was highly esteemed by the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him). Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Allah, do not take my soul until You satisfy my eyes with the Banu Qurayzah” (may Allah be pleased with him). When they accepted his judgment—I mean the Jews—the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) sent for him, and he was brought from the Prophet's Mosque on a donkey. When he approached, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companions: So they stood up to him and dismounted him from the donkey. Then he sat for the trial. When he sat, with the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) and the Companions on his right and the Banu Qurayzah on his left, he said: Is this judgment binding on these people? He pointed to the Banu Qurayzah. They said: Yes, your judgment is binding. He said: And on these people? He pointed, having lowered his gaze out of respect for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). They said: Yes. He said: I judge that their fighters be killed, their wealth be taken as spoils, and their children be taken captive. It was a strict judgment, even though they were, what? His allies. But he judged with what pleases Allah, Mighty and Majestic. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And this judgment was carried out against them, and they were killed in the city. About seven hundred men of the Jews were killed. After that, the blood burst from the wound of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh and he passed away. Glory be to Allah! Allah answered his supplication, so he did not die until Allah satisfied his eyes with the Banu Qurayzah and they returned to his judgment. Therefore, if the hadith is authentic, he said: . And this concludes this session, and until the next meeting, if Allah wills. Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. I testify that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.
And this is considered a response to the greetings of everyone, so that we do not delay the midday prayer.
Indeed, the grave has a squeezing, and if anyone were to be saved from it, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh would be saved from it
إن للقبر ضمة لو نجا منها أحد لنجى منها سعد بن معاذThe Shaykh : This hadith is well-known among the scholars, and assuming its authenticity: the squeezing of the earth for the believer is a squeezing of mercy and compassion, like a mother holding her child to her chest.
As for its squeezing of the disbeliever, it is a squeezing of punishment, may Allah protect us from it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that when a person is buried, two angels come to him and ask him about three fundamentals: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? And who is your Prophet? So the believer says: My Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam, and my Prophet is Muhammad. I ask Allah the Exalted to make my answer and your answer this. As for the hypocrite, may Allah protect us from it, or the one who doubts, may Allah protect us and you from this, he says: Hmm, hmm, I do not know. I heard the people saying something, so I said it. Then the grave is squeezed tight upon him until his ribs are crushed, may Allah protect us from it, some of them entering into others due to the intensity of the squeezing. So there is a difference between the squeezing of the earth for the disbeliever or the doubter and its squeezing for the believer.
The questioner : Why was Sa'd ibn Mu'adh specifically mentioned in the hadith?
The Shaykh : Because Sa'd ibn Mu'adh informed the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) that the Throne of Allah the Exalted shook at his death, as Hassan ibn Thabit said:
“And the Throne of Allah did not shake for any one who died *** We heard of, except for Sa'd, the father of 'Umar”
And Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) had great stations. He was the leader of the Aws, and his allies were the Banu Qurayzah. When the Banu Qurayzah surrendered on the condition that they would submit to the judgment of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, thinking that Sa'd ibn Mu'adh would be like the head of the hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, who had given safe conduct to their Jewish allies, they said: We will look at Sa'd ibn Mu'adh. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) had been wounded in his wrist during the Battle of the Trench, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set up a tent for him in the mosque to visit him from close by, because he was highly esteemed by the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him). Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Allah, do not take my soul until You satisfy my eyes with the Banu Qurayzah” (may Allah be pleased with him). When they accepted his judgment—I mean the Jews—the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) sent for him, and he was brought from the Prophet's Mosque on a donkey. When he approached, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companions:
Rise to your master.
قوموا إلى سيدكمI have judged in their case with the judgment of Allah from above seven heavens
لقد حكمت فيهم بحكم الله من فوق سبع سماواتIf anyone were to be saved from it, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh would be saved from it
لو نجا منها أحدٌ لنجى منها سعد بن معاذAnd this is considered a response to the greetings of everyone, so that we do not delay the midday prayer.