Benefits of the hadith of Umm Salamah: She said, "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in to Abu Salamah when his eyes had burst open, so he closed them. Then he said, 'When the soul is taken, the eyes follow it.'"
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The Shaykh : Several benefits are derived from this: When a person dies, his eyes burst open, meaning they open, as if he is looking at something. He is looking at the soul; the soul of a person exits his body, and the eyes remain alive, looking at his soul as it exits him. Modern medicine has testified to this, and that the life of the eyes remains after the soul exits the body.
It also contains the point that it is recommended to close the eyes of the deceased, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did so, and because that is more protective for his eyes from water entering them during washing, or soil during burial, or the like.
One of its benefits is that the family of the deceased are not rebuked if they wail or cry out at his death, but they are guided to supplicate for good, because this is a state in which the soul is tender and weak, and it turns to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), so supplication is likely to be answered.
Among the benefits of the hadith is that the angels affirm the supplication of the family of the deceased in this state, and a supplication that the angels affirm is likely to be answered. Among these is this great supplication for Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him), consisting of five phrases of supplication. Say them, my brother. Yes, you are. Where did you go? Did you wander? Are the pastures around the town or far from it? Yes? Pay attention, may Allah bless you.
Now, the first phrase is asking for forgiveness for Abu Salamah, and forgiveness is covering the sin and pardoning it.
The second is: "And raise his rank among the guided." This is in Paradise; he asked Allah to raise his ranks among the group of the guided, those whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) guided. The third is: "And replace him with a good successor among those who remain," meaning become his successor in his family. And that happened. How so, my brother? The student: She was under the protection of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him), and the children of Abu Salamah were also under his care.
"And make his grave spacious for him" means widen it for him, and "fill it with light for him" because, as you know, the grave is dark, with no light in it. But Allah the Exalted, if the deceased is among those with whom Allah is pleased, makes his grave spacious for him and fills it with light for him.
It also contains the point that it is recommended to close the eyes of the deceased, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did so, and because that is more protective for his eyes from water entering them during washing, or soil during burial, or the like.
One of its benefits is that the family of the deceased are not rebuked if they wail or cry out at his death, but they are guided to supplicate for good, because this is a state in which the soul is tender and weak, and it turns to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), so supplication is likely to be answered.
Among the benefits of the hadith is that the angels affirm the supplication of the family of the deceased in this state, and a supplication that the angels affirm is likely to be answered. Among these is this great supplication for Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him), consisting of five phrases of supplication. Say them, my brother. Yes, you are. Where did you go? Did you wander? Are the pastures around the town or far from it? Yes? Pay attention, may Allah bless you.
Now, the first phrase is asking for forgiveness for Abu Salamah, and forgiveness is covering the sin and pardoning it.
The second is: "And raise his rank among the guided." This is in Paradise; he asked Allah to raise his ranks among the group of the guided, those whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) guided. The third is: "And replace him with a good successor among those who remain," meaning become his successor in his family. And that happened. How so, my brother? The student: She was under the protection of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him), and the children of Abu Salamah were also under his care.
"And make his grave spacious for him" means widen it for him, and "fill it with light for him" because, as you know, the grave is dark, with no light in it. But Allah the Exalted, if the deceased is among those with whom Allah is pleased, makes his grave spacious for him and fills it with light for him.