Sufyan bin Sa‘id Ath-Thawri سفيان الثوري · Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz)

A young Jew became ill. The Prophet (ﷺ) went to visit him. He sat down by his head and said to him: Accept Islam. He looked at his father who was beside him near his head, and he said: Obey Abu al-Qasim. So he accepted Islam, and the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up saying: Praise be to Allah Who has saved him through me from Hell.

That her father said: I had a complaint at Mecca. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to pay a sick-visit to me. He put his hand on my forehead, wiped my chest and belly, and then said: O Allah! heal up Sa'd and complete his immigration.

When the time of his death came, he called for new clothes and put on them. He then said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A deceased will be raised in the clothes in which he died.

One of the oaths which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) received from us about the virtue was that we would not disobey him in it (virtue): that we would not scratch the face, nor wail, nor tear the front of the garments nor dishevel the hair.

Do not be extravagant in shrouding, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Do not be extravagant in shrouding, for it will be quickly decayed.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who washes the dead should take a bath, and he who carries him should perform ablution.

This has been abrogated. When Ahmad b. Hanbal was asked about a man taking a bath after his washing the dead, I heard him say: Ablution is sufficient for him. Abu Dawud said: The narrator Abu Salih made a mention of the narrator Ishaq, the client of Za'idah between him and Abu Hurairah. He said: The tradition of Mus'ab is weak. It contains many things that are not practised.

The people saw fire (light) in the graveyard and they went there. They found that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in a grave and he was saying: Give me your companion. This was a man who used to raise his voice while mentioning the name of Allah.

We were forbidden accompany the biers, but it was not stressed upon us.

The Prophet (said) said: A bier should not be followed by a loud voice (of wailing) or fire. Abu Dawud said: Harun (one of the narrators) added: "And it should not be preceded (with those) either."

(I think that the people of Ziyad informed me that he reported on the authority of the Prophet (ﷺ): A rider should go behind the bier, and those on foot should walk behind it, in front of it, on its right and on its left keeping near it. Prayer should be offered over an abortion and forgiveness and mercy supplicated for its parents.

Zaid b. Arqam used to utter four takbirs (Allah is Most Great) over our dead person (during prayer). He uttered five takbirs on a dead person. So I asked him. He replied: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to utter those. Abu Dawud said: I remember the tradition of Ibn al-Muthanna in a more guarded way.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) placed the dead in the grave, he said: In the name of Allah, and following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). This is Muslim's version.

The Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of Uhud and said: We have been afflicted with wound and fatigue. What do you command us? He said: Dig graves, make them wide, bury two or three in a single grave. He was asked: Which of them should be put first? He replied: The one who knew the Qur'an most. He (Hisham) said: My father Amir died on the day and was buried with two or one.

This tradition has also been transmitted by Sa'd b. Hisham b. 'Amir with a different chain of narrators.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out to the graveyard and said: Peace be upon you, inhabitants of the dwellings who are of the community of the believers. If Allah wills we shall join you.