Anas said that the Prophet visited a young man who was dying and asked him how he was. He replied, “I am hoping in God, messenger of God, but I am afraid of my sins,” whereupon God's messenger said, “The two cannot come together in a man’s heart at such a time without God giving him what he hopes for and granting him security from what he fears.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying that this is a gharib tradition.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not wish for death, for the terror of the place whence one looks down in severe. It is part of a man’s happiness that his life should be long and God who is great and glorious should supply him with repentance.” Ahmad transmitted it.

We sat attentive to God’s messenger who gave us an exhortation and softened our hearts. Then Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas wept copiously and said, “Would that I were dead! ” God’s messenger said, “Do you wish for death in my presence, Sa'd?’’ repeating it three times. He then said, “Sa'd, if you have been created for paradise, it will be better for you if your life is prolonged and your deeds are good.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Haritha b. Mudarrab said he visited Khabbab who had been cauterised seven times. He said that were it not for the fact that he had heard God’s messenger say that no one must wish for death he would wish for it. He added, “I have seen myself in the company of God’s messenger when I did not possess a dirham, but now there are 40,000 dirhams in my house.” His shroud was produced, and when he saw it he wept and said, “No shroud was found for Hamza (the Prophet’s uncle. He was killed at Uhud and his remains were treated with indignity by Hind.) but a garment with black and white stripes, which did not reach his feet when put over his head and did not reach his head when put over his feet. It was eventually stretched over his head and grass was put on his feet.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, but Tirmidhi did not include the passage from “His shroud was produced” to the end.

Abu Sa'id and Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “Recite to those of you who are dying, ‘There is no god but God. ’ ” Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Salama reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you are with one who is ill or dying speak good words, for the angels say Amen to what you say.” Muslim transmitted it.

She reported God’s messenger as saying, “If any Muslim who suffers some calamity says what God has commanded him, ‘We belong to God and to Him do we return ; O God, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it,’ God will give him something better than it in exchange.” When Abu Salama died she said, “What Muslim is better than Abu Salama whose family was the first to emigrate to God’s messenger? ”(He and his wife, Umm Salama, were among those who emigrated to Abyssinia. Abu Salama died of wounds received at the battle of Uhud, and the Prophet later married Umm Salama.) She then said the words, and God gave her God’s messenger in exchange. Muslim transmitted it.

She said that God’s messenger came in to Abu Salama when his eyes were fixedly open. Closing them he said, “When the soul is taken the sight follows it.” Some of his family wept and wailed, so he said, “Do not supplicate for yourselves anything but good, for the angels say Amen to what you say.” He then said, “O God, forgive Abu Salama, raise his degree among those who are rightly guided, and grant him a succession in his descendants who remain. Forgive both us and him, Lord of the universe, make his grave spacious for him and grant him light in it.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that when God’s messenger died he was covered with a striped Yemen garment. (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Ma'qil b. Yasar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Recite sura. Ya Sin(Qur’an, xxxvi) over your dead.”(This is a literal translation. The meaning is probably those who are on the point of death.) Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that God’s messenger kissed ‘Uthman b. Maz'un (The first of the Emigrants to die in Medina after returning from Badr) when he was dead, and the Prophet wept so much that his tears flowed over ‘Uthman's face. Tirmidhl, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

She said that Abu Bakr kissed the Prophet when he was dead. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Husain b. Wahwah said that when Talha b. al-Bara’(He was a youth belonging to Medina who pleased the Prophet by his desire to do whatever he commanded) was ill the Prophet came to visit him and said, “I cannot help feeling that Talha’s death is near; so tell me when it occurs and hasten the funeral preparations, for it is not fitting that the corpse of a Muslim should be detained among his family.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Recite to those of you who die, “There is no god but God, the Clement, the Beneficent; glory be to God the Lord of the mighty throne; praise be to God the Lord of the universe.” On being asked what is appropriate for the living, he replied that these words were better and better. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The angels are present with one who dies, and if a man is good they say, ‘Come out, good soul, which was in the good body; come out praiseworthy and be happy with rest and provision and a Lord who is not angry.’ That continues to be said to it till it comes out. It is then taken up to heaven and the door is opened for it. The angels are asked who this is and reply that he is so and so, whereupon these words are spoken, ‘Welcome, good soul, which was in the good body; enter praiseworthy and be happy with rest and provision(Cf. Qur'an, lvi, 89) and a Lord who is not angry.’ That continues to be said to it till it comes to the heaven in which God is. But when it is a bad man what is said is, ‘Come out, wicked soul, which was in the wicked body; come out blameworthy and be grieved by a boiling liquid, one dark and intensely cold (Cf. Qur’an, xxxviii, 57) and other kinds of its type.’ That continues to be said to it till it comes out. It is then taken up to heaven and the door is opened for it. The question will be asked who this is and the reply given that it is so and so, whereupon these words are spoken, 'There is no welcome for the wicked soul which was in the wicked body; go back blameworthy, for the gates of heaven will not be opened for you.' It will then be sent away from heaven and come to the grave.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “When the soul of a believer comes out, two angels meet it and take it up.” Hammad said he mentioned some of the fragrance of its odour and made mention of musk, and said, “The inhabitants of heaven will say, ‘A good soul has come from the earth. God bless you and a body which you inhabited!' He will then be taken to his Lord who will tell them to take him away till the end of the appointed time."(A reference to the day of resurrection. Cf. Qur’an, vi, 2) He said, “When an infidel’s soul comes out (Hammad saying that he mentioned some of its stench and made mention of cursing), the inhabitants of heaven say, ‘A wicked soul has come from the earth,’ and they will be told to take him away till the end of the appointed time." Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger then put a seamless garment he was wearing over his nose thus( This would be indicated by putting his garment over his nose). Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a believer’s death is near the angels of mercy bring a piece of white silk and say, ‘Come out pleased and accepted to God’s rest and provision and to a Lord who is not angry.’ Then the soul comes out with a fragrance like that of the sweetest musk, they pass him from one to another till they bring him to the gates of heaven, and say, ‘How sweet is this fragrance which has come to you from the earth.’ Then they bring him to the souls of the believers, and they are happier over seeing him than any of you are when one who has been away from home comes back. They ask him, ‘How is so and so? How is so and so?’ Then they say, ‘Leave him alone just now, for he has just come from the grief of the world. He replies, ‘He has died. Has he not come to you?' and they say, ‘He has been taken to his destination, the pit.'(Cf. Qur’an, ci, 9) When an infidel's death is near the angels of punishment bring him hair-cloth and say, ‘Come out, displeased and subject to displeasure, to the punishment from God who is great and glorious.' The soul comes out with a stench like the most unpleasant stench of a corpse, they take him to the gate of the earth (The meaning is probably the gate to the lowest heaven) and say, ‘How offensive is this odour !’ They finally bring him to the souls of the infidels." Ahmad and Nasa’i transmitted it.

We went out with the Prophet to the funeral of a man of the Ansar and came to the grave. It had not yet been dug, so God’s messenger sat down and we sat down around him quietly. He had in his hand a stick with which he was making marks on the ground. Then he raised his head and said, “Seek refuge in God from the punishment of the grave saying it twice or thrice. He then said, “When a believer is about to leave the world and go forward to the next world, angels with faces white as the sun come down to him from heaven with one of the shrouds of paradise and some of the perfume of paradise and sit away from him as far as the eye can see. Then the angel of death comes and sits at his head and says, 'Good soul, come out to forgiveness and acceptance from God.' It then comes out as a drop flows from a water-skin and he seizes it; and when he does so, they do not leave it in his hand for an instant, but take it and place it in that shroud and that perfume, and from it there comes forth a fragrance like that of the sweetest musk found on the face of the earth. They then take it up and do not bring it past a company of angels without their asking, “Who is this good soul?' to which they reply, ‘So and so, the son of so and so,’ using the best of his names by which people called him on the earth. They then bring him to the lowest heaven and ask that the gate should be opened for him. This is done, and from every heaven its archangels escort him to the next heaven till he is brought to the seventh heaven, and God who is great and glorious says, ‘Record the book of my servant in ‘Illiyun (Cf. Qur’an, lxxxiii, 18) and take him back to earth, for I created mankind from it, I shall return them into it, and from it I shall bring them forth another time.' His soul is then restored to his body, two angels come to him, and making him sit up say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He replies, ‘My Lord is God.’ They ask, ‘What is your religion?’ and he replies, ‘My religion is Islam.’ They ask, ‘Who is this man who was sent among you?’ and he replies, ‘He is God’s messenger.’ They ask, ‘What is your [source of] knowledge?’ and he replies, ‘I have read God’s Book, believed in it and declared it to be true.’ Then one cries from heaven, ‘My servant has spoken the truth, so spread out carpets from paradise for him, clothe him from paradise, and open a gate for him into paradise.’ Then some of its joy and fragrance ...

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Ka‘b told on his father's authority that when death came to Ka‘b,( Ibn Majah in Jana'iz. 4 gives Ka'b b. Malik.) Umm Bishr, daughter of al-Bara’ b. Ma'rur visited him and said, “Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman, if you meet so and so, give him a greeting from me." He replied, “God forgive you, Umm Bishr, I shall be too occupied to do that.” She said, “Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman, have you not heard God’s messenger say that the souls of believers are in green birds which are suspended on and feed on (The Arabic uses ta'luqu followed by bi. Mirqat explains the meaning in the sense given above) the trees of paradise?” On his replying that he had, she said that that was what she meant. Ibn Majah and BaihaqI, in Kitab ul-ba‘th wannushur, transmitted it.

He quoted his father to the effect that he used to tell that God’s messenger said, “The spirit of a believer is only a bird which feeds on (Here the Arabic is ta'luqu fi. Mirqat quotes Suyuti who explains it as in the translation above. The verb can have either the sense of being attached to something or of eating) the trees of paradise till God restores him to his body on the day He resurrects it.” Malik, Nasa’i and Baihaqi, in Kitab al-ba'th wan-nushur, transmitted it.

Muhammad b. al-Munkadir told that he visited Jabir b. 'Abdallah when he was dying and said, “Give a greeting to God’s messenger.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

God’s messenger came in where we were when we were washing his daughter and said, “Wash her with water and lotus leaves three or five times, or more than that if you think fit, and put camphor, or some camphor, in the last washing, then inform me when you are finished.” When we had finished we informed him, and he threw us his lower garment saying, “Put it next her body.” A version has, "Wash her an odd number of times, three, or five, or seven, beginning with the right side and the places where ablution is performed.” She said that they braided her hair in three plaits and placed them behind her back. (Bukharl and Muslim.)

'A’isha said that God’s messenger was shrouded in three cotton garments of white Yemeni stuff from Sahul (This is said to have been cither the place where the cloth was woven, or the place from which it was exported), among which was neither a shirt nor a turban. (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you shrouds his brother he should use a shroud of good quality.” Muslim transmitted it.

at Thy service; praise and grace are Thine, and the dominion ; Thou hast no partner." See Book XI, chap. ii) (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Mu`adh b. Jabal reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone’s last words are ‘There is no god but God,’ he will enter paradise.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a servant of God is accustomed to worship Him in a good manner, then becomes ill, the angel who is entrusted with him is told to record for him actions equivalent to those which he did when he was well till God sets him free from his illness or takes him in death.” Transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Ibn 'Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Wear your white garments, for they are among your best garments, and shroud your dead in them. Among the best types of collyrium you use is antimony (ithmid) for it makes the hair sprout and clears the vision." Abu Da wad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted' up to “shroud your dead in them."

'All reported God’s messenger as saying 'Do not be extravagant in shrouding, for it will quickly be decayed." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

When Abu Sa'id al-Khudri was about to die he called for new clothes and put them on, then said he had heard God’s messenger say, “The dead will be resurrected in the clothes in which he died." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ubada b. as-Samit reported God's messenger as saying, “The best shroud is a lower garment and one which covers the whole body, (The Arabic has al-kulla, which means the two garments known as the izar (lower garment) and rida' (a cloak which covers the whole body)) and the best sacrifice is a horned ram." Abu Dawud transmitted it; and Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it from Abu Umama.

Ibn ‘Abbas said God’s messenger commanded that those killed at Uhud should be stripped of iron and skins and buried in their clothing without having the blood washed off. Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Sa'd b. Ibrahim told on his father’s authority that ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf was brought food when he was fasting and said, “Mus'ab b. ‘Umair who was better than I am was killed and was shrouded in a cloak [which was so short that] if his head was covered his feet appeared and if his feet were covered his head appeared. ([Sa'd] added that he thought he said ‘And Hamza who was better than I am was killed.’) Then we were given such great worldly wealth as we have been given (or, We have been given such worldly goods as we have been given), and I am afraid that my good things have been given me in advance.” He then began to weep and left the food untouched. Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir said that God’s messenger came to ‘Abdallah b. Ubayy after he had been placed in his grave and ordered him to be taken out. He then placed him on his knees, blew some of his saliva into him, and clothed him with his shirt. He said that he had clothed ‘Abbas with a shirt. ( i.e.. Jabir said the Prophet had clothed ‘Abbas with a shirt) (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Walk quickly at a funeral, for if the dead person was good it is a good condition to which you are sending him on, but if he was otherwise it is an evil of which you are ridding yourselves.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Sa'id reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a corpse is placed on a bier and men carry it on their shoulders, if it was a good man it says, ‘Take me quickly’; but if it was not good it says to its bearers, ‘Woe to it, where are you taking it?’ Everything but mankind hears its voice, and were a human being to hear it he would faint.” Bukhari transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you see a funeral stand up; but anyone who follows it must not sit down till the bier is placed on the ground.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir said that when a funeral passed by God’s messenger stood up [to show respect] and they stood up along with him. They told him it was a Jewish funeral and he replied, “Death is a fearful event, so when you see a funeral stand up.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ali said, “We saw God’s messenger stand up so we stood up; he then sat down and we sat down,” the reference being to a funeral. Muslim transmitted it. The version of Malik and Abu Dawud says, “He stood up for a funeral, then sat down afterwards.”(There is some doubt as to whether this means that he sat down after the funeral had passed, or whether the point is that the Prophet’s practice had been to stand up but that he later stopped doing so. Cf. the tradition from ‘Ali on p. 353)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone attends the funeral of a Muslim out of faith and seeking a reward from God, and stays till prayer is offered and the burial is complete, he will return with a reward of two qirats, each qirat being equivalent to Uhud (The qirat is a small weight, a twentieth, or twenty-fourth of a dinar. Here it is used somewhat figuratively. The statement that it is equivalent to the hill Uhud is a way of expressing that the reward will be very great); and if anyone prays over the dead and returns before the burial, he will come back with one qirat.” (Bukharl and Muslim.)

He said the Prophet gave the people news of the death of the Negus on the day on which he died, took them out to the place of prayer, drew them up in rows and said “God is most great” four times. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Abu Laila said that Zaid b. Arqam used to say “God is most great” four times over their dead at funerals, but once he said it five times. On being questioned about it he replied that God's messenger used to do so. Muslim transmitted it.

Talha b. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Auf said he prayed behind Ibn ‘Abbas at a funeral and he recited Fatihat al-Kltab (Qur'an, sura i). He then said that it was to let them know it was a sunna. Bukhari transmitted it.

God’s messenger prayed at a funeral and I have retained in my memory some of his supplication. He was saying, “O God, forgive him, show him mercy, grant him security, pardon him, grant him a noble provision and a spacious lodging, wash him with water, snow and ice, purify him from sins as Thou hast purified the white garment from filth, give him a better abode in place of his present one, a better family in place of his present one, and a better spouse in place of his present one, cause him to enter paradise and preserve him from the trial in the grave and the punishment in hell.” A version has “And guard him from the trial in the grave and the punishment in hell.” He added that the result was that he wished he had been that dead man. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Salama b. ‘Abd ar-Rahman told how, when Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas died, ‘A’isha said, “Take him into the mosque so that I may pray over him.” When objection was made to this she said, “I swear by God that God’s messenger prayed in the mosque over Suhail and his brother, the sons of Baida’. ” Muslim transmitted it.

Samura b. Jundub said, “I prayed behind God’s messenger over a woman who had died in childbirth, and he stood opposite her waist.” (Bukhar! and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God's messenger came upon a grave where an interment had taken place at night and asked when this person had been buried. On being told that he had been buried the previous night, he asked why they had not informed him. They told him that they had conducted the burial in the darkness of night and had not liked to waken him, whereupon he stood up, and when they formed a row behind him he prayed over the dead. (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that a negress (or a youth) used to sweep the mosque. God’s messenger missed her, and when he asked about her (or him) the people told him he had died. He asked why they had not informed him, and it appeared as if they had treated her (or him) as of little account. He asked the people to lead him to the grave, and when they did so he prayed over her (The wording of this tradition causes some difficulty owing to the indefiniteness as to whether the person was a man or a woman. Sometimes the alternative is mentioned, as in the translation, but sometimes merely the masculine singular pronoun and at others merely the feminine singular pronoun is used) and then said, "These graves are full of darkness for their occupants, but God will illuminate them for them by reason of my prayer over them.” (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Muslim’s.)

Kuraib the client of Ibn ‘Abbas told that a son of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas died in Qudaid or ‘Usfan and he asked him to go out and see how many people had gathered for the funeral. Going out and finding that people had gathered for the funeral, he told him. Ibn ‘Abbas asked him if he thought there would be forty present, and when he replied that that was so, he gave orders for the body to be brought out, adding that he had heard God’s messenger say, "If any Muslim man dies and forty men who associate nothing with God stand over his bier, God will accept them as intercessors for him.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported the Prophet as saying, "If a company of Muslims to the number of a hundred pray over a dead person, all of them interceding for him, their intercession for him will be accepted.” Muslim transmitted it.