Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not sit on graves, and do not pray facing them.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “It is better that one of you should sit on live coals which burn his clothing and come in contact with his skin than that he should sit on a grave.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Urwa b. az-Zubair said there were two men in Medina, one of whom made a niche when digging a grave, the other of whom did not. The people said that the one who came first should do as he was accustomed to do, and the one who made a niche came and made one for God’s messenger. [Baghawi] transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “The niche in the side of the grave is for us and the excavation in the middle is for others.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it from Jarir b. ‘Abdallah.

Hisham b. ‘Amir told that the Prophet said on the day of Uhud, “Dig graves, make them wide, deep and beautiful, bury two or three together in a single grave, and put first the one who knew most of the Qur’an.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted up to “beautiful”.

On the day of Uhud my paternal aunt brought my father to bury him in our cemetery, but God’s messenger’s crier called out, “Take back the dead to the place where they fell.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and Darimi transmitted it, the wording being Tirmidhi’s.

Ibn 'Abbas said God’s messenger was lowered gently into the grave head first. Shafi'i transmitted it.

He told that the Prophet entered a grave during the night, and when a lamp was lit for him he faced the qibla and said, “God have mercy on you if you were devoted to supplication with tears (The Arabic is awwah which cannot easily be translated by one word. It is variously explained as meaning one much given to sighing through fear of God, one much given to supplication from love of God, one much given to weeping from fefir, or one much given to prayer asking for God’s mercy. Cf. Mirqat, ii, 376) and to the recitation of the Qur’an.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, but in Sharh as- sunna its isnad is said to be weak.

Ibn ‘Umar told that when the dead was placed in the grave the Prophet said, “In the name of God, by God’s grace, and following the religion of God’s messenger.” A version has “And following the sunna of God’s messenger.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Abu Dawud transmitted the second version.

Ja'far b. Muhammad told in mursal form on his father’s authority that the Prophet cast three handfuls of earth on the dead with both hands, that he sprinkled water on his son Ibrahim’s grave, and that he put small pebbles on it. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna, and Shafi’i transmitted from “he sprinkled".

Jabir said God’s messenger forbade that graves should be plastered with gypsum, have any writing on them, or be trodden on. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He said that the Prophet’s grave was sprinkled and that the one who sprinkled the water over his grave from a water-skin was Bilal b. Rabah. He began where the head was and sprinkled it to his feet. Baihaqi transmitted it in Dalail an-nubuwa.

Al-Muttalib b. Abu Wada'a said that when ‘Uthman b. Maz'un died, was brought out on his bier and buried, the Prophet ordered a man to bring him a stone, but he was unable to carry it; so God’s messenger got up and, going over to it, rolled up his sleeves. Al-Muttalib remarked that the one who told him about God’s messenger said, “I still seem to see the whiteness of the forearms of God’s messenger when he rolled up his sleeves.” He then carried it and placed it at his head saying, “I am marking my brother’s grave with it, and I shall bury beside him those of my family who die.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Al-Qasim b. Muhammad told of his going to visit ‘A’isha and saying, “Mother, show me the grave of the Prophet and his two companions.” She showed him three graves which were neither high nor low, but were spread over with soft red pebbles in an open space. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib said, “We went out with God’s messenger to the funeral of a man of the Ansar, but when we reached the grave the niche in the side had not yet been made, so the Prophet sat down facing the qibla and we sat down along with him.” Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Ibn Majah adding “quietly”. (Literally, as though the birds were over our heads. An explanation of the phrase is that when a bird alights on a camel’s head and begins to pick the ticks off it, the camel stands perfectly still so as not to frighten it away.)

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “Breaking a dead man’s bone is like breaking it when he is alive.” Malik, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

I was present when the daughter of God’s messenger was being buried. He was sitting beside the grave and I saw his eyes shedding tears. He then asked, “Is there any of you who did not have sexual intercourse last night?” Abu Talha replied that he had not, so he told him to go down into her grave, and he did so. Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Amr b. al-‘As said to his son when he was in the throes of death, “When I die let no wailing woman or fire accompany me, and when you bury me scatter earth lightly over me, then stand round my grave as long as it takes to sacrifice an animal and have its flesh distributed, so that I may feel you near and know what to answer my Lord’s messengers.”( i.e. Munkar and Naklr who examine the dead in the grave) Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said he heard the Prophet say, “When one of you dies do not keep him long, but take him quickly to his grave, and have the opening verses of sura al-Baqara recited at his head and the concluding verses of the same sura at his feet.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman, saying the correct view is that it does not go farther back than him.

We were like the companions of Jadhima (Jadhima was a legendary pre-Islamic king with his centre in al-Anbar. He had two boon- companions, 'Aqil and Malik, who are said to have been together for forty years. The verses are from a lament by Mutammim b. Nuwaira al-Yarbu'i over his brother Malik) for a long time, so that people said the two will never be separated. But when we separated it seemed, in spite of long association, as if Malik and I had not spent a single night together. She then said, “I swear by God that if I had been present with you, you would have been buried nowhere but where you died, and if I had been with you I would not have visited you.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Rafi‘ said that God's messenger lowered Sa‘d and sprinkled water over his grave. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger prayed over a bier, then went to the grave and threw three handfuls of earth towards the head of the dead man. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Hazm told how, when the Prophet saw him leaning on a grave, he said, “Do not molest the occupant of this grave”; or, “Do not molest it.” Ahmad transmitted it.

We went in with God’s messenger to visit Abu Saif the smith who was foster-father of Ibrahim (The Prophet’s son who died in infancy), and God’s messenger took Ibrahim, kissed him and smelt him. We went in to visit him later when Ibrahim was giving up his soul, and tears began to fall from God’s messenger's eyes, whereupon ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf said to him, “You too, messenger of God?” He replied, “Ibn ‘Auf, it is compassion,” then shed more tears and said, “The eye weeps and the heart grieves, but we say only what our Lord is pleased with, and we are grieved over being separated from you, Ibrahim.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Usama b. Zaid said the Prophet’s daughter sent him a message telling him that a son of hers was dying and asking him to come to them. He sent her a greeting, saying at the same time, “What God has taken belongs to Him, what He has given belongs to Him, and He has an appointed time for everyone, so let her show endurance and seek her reward from God.” She then sent adjuring him to come to her, and he got up to go accompanied by Sa'd b. ‘Ubada, Mu'adh b. Jabal, Ubayy b. Ka'b, Zaid b. Thabit and some other men. The boy who was on the point of death (This is an attempt to express the meaning of the Arabic which says literally ‘his soul was disquieted [or, restless]) was lifted up to God’s messenger whose eyes overflowed with tears. Sa'd said, “What is this, messenger of God?” He replied, “This is compassion which God has placed in the hearts of His servants. God shows compassion only to those of His servants who are compassionate.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said that when Sa'd b. ‘Ubada complained of a trouble, the Prophet came to visit him accompanied by ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf, Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas and ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud. On entering and finding him in a bad way (Or, in a faint) he suggested that his end was near, but was assured that that was not so. The Prophet wept, and when the people saw him weeping they wept also. He then said, "Listen; God does not punish for the tears the eye sheds or the grief the heart experiences, but He punishes for this (pointing to his tongue), or He shows compassion; and the dead is punished because of his family’s weeping for him."( Cf. the second tradition in section III where 'A’isha says Ibn ‘Umar has forgotten or made a mistake. This has given rise to much discussion and efforts have been made to show that the tradition of Ibn ‘Umar refers particularly to excessive weeping and wailing, or to the desire of pre-Islamic Arabs that people should lament them to an excessive extent when they died. The reference to the tongue indicates loud lamentation in contrast to silent weeping) (Bukharl and Muslim.)

'Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, "He who beats the cheeks, tears the front of the garments, and cries out as people did in pre-Islamic times, does not belong to us." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Burda said that Abu Musa al-Ash'ari fainted and his wife Umm ‘Abdallah began to shout with a piercing cry. He then came round, and asking her if she was quite ignorant, he told her that God’s messenger had said, "I have no connection with one who shaves, shouts and tears his clothing." (Bukharl and Muslim, the wording being Muslim's.)

boasting of high rank, reviling other people’s genealogies, seeking rain by the stars, and wailing." And he said, "If the wailing-woman does not repent before she dies, she will be made to stand on the day of resurrection wearing a garment of pitch and a chemise of mange.” Muslim transmitted it.

Anas told that when the Prophet came upon a woman weeping at a grave he said, "Fear God and show endurance.” She, not recognising him, replied, "Go away, for you have not been afflicted as I have.” She was told that he was the Prophet, so she went to his door, and finding no doorkeepers there she said, "I did not recognise you." He replied, "Endurance is shown only at the first blow.” (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “No Muslim will suffer the death of three sons and go to hell, except to expiate the oath.”(Cf. Qur'an, xix, 71, which says everyone shall go down to it, and that this is a decree from God which must be accomplished. The meaning of the tradition is said to be that such people will go for a very brief time which will be enough to make this decree no longer applicable to them. The decree is treated as equivalent to an oath) (Bukharl and Muslim.)

He reported God’s messenger as saying to some women of the Ansar, “None of you will lose three children by death and seek a reward from God without entering paradise.” One of them asked, “Or two, messenger of God?” He replied, “Or two.” Muslim transmitted it. Bukharl and Muslim have a version which says, “three who were not old enough to sin.”

He reported God’s messenger as declaring that God says, “When I take away from my believing servant his favourite friend among the people of this world and he seeks his reward from me, he will have no other reward from me but paradise.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abd Sa'id al-Khudri said that God’s messenger cursed the wailing-woman and the woman who listens to her. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported God’s messenger as saying, “It is a fine thing when a believer praises and thanks God if good comes to him, and praises God and shows endurance if smitten by affliction. ' The believer is rewarded for everything, even for the morsel he raises to his wife’s mouth.”(The idea of the tradition is that by virtue of his faith the believer receives a reward for all his actions, none being too insignificant) Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Every believer has two gates, one by which deeds ascend and one by which his provision comes down, and when he dies they weep for him.” That agrees with God's words, “Neither the heaven nor the earth wept for them.”(Qur’an xliv, 29) Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “If any member of my people has two children who die before him, God will cause him to enter paradise on their account.” ‘A’isha asked, “Does it apply to a member of your people who has one child who dies before him?” He replied, “It does, you who have been helped by God to ask this.” She then asked, “What about a member of your people who has no children who die before him?” He replied, “I am the one who dies before my people, and they will never suffer any loss to compare with the loss of me.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

When a man's child dies God most high asks His angels whether they have taken His servant's child and they reply that they have. He then asks whether they have taken the fruit of his heart (This is said by some to mean either children or grandchildren, and a basis for that meaning is found in Qur’an, ii, 155, where the plural ath-thamarat is interpreted that way), and when they reply that they have, He asks what His servant said. On their replying that he praised God and said, “We belong to God and to Him do we return,” God says, “Build a house in paradise for my servant and call it the house of praise.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, “If anyone comforts one who has been afflicted he will have a reward equivalent to his.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition which was known to him as traced back to the Prophet only among the traditions of ‘Ali b. ‘Asim the transmitter. He added that some transmitted it with this isnad from Muhammad b. Suqa in mauquf form.

Abu Barza reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who comforts a bereaved woman will be clothed with a striped garment in paradise.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

‘Abdallah b. Ja'far told that when the news of Ja'far’s death came the Prophet said, “Prepare food for Ja'far’s family, for they have heard something which takes up their whole attention.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Al-Mughira b. Shu'ba said he heard God’s messenger say, “If people wail for anyone he will be punished for it on the day of resurrection.” (Bukharl and Muslim.)

‘Amra daughter of ‘Abd ar-Rahman said that when ‘A’isha was told that ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar said the dead was punished because of the weeping of the living for him, she heard her say, “God forgive Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman ! He has not lied, but he has forgotten, or has made a mistake. What happened was just that God’s messenger came upon some people weeping for a Jewess and said, ‘They are weeping for her, and she is being punished in her grave.’ ” (Bukharl and Muslim.)

A daughter of ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan died in Mecca and we went to attend her funeral. Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn ‘Abbas were present and I was sitting between them. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar told ‘Amr b. ‘Uthman who was opposite him to make the people stop weeping, for God's messenger had said that the dead is punished because of his people’s weeping for him. Ibn ‘Abbas then said that ‘Umar used to say something of that nature, and told of an occasion when he had gone from Mecca with ‘Umar and they saw a party of riders under the shade of a gum-acacia tree when they came to al-Baida,. ‘Umar told him to go and see who these riders were, and when he looked he saw that Suhaib was among them, so he told ‘Umar and he asked him to call him. He therefore returned to Suhaib and told him to come over and attach himself to the Commander of the Faithful. Then when ‘Umar was smitten Suhaib entered weeping and saying, “Alas for the brother! Alas for the companion!” ‘Umar asked Suhaib if he was weeping for him when God’s messenger had said that the dead would certainly be punished because of some of the weeping of his family for him. Ibn ‘Abbas said that when ‘Umar died he mentioned that to ‘A’isha and she said, “God have mercy on ‘Umar! I answer by God that God’s messenger never said the dead will certainly be punished because of his family’s weeping for him; what he said was that God will increase the punishment of the infidel because of his family’s weeping for him.” She added, “What the Qur’an says is enough for you: ‘No bearer of a burden will bear another’s burden.’ ” (Qur’an, vi, 164; xvii, 15; xxxv, 18; xxxix, 7) Thereupon Ibn ‘Abbas said, “God is He who has caused laughter and weeping.” (Cf. Qur’an, liii, 43) Ibn Abu Mulaika said that Ibn ‘Umar remained silent. (Bukharl and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said that when the Prophet was told that Ibn Haritha, Ja'far and Ibn Rawaha (They were Zaid b. Haritha, Ja'far Abu Talib, and 'Abdallah b. Rawaha who were killed at Mu’ta in 7 A.H) had been killed, he sat down showing signs of grief, while she was looking at him through the sa’ir, i.e. the slit, of the door. A man came to him and mentioned that Ja'far’s women were weeping, and on being told to tell them to stop he went away. He came a second time saying they had not obeyed him, and he told him to tell them to stop. When he came a third time and said he could make no impression on them, God’s messenger, so ‘A’isha asserted, said, “Throw dust in their mouths.” Thereupon she said, “God humble you! You did not do what God’s messenger ordered you, nor did you stop annoying God’s messenger.” (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Umm Salama told that when Abu Salama died she said he had been a stranger in a strange land and that she would weep for him in a manner which would be talked of. She had made preparations for weeping and a woman who meant to assist her was on her way when she was met by God’s messenger who said, “Do you intend to bring the devil into a house from which God has twice driven him out?”(Abu Salama had emigrated both to Abyssinia and to Medina and this may be the reference here; or it may be explained as meaning that the devil was driven out first when he accepted Islam and secondly when he died as a Muslim) Umm Salama therefore refrained from weeping and did not weep. Muslim transmitted it.

An-Nu‘man b. Bashir said that when ‘Abdallah b. Rawaha fainted his sister ‘Amra began to weep and shout, “Alas for the mountain! (The word which basically means a mountain is also used for a chief. In the next tradition from Abu Musa two expressions are used, one being the same as here and the other using a normal word for a chief. I have therefore kept the flavour of the original by retaining the word mountain) Alas for such and such! Alas for such and such !” eulogising him. When he came round he said, “I was asked about everything you said whether I am like that.” A version has the addition that when he died she did not weep for him. Bukhari tranmitted it.

Abu Musa said he heard God’s messenger say, “If anyone dies and the mourner gets up and says, ‘Alas for the mountain! Alas for the chief!’ and such like, God will put two angels in charge of him who will beat him on the breast and ask him whether he was like that.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib hasan tradition.

Abu Huraira said that a member of the family of God’s messenger died and that the women gathered and wept for him. ‘Umar then arose and forbade and repulsed them, but God’s messenger said, “Let them alone, ‘Umar, for the eye is tearful, the heart is afflicted, and the matter has happened recently.” Ahmad and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that when God’s messenger’s daughter Zainab died and the women wept, ‘Umar began to strike them with his whip, but God's messenger pushed him back saying, “Gently, ‘Umar.” He then said, “Beware of the devil’s clamour,” and added, “Whatever comes from the eye and from the heart is from God who is great and glorious and pertains to compassion, but what comes from the hand and from the tongue is of the devil.” Ahmad transmitted it.