Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 155

Participation in Funeral Prayer and Procession and the dislike of Women Participating in the Funeral Procession

باب الصلاة علي الميت وتشييعه وحضور دفنه وكراهة اتباع النساء الجنائز

Accompanying a fellow Muslim to the grave is an act of love that Allah rewards in measures the mind can barely hold. This chapter weighs that reward in qirat, each one likened to a mountain, and ties the fullest reward to staying through both the prayer and the burial.

Notice that the reward is linked to sincere intention, believing and hoping for reward from Allah. The chapter also touches a point of practice regarding women in the procession; the broad spiritual point is honouring the dead and earning reward, while the finer details of such rulings are matters for scholars.

Hadith 929

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ “من شهد الجنازة حتي يصلى عليها، فله قيراط ، ومن شهدها حتي تدفن، فله قيراطان‏"‏ قيل‏:‏ وما القيراطان‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ “مثل الجبلين العظيمين” ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whoever follows the funeral procession and offers the funeral prayer for it, will get a reward equal to one Qirat, and whoever attends it till burial, will get a reward equal to two Qirat.'' It was asked, "What are two Qirat?'' He (ﷺ) replied, "Equal to two huge mountains." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

Following a funeral and praying over the deceased earns a great reward, and staying until the burial earns double, each portion likened by the Prophet to a huge mountain.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 929 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 36

Hadith 930

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏"‏من اتبع جنازة مسلم إيماناً واحتساباً، وكان معه حتي يصلى عليها ويفرغ من دفنها، فإنه يرجع من الأجر بقيراطين كل قيراط مثل أحدٍ، ومن صلى عليها، ثم رجع قبل أن تدفن ، فإنه يرجع بقيراط” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whosoever attends the funeral of a Muslim believing and hoping for the reward from Allah and remains with it until the prayer is offered over it and the burial is completed, he will return with a reward of two Qirat; each Qirat is equivalent to Mount Uhud; and whosoever offers his prayer over it and returns before its burial, he will come back with one Qirat." [Al- Bukhari].

In plain words

Attending a Muslim's funeral sincerely for Allah's sake and staying through both the prayer and the burial brings a reward each part of which is as great as Mount Uhud.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 930 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 37

Hadith 931

Umm Atiyyah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:

وعن أم عطية رضي الله عنها قالت‏:‏ نهينا عن اتباع الجنائز، ولم يعزم علينا‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏ ‏"‏ومعناه ‏"‏ ولم يشدد في النهي كما يشدد في المحرمات‏.‏

We (womenfolk) were prohibited from accompanying a funeral procession, but we were not compelled (not to do so). [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

Umm Atiyyah notes that women were told not to join the funeral procession, though it was not strictly enforced upon them.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 931 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 38