Points Regarding Condolences from
Sharh Riyaadhus Saaliheen
by Shaykh Muhammad
bin Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen
Hadeeth Number 29 p206-210
Usama b.
Zaid reported:
While we
were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ),
one of his daughters sent to him (the Messenger) to call him and inform him
that her child or her son was dying. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told the messenger to go back and tell her that
‘What
Allah had taken belonged to Him, and to him belonged what He granted; and He
has an appointed time for everything. So you (the messenger) order her to show
endurance and seek reward from Allah.
The
messenger came back and said: She adjures him to come to her. He got up to go
accompanied by Sa'd b. 'Ubada, Mu'adh b. Jabal, and I also went along with
them. The child was lifted to him and his soul was feeling as restless as if it
was in an old (waterskin). His (Prophet's) eyes welled up with tears. Sa'd
said: What is this, Messenger of Allah? He replied: This is compassion which
Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants, and God shows compassion only
to those of His servants who are compassionate.
حَدَّثَنَا
أَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَيْدٍ -
عَنْ عَاصِمٍ الأَحْوَلِ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِيِّ، عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ
زَيْدٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ
إِحْدَى بَنَاتِهِ تَدْعُوهُ وَتُخْبِرُهُ أَنَّ صَبِيًّا لَهَا - أَوِ ابْنًا
لَهَا - فِي الْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ لِلرَّسُولِ " ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهَا
فَأَخْبِرْهَا
إِنَّ
لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ عِنْدَهُ بِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى
فَمُرْهَا فَلْتَصْبِرْ وَلْتَحْتَسِبْ "
فَعَادَ الرَّسُولُ
فَقَالَ إِنَّهَا قَدْ أَقْسَمَتْ لَتَأْتِيَنَّهَا . قَالَ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ
صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَامَ مَعَهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَمُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ وَانْطَلَقْتُ
مَعَهُمْ فَرُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ الصَّبِيُّ وَنَفْسُهُ تَقَعْقَعُ كَأَنَّهَا فِي
شَنَّةٍ فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ سَعْدٌ مَا هَذَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
قَالَ " هَذِهِ رَحْمَةٌ جَعَلَهَا اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِ عِبَادِهِ
وَإِنَّمَا يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الرُّحَمَاءَ " .
(Sunnah.com)
Reference : Sahih Muslim 923 a The Book of Prayer - Funerals
Chapter
(6) Crying for the Deceased
Selected Points[1]:
فلتصبر
ولتحتسب ‘seek reward’ from Allaah through
her ‘sabr’. There are some people who have sabr but do not seek reward. He has
sabr not to sin but does not worry. However, if only he hoped for reward from
Allaah and did not miss out on a lot of good….. Sabr upon the calamity and
seeking reward from Allaah.
إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا
أَخَذَ وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى
‘What
Allah had taken belonged to Him, and to him belonged what He granted’
This
sentence carries a great meaning. If everything belongs to Allaah and if He
takes it from you, then it is His property. If He gives you something then it
is His property. So how can you become angry if He takes something from you
that belongs to Him and that He owns?
هَذِهِ رَحْمَةٌ ‘This is mercy’
The
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم cried out of mercy
for the child and not out of unhappiness for what was predestined.
We should
know that giving condolences is to support and strengthen the person suffering
a calamity and to ease his grief. A person should choose the best words and
closest to the Sunnah for giving condolences and there is nothing better than
the words that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
formulated. Allaah is the Granter of success.
