WE RELATE FROM the Ṣaḥīḥ of al-Bukhārī that ‘Ā’ishah 
reported: “I came to Abū Bakr 
while he was sick. He asked: ‘In how many sheets did you bury the Prophet 
?’ I said: ‘In three pieces of cloth.’ He asked: ‘On what day did the Messenger of Allah pass away?’ She replied: ‘On a Monday.’ He asked: ‘What day is it today?’ She said: ‘Monday.’ He said: ‘I hope it will be between now and tonight.’ He looked at the robe that he was wearing during his illness and it had a saffron stain. He said: ‘Wash it, add two more pieces of cloth to it, and bury me in it.’ I said: ‘This is worn.’ He replied: ‘The living are more entitled to the new than the dead; it is only because of the pus that flows from the body of the deceased.’ He did not pass away until the evening began of the night [preceding] Tuesday; and he was buried before the morning.” [1].
reported: “I came to Abū Bakr while he was sick. He asked: ‘In how many sheets did you bury the Prophet ?’ I said: ‘In three pieces of cloth.’ He asked: ‘On what day did the Messenger of Allah pass away?’ She replied: ‘On a Monday.’ He asked: ‘What day is it today?’ She said: ‘Monday.’ He said: ‘I hope it will be between now and tonight.’ He looked at the robe that he was wearing during his illness and it had a saffron stain. He said: ‘Wash it, add two more pieces of cloth to it, and bury me in it.’ I said: ‘This is worn.’ He replied: ‘The living are more entitled to the new than the dead; it is only because of the pus that flows from the body of the deceased.’ He did not pass away until the evening began of the night [preceding] Tuesday; and he was buried before the morning.” [1].I say: The word ‘stain (rad‘)’ with a fatḥah on the rā’ and a sukūn on the dāl, and with an ‘ayn, means a ‘trace’.
The word ‘pus (muhlah)’ is narrated with a ḍammah on the mīm and with a fatḥah on it and a kasrah—which are three variants—and with a hā’ with a sukūn. It denotes the pus which flows from the body of the deceased.
We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of al-Bukhārī that when ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb was wounded he said: “When I am taken away carry me, then give greetings and say that ‘Umar is asking for permission to enter. If she”—meaning ‘Ā’ishah —“gives permission, then take me in; if she refuses, return me to the graveyard of the Muslims.” [2].
was wounded he said: “When I am taken away carry me, then give greetings and say that ‘Umar is asking for permission to enter. If she”—meaning ‘Ā’ishah —“gives permission, then take me in; if she refuses, return me to the graveyard of the Muslims.” [2].We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim from ‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqāṣ who re ported that Sa‘d said: “Dig me a laḥd [3].and set up bricks over me as was done for the Messenger of Allah .” [4].
.” [4].We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim from ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ that he said while he was in the agony of death: “When I pass away, let no paid mourner or fire accompany me. And when you bury me, spread earth over me and then stand around my grave for as long as it takes to slaughter a camel and distribute its meat, so that I may listen to you and see how I should respond to the messengers (the Angels) of my Lord.” [5].
that he said while he was in the agony of death: “When I pass away, let no paid mourner or fire accompany me. And when you bury me, spread earth over me and then stand around my grave for as long as it takes to slaughter a camel and distribute its meat, so that I may listen to you and see how I should respond to the messengers (the Angels) of my Lord.” [5].I say: His saying ‘spread (shunnū)’ is transmitted with sīn (sunnū) and with shīn, and it means ‘to pour little by little’.
We have reported in this context the hadith of Ḥudhayfah in the chapter on informing the family of the deceased. What we have mentioned is sufficient; and from Allah come all guidance and all ability.
It is essential not to follow the deceased blindly, nor to adhere to all of his dying wishes. They should be referred to people who possess knowledge. If they permit them, they should be done; if not, they should be avoided. I will give some examples. If a person orders that he be buried in a certain place in the graveyard of the city, and that place is the place of the virtuous, then his order should be carried out. If he makes a request that a foreigner or stranger should lead his funeral ṣalāh, should he be given preference over his relatives? The ‘ulamā’ disagree, but the correct view is that his relatives are more worthy to lead the ṣalāh. But if the person appointed is someone known for his piety or superior knowledge and for his memorisation and good reputation, it is mustaḥabb for the relatives to give him preference out of respect for the rights of the deceased. If [the deceased] orders that he be buried in a casket, his order should not be carried out unless the ground is soft or damp and it is therefore necessary to bury him thus. His order should [then] be acceded to and it should be paid from his own funds. If he asks that he be moved to another country his order must not be implemented, because to move him is ḥarām according to the preferred sound position which the majority hold and which the scholars capable of detailed investigation have stated, though some have said that it is makrūh. According to ash-Shāfi‘ī, may Allah have mercy on him, if he is near Makkah, Madīnah or Jerusalem he may be moved there, for their blessings. Likewise, if he asks to have a sword-blade buried beneath him or a pillow beneath his head, or the like of it, his bequest is not to be carried out, or if he requests that he be shrouded in silk, for silk is ḥarām for men. Shrouding women in silk is makrūh and not ḥarām. Hermaphrodites are to be treated like men in this respect. If he asks that he be shrouded in more than the lawful number of sheets, or in a garment that does not cover his body, his request must not be consented to. If [the deceased] orders that there be recitation or charity given on his behalf or some other acts of drawing close to Allah, his order must be implemented, unless he combines it with something that the Sharī‘ah forbids. If he instructs that his funeral be delayed for a period longer than that permitted by Sharī‘ah, that must not be implemented. If he instructs that a charitable enterprise for the Muslims be built over him in the graveyard, his bequest is not to be executed, for that is ḥarām.
References
[1] Al-Bukhārī (1387), al-Muwaṭṭa’ (1/224), and Fatḥ al-Bārī (3/254). Ibn Ḥajar states that this hadith shows that it is recommended to shroud the deceased in three white cloths. It also indicates the virtue of Abū Bakr, the accuracy of his foresight (firāsah), and his steadfastness at the time of his death.
[2] Al-Bukhārī (1392). ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said this to his son ‘Abdullāh, who was the eldest of his children.
[3] The laḥd is usually a hollow slot in the qiblah side of the grave in which the corpse is laid.
[4] Muslim (966).
[5] Muslim (121).