Sunan Abu Dawud #3186
Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُفَيْلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سِمَاكٌ، حَدَّثَنِي جَابِرُ بْنُ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ مَرِضَ رَجُلٌ فَصِيحَ عَلَيْهِ فَجَاءَ جَارُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ . قَالَ " وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ " . قَالَ أَنَا رَأَيْتُهُ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمُتْ " . قَالَ فَرَجَعَ فَصِيحَ عَلَيْهِ فَجَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمُتْ " . فَرَجَعَ فَصِيحَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ انْطَلِقْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبِرْهُ . فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ اللَّهُمَّ الْعَنْهُ . قَالَ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ الرَّجُلُ فَرَآهُ قَدْ نَحَرَ نَفْسَهُ بِمِشْقَصٍ مَعَهُ فَانْطَلَقَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ فَقَالَ " مَا يُدْرِيكَ " . قَالَ رَأَيْتُهُ يَنْحَرُ نَفْسَهُ بِمَشَاقِصَ مَعَهُ . قَالَ " أَنْتَ رَأَيْتَهُ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " إِذًا لاَ أُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ " .
A man fell ill and a cry was raised (for his death). So his neighbour came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said to him: He has died. He asked: Who told you? He said: I have seen him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He has not died. He then returned.
A cry was again raised (for his death). He came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: He has died. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He has not died. He then returned.
A cry was again raised over him. His wife said: Go to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and inform him. The man said: O Allah, curse him.
He said: The man then went and saw that he had killed himself with an arrowhead. So he went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him that he had died.
He asked: Who told you? He replied: I myself saw that he had killed himself with arrowheads. He asked: Have you seen him? He replied: Yes. He then said: Then I shall not pray over him.
Narrated by Narrated Jabir ibn Samurah:
Context
This hadith narrates an incident where a man mistakenly believed another had died. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasized the importance of certainty before declaring someone's death. This highlights the need for careful consideration and verification in serious matters, particularly regarding life and death.
Modern Application
In contemporary life, this principle encourages us to seek clarity and confirmation before making serious claims or decisions. It underscores the importance of communication and understanding in our interactions.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Warning and Prophetic Warning because it serves as a caution against making hasty judgments about life and death.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ
At-Tawba (The Repentance)
1 ayah
وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلَىٰٓ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُم مَّاتَ أَبَدًۭا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلَىٰ قَبْرِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ فَٰسِقُونَ
And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O Muhammad], over any of them who has died - ever - or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.
سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ
Al-Kahf (The Cave)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَلَعَلَّكَ بَٰخِعٌۭ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا
Then perhaps you would kill yourself through grief over them, [O Muhammad], if they do not believe in this message, [and] out of sorrow.
سُورَةُ عَبَسَ
Abasa (He frowned)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
The Prophet frowned and turned away
سُورَةُ الشُّعَرَاءِ
Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
لَعَلَّكَ بَٰخِعٌۭ نَّفْسَكَ أَلَّا يَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ
Perhaps, [O Muhammad], you would kill yourself with grief that they will not be believers.
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
أَوْ كَٱلَّذِى مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍۢ وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْىِۦ هَٰذِهِ ٱللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ ٱللَّهُ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامٍۢ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ ۖ قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍۢ ۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثْتَ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامٍۢ فَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ ءَايَةًۭ لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْعِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًۭا ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُۥ قَالَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ
Or [consider such an example] as the one who passed by a township which had fallen into ruin. He said, "How will Allah bring this to life after its death?" So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years; then He revived him. He said, "How long have you remained?" The man said, "I have remained a day or part of a day." He said, "Rather, you have remained one hundred years. Look at your food and your drink; it has not changed with time. And look at your donkey; and We will make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones [of this donkey] - how We raise them and then We cover them with flesh." And when it became clear to him, he said, "I know that Allah is over all things competent."
Common Words
108 total83 unique14 repeated
على6x
قال5x
ٱلله4x
لبثت3x
إلى3x
ولا2x
بخع2x
نفسك2x
لم2x
أو2x
مائة2x
عام2x
ثم2x
وٱنظر2x
تصل1x
أحد1x
منهم1x
مات1x
أبدا1x
تقم1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #3186 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz). It is graded Da'if in chain and narrated by Narrated Jabir ibn Samurah:.