FUNERAL PRAYER OVER HAMZAH AND THE OTHER MARTYRS OF UHUD
Ibn Ishaq related that Ibn ‘Abbas narrated: “The Messenger of Allah called for the corpse of Hamzah and he was brought enshrouded in a Burdah, then he offered the funeral prayer on him making in it seven takbeerat. Then, the remainder of the martyrs were brought and he offered the prayer over them one after the other along with Hamzah till he offered the prayer seventy-two times on Hamzah alone.” This narration is strange and its chain is weak.
The one related by Al-Bukhari is perhaps more established. ‘Abdur-Rahman Ibn Ka‘b Ibn Malik narrated that Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah informed him that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, shrouded every two martyrs of Uhud in one piece of cloth and then he would ask, “Which of them knew more of the Qur’an?” When one of them was pointed out he would put him first in the grave, he said, “I am a witness on these.” Then he ordered them to be buried with blood on their bodies. Neither did he offer their funeral prayer nor did he get them washed.”
Ahmad relegated that Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah narrated that Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, said concerning the martyrs of Uhud:
“Verily every wound – or every blood – will emit the scent of musk on the Day of Judgment.” And he did not offer a funeral prayer on them.
It is also established that he offered the prayer on them several years after and shortly before his death. ‘Uqbah Ibn ‘Amir said: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, offered prayer on the martyrs of Uhud eight years after their death as if bidding farewell to the living and the dead, then he ascended the pulpit and said, “I am your predecessor before you, and I am a witness over you, and your promised place to meet me will be Al-Hawd (i.e. the pond) (on the Day of Resurrection), and I am (now) looking at it from this place of mine. I am not afraid that you will worship others besides Allah, but I am afraid that worldly life will tempt you and cause you to vie with each other for it.” That was the last look which I cast on Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Ibn Ishaq related that when Safiyyah approached to have a look at him (i.e. Hamzah’s corpse), he was her full brother, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to her son, AzZubair Ibn Al-‘Awwam: “Go and stop her so that she does not see what has befallen her brother.” He (Az-Zubair) said: “O my mother, the Messenger of Allah commands you to turn back.” “Why?” She asked. “The news has reached me that my brother has been mutilated and since that is in the path of Allah, whatever results from that we shall expect Allah’s reward for that and we shall be patient if Allah wills.” When Az-Zubair came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to inform him of what she said, the Prophet said: “Let her go.” So she went and look at her brother and prayed over him and she said the istirja‘ (i.e. from Allah we came and to Him is our return) and she sought Allah’s forgiveness.
Ibn Ishaq also related from Az-Zuhri from ‘Abdullah Ibn Tha‘labah Ibn Su’air that when Allah’s Messenger peace be upon him, came upon the martyrs of Uhud, he said: “I am a witness over these people. Whatever wound one sustains in Allah’s cause will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was at the time of infliction; blood will be flowing from the wound and its color will be that of the blood but will smell like musk.”
He (Ibn Ishaq) also added: My uncle, Moosa Ibn Yasar narrated to me that he heard Abu Hurairah say: Abul-Qasim said, “A wound which a Muslim receives in Allah’s cause will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was at the time of infliction; blood will be flowing from the wound and its color will be that of the blood but will smell like musk.” Another version of this Hadith is cited in the Saheehain.
Hisham Ibn ‘Amir narrated that the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, on the day of Uhud and said: “We have been afflicted with wounds and fatigue. What do you command us? He said: ‘Dig graves, make them wide, bury two or three in a single grave.’ He was asked: ‘Which of them should be put first?’ He replied: ‘The one who knew the Qur’an most’.” A similar Hadith is reported from AthThawri from Ayyoob from Humaid Ibn Hilal from Hisham Ibn ‘Amir with the addition: “and make it deep (i.e. the grave)”
Imam Ahmad narrated from Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah that some of the martyrs of Uhud were transported from the place of their death, but the announcer of the Prophet announced that they would be returned to their places of death. Abu Dawood and An-Nasa’i have also related it from the Hadith of Ath-Thawri.
Ahmad related from Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah who said: “When Allah’s Messenger went out of Madinah to fight the polytheists my father said to me: ‘O Jabir, never mind that you are on watch for the people of Madinah till you find out the turn of our fate. If not that I am leaving behind for you my daughters (to cater for), it would have been more pleasing to me that you fight in my front.” Jabir continued: “I was still among the watches when my paternal aunt arrived with the remains of my father and my maternal uncle ferrying them on the back of a camel. She brought them to Madinah in order to bury them in our graveyard. Then a man came and announced: “Take heed! The Prophet is ordering you to return the martyrs and bury them where they were killed.” So we took them back and buried them at the spot where they were killed. During the reign of Mu‘awiyyah Ibn Abi Sufyan, a man came to me and said: “O Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah, some of Mu’awiyah workers have tampered with your father’s grave and a part of his body is exposed.” I came to find his body in the same shape as when I had buried him, without disintegrating the least, except for (a slight amount) that a dead person or a martyr would be unable to escape. So I buried him again.”
Al-Bukhari related from Ata’ from Jabir who said: When the time of the Battle of Uhud approached, my father called me at night and said, “I think that I will be the first amongst the companions of the Prophet to be martyred. I do not leave anyone after me dearer to me than you, except Allah’s Messenger’s soul and I owe some debt and you should repay it and treat your sisters favorably (nicely and politely).” So in the morning he was the first to be martyred and was buried along with another (martyr). I did not like to leave him with the other (martyr) so I took him out of the grave after six months of his burial and he was in the same condition as he was on the day of burial, except a slight change near his ear.”
It is recorded in the Saheehain from Jabir that when his father was martyred he kept uncovering his face and weeping, but the people (i.e. the Companions of the Prophet) forbade him to do this, whereupon Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “You may weep or you may not weep; the angels did not cease to provide him shade with their wings until you lift him (to be buried in the grave).”
‘A’ishah also narrated that Allah’s Messenger peace be upon him, said to Jabir: “O Jabir, shouldn’t I give you a glad tiding?” Jabir replied “Yes.” So the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “I am aware that Allah brought your father back to life and said to him: ‘Let my slave wish for anything he desires and I shall grant it for you.’ He replied: ‘My Lord, I worshipped You in the true sense. I desire that You return to me to the world so that I may fight alongside Your Prophet and so that I may be killed for Your sake once again.’” Allah then said: “I have previously decreed that no one (who died) will return (to the world).”
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet visited the graves of the martyrs. When he came to a pass, he said: “Salamun ‘Alaikum (peace be upon you) for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home.” After the demise of the Prophet, Abu Bakr would do the same thing. ‘Umar also would do the same thing after Abu Bakr and ‘Uthman also followed ‘Umar’s practice.
Masrooq narrated: We asked ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood concerning this Verse: Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.(Soorah Aal ‘Imran 3:169) He responded: “As for us, we asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, concerning that and he said: “The souls, of the martyrs live in the bodies of green birds who have their nests in chandeliers hung from the throne of the Almighty. They eat the fruits of Paradise from wherever they like and then nestle in these chandeliers. Once their Lord cast a glance at them and said: ‘Do you want anything?’ They said: ‘What more shall we desire? We eat the fruit of Paradise from wherever we like.’ Their Lord asked them the same question thrice. When they saw that they will continue to be asked and not left (without answering the question). They said: ‘O Lord, we wish that You return our souls to our bodies so that we may be slain in Your way once again. When He (Allah) saw that they had no need except this, they were left (to their joy in heaven).”
By: Ibn Katheer
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