living islam _ Islamic tradition

    Extensive Weeping of Relatives at Death

    Sahih Bukhari Hadith Vol.2, Hadith. 375,
    Narrated by Abdullah bin Ubaidullah bin Abi Mulaika
    One of the daughters of 'Uthman died at Mecca. We went to attend her funeral
    procession. Ibn 'Umar and Ibn Abbas were also present. I sat in between them (or
    said, I sat beside one of them. Then a man came and sat beside me.) 'Abdullah
    bin 'Umar said to 'Amr bin 'Uthman, "Will you not prohibit crying as Allah's
    Apostle has said, 'The dead person is tortured by the crying of his relatives?"
    Ibn Abbas said, "Umar used to say so." Then he added narrating, "I accompanied
    Umar on a journey from Mecca till we reached Al-Baida. There he saw some
    travelers in the shade of a Samura (A kind of forest tree). He said (to me), 'Go
    and see who those travelers are.' So I went and saw that one of them was Suhaib.
    I told this to 'Umar who then asked me to call him. So I went back to Suhaib and
    said to him, 'Depart and follow the chief of the faithful believers.' Later,
    when 'Umar was stabbed, Suhaib came in weeping and saying, 'O my brother, O my
    friend!' (on this 'Umar said to him, 'O Suhaib! Are you weeping for me while the
    Prophet said, "The dead person is punished by some of the weeping of his
    relatives?" ' Ibn Abbas added, "When 'Umar died I told all this to 'Aisha and
    she said, 'May Allah be merciful to Umar. By Allah, Allah's Apostle did not say
    that a believer is punished by the weeping of his relatives. But he said, Allah
    increases the punishment of a non-believer because of the weeping of his
    relatives." 'Aisha further added, "The Quran is sufficient for you (to clear up
    this point) as Allah has stated: 'No burdened soul will bear another's burden.'
    " (35.18). Ibn Abbas then said, "Only Allah makes one laugh or cry." Ibn Umar
    did not say anything after that.

     

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