6/4. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 1449 — Souls of Believers in Paradise
What was narrated concerning what is to be said to the sick person when death approaches
Souls of Believers in Green Birds Hadith
Sunan Ibn Majah : 1449
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 1449
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُحَارِبِيُّ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ لَمَّا حَضَرَتْ كَعْبًا الْوَفَاةُ أَتَتْهُ أُمُّ بِشْرٍ بِنْتُ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ مَعْرُورٍ فَقَالَتْ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ إِنْ لَقِيتَ فُلاَنًا فَاقْرَأْ عَلَيْهِ مِنِّي السَّلاَمَ . قَالَ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكِ يَا أُمَّ بِشْرٍ نَحْنُ أَشْغَلُ مِنْ ذَلِكِ . قَالَتْ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَمَا سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " إِنَّ أَرْوَاحَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ تَعْلُقُ فِي شَجَرِ الْجَنَّةِ " . قَالَ بَلَى . قَالَتْ فَهُوَ ذَاكَ .
‘Abdur-Rahman bin Ka’b bin Malik Narrated from:
It was narrated from ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Ka’b bin Malik, about Ka’b: “When Ka’b was dying, Umm Bishr bint Bara’ bin Ma’rur came to him and said: ‘O Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman! If you meet so-and-so, convey Salam to him from me.’ He said: ‘May Allah forgive you, O Umm Bishr! We are too busy to think of that.’ She said: ‘O Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman! Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “The souls of the believers are in green birds, eating from the trees of Paradise”?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ She said: ‘That is what I mean.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 1449In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 17English translation : Vol. 1, Book 6, Hadith 1449
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 1449
This Hadith about the souls of believers mentions a conversation near the time of Kaab’s death. Umm Bishr asked him to convey Salam if he met someone. Kaab replied that they would be too busy for that. She then reminded him of the statement of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم: the souls of the believers are in green birds, eating from the trees of Paradise. Kaab confirmed that he had heard it. The narration gives hope about the honor of believers after death, using the image mentioned in the text. It also shows how believers spoke about death with faith, hope, and a link to the words of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Hadith mentions the souls of believers in green birds.
- Paradise is described through the image of trees from which they eat.
- The narration connects talk of death with hope based on Prophetic words.
