6/54. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 1594 — Words of Wailing
What was narrated concerning the deceased being punished for the wailing over him
Hadith About Words of Wailing
Sunan Ibn Majah : 1594
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 1594
حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كَاسِبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الدَّرَاوَرْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَسِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي أَسِيدٍ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، . أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " الْمَيِّتُ يُعَذَّبُ بِبُكَاءِ الْحَىِّ إِذَا قَالُوا وَاعَضُدَاهْ وَاكَاسِيَاهْ . وَانَاصِرَاهْ وَاجَبَلاَهْ وَنَحْوَ هَذَا - يُتَعْتَعُ وَيُقَالُ أَنْتَ كَذَلِكَ أَنْتَ كَذَلِكَ " . قَالَ أَسِيدٌ فَقُلْتُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ {وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى } . قَالَ وَيْحَكَ أُحَدِّثُكَ أَنَّ أَبَا مُوسَى حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَتَرَى أَنَّ أَبَا مُوسَى كَذَبَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَوْ تَرَى أَنِّي كَذَبْتُ عَلَى أَبِي مُوسَى؟
It was narrated from Asid bin Abu Asid, from Musa bin Abu Musa Ash’ari, from his father that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The deceased is punished for the weeping of the living. If they say: ‘O my strength, O he who clothed us, O my help, O my rock,’ and so on, he is rebuked and it is said: ‘Were you really like that? Were you really like that?’” Asid said: "I said: 'Subhan-Allah! Allah says: "And no bearer of burdens shall another's burden (35:18)." He said: "Woe to you, I tell you that Abu Musa narrated to me from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and you think that Abu Musa was telling lies about the Prophet (ﷺ)? Or do you think that I am telling lies about Abu Musa?"
[1] Fâtir 35:18.Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 1594In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 162English translation : Vol. 1, Book 6, Hadith 1594
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 1594
This hadith about words of wailing gives examples of what people may say in excessive mourning: “O my strength,” “O he who clothed us,” “O my help,” and “O my rock.” The narration says the deceased is rebuked and asked whether he was really like that. The text then records a question about the verse that no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden, followed by the narrator’s firm response that he is reporting from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. The key lesson is to be careful with exaggerated cries over the dead. The hadith points to the danger of turning grief into loud claims and emotional slogans.
What we learn from this hadith
- Exaggerated words of mourning are warned against in this narration.
- The hadith gives examples of cries said over the deceased.
- Grief should not lead to careless or inflated speech.
- The narrator strongly defended the report he received from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
