11/10. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 935a — Grief Without Wailing
Stern warning against wailing
Grief Without Wailing in the Hadith of Ja'far's Family
Sahih Muslim : 935a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 935a
وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ سَعِيدٍ، يَقُولُ أَخْبَرَتْنِي عَمْرَةُ، أَنَّهَا سَمِعَتْ عَائِشَةَ، تَقُولُ لَمَّا جَاءَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَتْلُ ابْنِ حَارِثَةَ وَجَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رَوَاحَةَ جَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعْرَفُ فِيهِ الْحُزْنُ قَالَتْ وَأَنَا أَنْظُرُ مِنْ صَائِرِ الْبَابِ - شَقِّ الْبَابِ - فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ نِسَاءَ جَعْفَرٍ وَذَكَرَ بُكَاءَهُنَّ فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ فَيَنْهَاهُنَّ فَذَهَبَ فَأَتَاهُ فَذَكَرَ أَنَّهُنَّ لَمْ يُطِعْنَهُ فَأَمَرَهُ الثَّانِيَةَ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ فَيَنْهَاهُنَّ فَذَهَبَ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ غَلَبْنَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَتْ فَزَعَمَتْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " اذْهَبْ فَاحْثُ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِنَّ مِنَ التُّرَابِ " . قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَقُلْتُ أَرْغَمَ اللَّهُ أَنْفَكَ وَاللَّهِ مَا تَفْعَلُ مَا أَمَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَا تَرَكْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ الْعَنَاءِ .
A'isha Narrated from:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was told that Ibn Haritha, Ja'far b. Abu Talib and Abdullah b. Rawaha were killed, he sat down, showing signs of grief. She (further) said: I was looking (at him) through the crevice of the door. A man came to him and mentioned that Ja'far's women were lamenting. He (the Holy Prophet) commanded him to go and forbid them (to do so). So he went away but came back and told (him) that they did not obey (him).He commanded him a second time to go and forbid them (to do so). He again went but came back to him and said: I swear by God, Messenger of Allah, that they have overpowered us. She ('A'isha) said that she thought the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had told (her) to throw dust in their mouths. Thereupon 'A'isha said: May Allah humble you! You did not do what Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered you, nor did you stop annoying Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 935aIn-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 39USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 2034
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 935a
This hadith about grief without wailing is narrated by Aisha. When the Messenger of Allah was informed that Ibn Haritha, Jafar b. Abu Talib, and Abdullah b. Rawaha had been killed, he sat down and signs of grief were visible on him. This shows that sadness itself is present in the report. Then a man came and mentioned that the women of Jafar were lamenting. The Prophet commanded him to go and forbid them. When the man returned saying they did not obey, he was sent again. The report then mentions strong wording about stopping the lamentation. Aisha criticized the man because he neither carried out the order properly nor stopped troubling the Messenger of Allah. The message is clear: grief is real, but wailing should be stopped.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet showed grief, so sadness itself is not denied in the report.
- Lamentation was ordered to be stopped when it was reported.
- A command should be followed seriously instead of repeatedly bringing back the same problem.
