21/12. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1842 — Angels Shading the Martyr
Covering the Deceased
Hadith About Angels Shading a Martyr at Uhud
Sunan an-Nasai : 1842
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1842
أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ جَابِرًا، يَقُولُ جِيءَ بِأَبِي يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ وَقَدْ مُثِّلَ بِهِ فَوُضِعَ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَدْ سُجِّيَ بِثَوْبٍ فَجَعَلْتُ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَكْشِفَ عَنْهُ فَنَهَانِي قَوْمِي فَأَمَرَ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرُفِعَ فَلَمَّا رُفِعَ سَمِعَ صَوْتَ بَاكِيَةٍ فَقَالَ " مَنْ هَذِهِ " . فَقَالُوا هَذِهِ بِنْتُ عَمْرٍو أَوْ أُخْتُ عَمْرٍو . قَالَ " فَلاَ تَبْكِي - أَوْ فَلِمَ تَبْكِي - مَا زَالَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ تُظِلُّهُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهَا حَتَّى رُفِعَ " .
Jabir Narrated from:
My father was brought on the day of Uhud and he had been mutilated. He was placed in front of the Messenger of Allah covered with a cloth. I wanted to uncover him but my people forbade me to do so. The Prophet ordered that he was lifted up, he heard the voice of a woman weeping. He said: 'Who is this?' They said: 'This is the daughter of 'Amr, or the sister of 'Amr.' He said: 'Do not weep, or 'She should not weep, for the angels kept on shading him with their wings until he was lifted up,""
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1842In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 25English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1843
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1842
This hadith about angels shading a martyr tells the story of Jabir and his father on the day of Uhud. Jabir's father had been mutilated and was placed before the Messenger of Allah covered with a cloth. Jabir wanted to uncover him, but his people stopped him. When the body was lifted, the Prophet heard a woman weeping and asked who she was. After being told she was the daughter or sister of Amr, he said not to weep, because the angels kept shading him with their wings until he was lifted. The hadith speaks about grief, honor for the fallen, and the special mention given to a martyr in this report.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet noticed the grief of the family and addressed it directly.
- The hadith gives a special honor to Jabir's father through the mention of angels.
- Weeping at death happened among the Companions, but the Prophet guided it.
- A martyr's body was treated with care even after a painful death.
