21/44. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1912 — Fast Funeral Procession
Hastening With The Janazah
Hadith About Walking Fast with the Janazah
Sunan an-Nasai : 1912
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1912
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عُيَيْنَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جَوْشَنٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ، شَهِدْتُ جَنَازَةَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ وَخَرَجَ زِيَادٌ يَمْشِي بَيْنَ يَدَىِ السَّرِيرِ فَجَعَلَ رِجَالٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَمَوَالِيهِمْ يَسْتَقْبِلُونَ السَّرِيرَ وَيَمْشُونَ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ وَيَقُولُونَ رُوَيْدًا رُوَيْدًا بَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيكُمْ . فَكَانُوا يَدِبُّونَ دَبِيبًا حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِبَعْضِ طَرِيقِ الْمِرْبَدِ لَحِقَنَا أَبُو بَكْرَةَ عَلَى بَغْلَةٍ فَلَمَّا رَأَى الَّذِي يَصْنَعُونَ حَمَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِبَغْلَتِهِ وَأَهْوَى إِلَيْهِمْ بِالسَّوْطِ وَقَالَ خَلُّوا فَوَالَّذِي أَكْرَمَ وَجْهَ أَبِي الْقَاسِمِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَإِنَّا لَنَكَادُ نَرْمُلُ بِهَا رَمْلاً . فَانْبَسَطَ الْقَوْمُ .
Uyaynah bin 'Abdur-Rahman bin Jawsh Narrated from:
My father told me: I witnessed the funeral of 'Abdur-Rahamn bin Samurah. Ziyad came out, walking in front of the bier, and some men from the family of 'Abdur-Rahman and their freed slaves came out, facing the bier and walking backward, saying: 'Slow down, slow down, may Allah bless you.' And they were walking slowly.Then when they were partway to Al-Mrbad, Abu Bakrah joined us on his mule. When he saw what they were doing, he rushed to them on his mule, brandishing his whip, and said: 'Move on, for by the One Who honored the face of Abu Al-Qasim, I remember when we were with the Messenger of Allah, we were walking fast, so the people speeded up.'
[1] A place in Al-Başrah.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1912In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 95English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1913
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1912
This hadith about walking fast with the Janazah gives a report from a funeral witnessed by Uyaynah’s father. Some people were walking backward in front of the bier and saying to slow down. They were moving very slowly. Abu Bakrah then came, saw what they were doing, and told them to move on. He swore by the One Who honored the face of Abu Al-Qasim and said that he remembered being with the Messenger of Allah when they were almost walking fast with the Janazah. The narration is about funeral pace and correcting slow movement by remembering what was done with the Prophet. The people then sped up.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abu Bakrah corrected a very slow funeral procession.
- He recalled that they walked fast with the Janazah when with the Prophet.
- The people changed their pace after hearing his reminder.
- The narration links funeral movement to remembered Prophetic practice.
