21/78. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1993 — Rows and Intercession
The Virtue Of the One For Whom One Hundred People Offer The Funeral Prayer
Straight Rows and Good Intercession in Janazah
Sunan an-Nasai : 1993
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1993
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَوَاءٍ أَبُو الْخَطَّابِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكَّارٍ الْحَكَمُ بْنُ فَرُّوخٍ، قَالَ صَلَّى بِنَا أَبُو الْمَلِيحِ عَلَى جَنَازَةٍ فَظَنَنَّا أَنَّهُ قَدْ كَبَّرَ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ أَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَكُمْ وَلْتَحْسُنْ شَفَاعَتُكُمْ قَالَ أَبُو الْمَلِيحِ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ - وَهُوَ ابْنُ سَلِيطٍ - عَنْ إِحْدَى أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَهِيَ مَيْمُونَةُ زَوْجُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ أَخْبَرَنِي النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا مِنْ مَيِّتٍ يُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ شُفِّعُوا فِيهِ " . فَسَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْمَلِيحِ عَنِ الأُمَّةِ فَقَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ .
Abu Bakkar Al-Hakam bin Farrukh Narrated from:
Abu Al-Malih led us in offering the funeral prayer and we thought that he had said the Takbir, but he turned to us and said: 'Make you rows straight and intercede properly.' Abu Al-Malih said: Abdullah - meaning Ibn Salit-narrated to me that one of the Mothers of the believes, Maimunah the wife of the Prophet, said: The Prophet told me: There is no deceased person for whom a group of people offers the funeral prayer, but their intercession for him will be accepted.' I asked Abu Al-Malih about the (number of that) group and he said: 'Forty.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1993In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 176English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1995
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1993
This Hadith brings together two points in funeral prayer: order in the rows and sincere intercession for the deceased. Abu Al-Malih led the people in Janazah prayer. When they thought he had already said the Takbir, he turned and told them to make their rows straight and to intercede properly. He then narrated from Abdullah bin Salit, from Maimunah, one of the Mothers of the Believers, that the Prophet said no deceased person has a group of people offer funeral prayer for him except that their intercession for him will be accepted. Abu Al-Malih was asked about the group, and he said forty. The text points to careful prayer, straight rows, and asking Allah for the dead.
What we learn from this hadith
- Rows in funeral prayer should be straightened.
- The funeral prayer is described as intercession for the deceased.
- Abu Al-Malih emphasized making that intercession properly.
- The number forty is mentioned in Abu Al-Malih’s explanation.
