Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

According to this hadith, for example Imam Hussain and his family who were martyred in Karbala will be tortured because of the wailing of the Shiites.

Can you explain?

 

Hi, I am sorry but I need a little clarification on this Hadith.
Allah ofcourse, will never do injustice. After my death, if my parents or relative are crying, why should I be Tortured? Isn`t that injustice?

Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The deceased is tortured for the wailing of the living ones over him"

Sahih Al- Bukhari Hadith 2.380 Narrated by Shuba

 

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Answer:

 

Dead tortured on wailing

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Abu Musa al Ashari (r.a.) reports that Umar (r.a.) said that the Messenger of Allah (saws) declared:  'A dead person is tormented by the wailing of the living'.

Related by Muslim.

 

Al-Mughirah ibn Sh'ubah (r.a.) reports that he heard the Prophet (saws) "The one who is wailed for is tormented on account of it."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

 

These hadiths mean that a dead person feels pain and displeasure when his family wails over him, for he hears their wailing when their deeds are shown to him. This does not mean that the dead are actually punished and tormented because of the wailing of their families for them, because it is the clear principle of the Glorious Quran that each will be responsible only for their own deeds, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another!

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 53 Surah Najm verses 38-39:

38      Namely that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another;

39      That man can have nothing but what he strives for.

 

Ibn Jarir reported from Abu Hurairah that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: "Your deeds are shown to your dead relatives. So if these are good, they are pleased, and if these are bad, they despise them."

Related by Tirmidhi.

 

Hadrat Anas ibn Malik (r.a.) reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Your deeds are shown to your dead relatives and kinsfolk. So if these are good they are pleased, and if these are evil they say: 'O Allah! Let them not die until You have guided them to the Right Path as You guided us before'."

Related by Ahmad and Tirmidhi.

 

One amongst the customs of the pagans in ‘days of Ignorance’ before the advent of Propeht Mohamed (saws) in Arabia was that when one amongst them died, at the bequest of the deceased the surviving heirs were told and expected to ‘hire’ a specialist and ‘professional’ group of wailers who would come and wail aloud for the deceased!  This custom and ritual is still practiced amongst some pagans, and unfortunately even found amongst some misguided muslim societies.  If the one who dies instructs or bequeaths those who survive him to wail at his death, then indeed such a person will receive his due punishment in the Hereafter.

 

But one who neither instructs nor bequeaths his survivors to wail at his death, and after his death his loved ones of their own accord start the rites and rituals of wailing….it is those who wail who will have their due accounting and the deceased will be absolutely blameless for the deeds that his loved ones did after him; but nonetheless, when the deeds of his loved ones are shown to him, he indeed would feel pain, torment, and disgust at the unlawful deeds they do for him.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan