Hasten with the funeral, for if it is righteous, you will be taking it forward to what is good; and if it is otherwise, you will be laying evil off your necks

Arabic text

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَسْرِعُوا بِالْجِنَازَةِ، فَإِنْ تَكُ صَالِحَةً فَخَيْرٌ تُقَدِّمُونَهَا، وَإِنْ يَكُ سِوَى ذَلِكَ، فَشَرٌّ تَضَعُونَهُ عَنْ رِقَابِكُمْ».

Translation

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Hasten with the funeral, for if it is righteous, you will be taking it forward to what is good; and if it is otherwise, you will be laying evil off your necks."

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded hastening in preparing the funeral, performing the prayer over it, and burying it. If the deceased is righteous, it is good that you are sending him to the bliss of the grave. If otherwise, it is evil that you are removing from your shoulders.

Benefits

• Ibn Hajar said: It is recommended to hasten, but in a manner that does not lead to excessive speed that might cause harm to the deceased or difficulty for those carrying or accompanying the funeral.
• Hastening is conditional upon the death not being sudden, where there is a fear it might be a case of fainting; in such situations, burial should be delayed until death is confirmed. Additionally, a slight delay is permissible for a valid reason, such as allowing more people to attend the prayer or for the arrival of relatives, provided there is no concern about the body deterioration.
• The encouragement to hasten the funeral is for the benefit of the deceased if he is blissful or for the benefit of those who follow it if he is wretched.
• An-Nawawi said: This implies avoidance of the company of idle and unrighteous individuals.

Topics

• Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles
• Jurisprudence of Acts of Worship
• Funerals
• Carrying and Burying the Dead