Translation & Commentary of Verses from Surah al-Rum (No. 30) [52 – 60]

68. Ibn Kathir uses this occasion to stress upon the living not to lose contacts with the dead: by way of visits to the graves, supplications for them, and sending peace to them. He quotes Ibn Abd al-Barr’s hadith that he declared trustworthy:

“There isn’t anyone who passes by a brother Muslim’s grave whom he knew in this world, who greets him, but Allah (swt) returns the man’s soul to him so that he can return the greeting.”

And Ibn Abi Dunya has narrated a man of the family of Asim al-Juhdari as saying: “I saw Asim in a dream two years after his death. I asked, ‘Aren’t you dead?’ He said, ‘Of course.’ I asked, ‘Where are you now?’ He replied, ‘By Allah! I am in one of the orchards of Paradise. Myself and a few of my companions gather together every Friday night and its morning at Bakr b. Abdullah al-Muzani’s place where we pick up your news.’ I asked, ‘Your bodies or souls?’ He answered, ‘Out of he question! The bodies have become dust. It is the souls that meet.’ I asked, ‘Do you come to know when we visit you?’ He replied, ‘Yes. From the evening of Friday, the whole of its day, until the sunrise on Friday.’ I asked, ‘Why this, apart from other days?’ He answered, ‘Because of the importance of Friday over all other days.’”

And Abu al-Tayyah reports about Mutraf that, “We heard that he used to visit Ghota. He would go there by night and stop by the graves as he passed by them. He would halt, remaining on his horse. He saw every dweller of a grave sitting on top of the grave. They would say to each other, ‘This is Mutraf who comes to you every Friday…’”

A cousin of Sufyan b. Uyaynah says, “When my father died, I was struck by great grief. I used to visit his grave every day. Then I discontinued for some reason, until I visited him again. As I was sitting at the grave, I was overtaken by sleep and saw that my father’s grave had split. He was sitting in his grave looking much perturbed. He had the expression of the dead on his face. I was in tears when I saw him in that state. He asked, ‘My son, what prevented you from coming to me?’ I asked, ‘Do you get to know when I come here?’ He replied, ‘You never came but I knew about it. You used to come pleasing me and pleasing others around me by virtue of your supplications.’” He said, “Thereafter, I used to visit him as often as I could.”

Ibn Suwayd al-Tafawi says his mother was too much given to devotions that she was nicknamed ‘Rahibah’… “When she died, I used to visit her every Friday, pray for her and for the rest of the dead in the graveyard. One day, I saw her in my dream and asked her and said, ‘Mother dear! How are you?’ She replied, ‘My son! Death is a painful affair. By Allah! I am in a praiseworthy Barzakh where the floor is made of sweet basil (rayhan) and we rest on (pillows of) silk brocade – until the Day of Resurrection.’ I asked, ‘Do you have any need?’ She replied, ‘Yes.’ I asked, ‘What is it?’ She replied, ‘Do not discontinue with your visits to us and your prayers for us, for I am given the glad news of you starting off from your house folk: I am told, ‘O Rahibah! Here is your son advancing towards you.’ At that, I rejoice as also those around me of the dead.’”

This, says Ibn Kathir, is a vast chapter that has numerous reports from the Companions and those who came after them. Alusi also agrees with Ibn Kathir in that the dead can hear when addressed.

Abu al-Sheikh recorded that a woman used to clean up the Prophet’s mosque. She died but the Prophet (saws) was not aware that she was dead. He happened to pass by a grave and inquired whose it was. They told him, ‘Umm Mahjan’s.’ He asked, ‘The one who used to clean up the mosque?’ When they said yes, he asked them to line up and offered prayers. Then he asked, ‘What did you find most beneficial?’ They asked (him), ‘Messenger of Allah, does she hear?’ He answered, “You are not hearing me any better than she does.’ Then he explained to them that she had replied: ‘Cleaning up the mosque.’ Bayhaqi also reported it as well as Hakim declared it trustworthy.

(The above report could not be traced: Au.)

One may be warned, adds Shabbir, that Allah (swt) allowing a dead to hear is one thing, and a human being making them hear is another. There is no guarantee whatsoever that if we address the dead in the grave, whether by way of supplication for them, or by mere greetings of peace, that they should hear.

Also see Surah Al-Naml, ayah 50, note 101, for relevant discussion.