Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (5/361)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

similar measures, until the water is kept away from the deceased.

The one placing him in the grave should say: “In the name of Allah, and upon the way of the Messenger of Allah.” …

His statement, “The one placing him in the grave should say: ‘In the name of Allah, and upon the way of the Messenger of Allah,’” means that, when placing him in the grave, he says: “In the name of Allah,” because invoking Allah’s name is wholly goodness and blessing, and burying the deceased is a matter of significance. Every significant matter that is not begun with the name of Allah is deprived of blessing. The sunnah has also been reported to this effect (1).

But who is to undertake placing him in the grave?

The answer is: if he left instructions—meaning that, before his death, he said, “So-and-so is to undertake my burial”—then we follow his instructions. If he did not leave instructions, we begin with his relatives, provided that they know how to conduct the burial. If he has no relatives, or they do not know how to conduct the burial, or they do not wish to descend into the grave, then any person may do so.

It is not a condition that the one who places a deceased woman in her grave be one of her unmarriageable male relatives. Thus, a man may lower her into the grave even if he is unrelated to her.

The evidence for this is that when the Prophet’s daughter, the wife of Uthman, died, he went out to the cemetery. When it was time for her burial, he said: “Which of you has not had marital relations tonight?”—“has not had marital relations,” the scholars said, means: has not had intercourse—

(1) On the authority of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, that the Messenger of Allah said: “When you place your deceased in the grave niche, say: ‘In the name of Allah, and upon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.’” Reported by Ahmad, 2:27, 40, 59, 69, 127; Abu Dawud (3213); al-Tirmidhi (1046); Ibn Majah (1550); Ibn Hibban (3110, al-Ihsan); al-Hakim, 1:366; and al-Bayhaqi, 4:55. Al-Tirmidhi graded it hasan gharib (sound and singularly transmitted). Al-Hakim authenticated it according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him.

أشبه ذلك حتى يمتنع الماء عن الميت. وَيَقُولُ مُدْخِلُهُ: «بِسْمِ اللهِ، وَعَلَى مِلَّة رَسُولِ الله» ........... قوله: «ويقول مدخله بسم الله وعلى ملة رسول الله»، أي: يقول مدخله عند وضعه بالقبر: بسم الله؛ لأن البسملة كلها خير وبركة، ودفن الميت أمر ذو بال، وكل أمر ذي بال لا يبدأ فيه باسم الله فهو أبتر، وقد جاءت السنة بذلك أيضاً (١). ولكن من الذي يتولى إدخاله؟ الجواب: إن كان له وصي، أي: قال قبل موته: فلان يتولى دفني فإننا نأخذ بوصيته، وإن لم يكن له وصي فنبدأ بأقاربه إذا كانوا يحسنون الدفن، وإن لم يكن له أقارب، أو كانوا لا يحسنون الدفن، أو لا يريدون أن ينزلوا في القبر، فأي واحد من الناس. ولا يشترط فيمن يتولى إدخال الميتة في قبرها أن يكون من محارمها، فيجوز أن ينزلها شخص، ولو كان أجنبياً. ودليل ذلك: [أن النبي ﷺ لما ماتت ابنته زوجة عثمان ﵄، وخرج إلى المقبرة وحان وقت دفنها، قال: «أيكم لم يقارف الليلة؟» ـ لم يقارف: قال العلماء: أي لم يجامع ـ

(١) لحديث ابن عمر ﵄ أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: «إذا وضعتم موتاكم في اللحد، فقولوا: بسم الله، وعلى سنّة رسول الله». أخرجه الإمام أحمد (٢/ ٢٧، ٤٠، ٥٩، ٦٩، ١٢٧)؛ وأبو داود (٣٢١٣)؛ والترمذي (١٠٤٦)؛ وابن ماجه (١٥٥٠)؛ وابن حبان (٣١١٠) إحسان؛ والحاكم (١/ ٣٦٦)؛ والبيهقي (٤/ ٥٥). وقال الترمذي: «حسن غريب» وصححه الحاكم على شرط الشيخين ووافقه الذهبي.