a Muslim man, and I heard him say: “O Allah, so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, is under Your protection (1) and within the cord of Your care. Shield him from the trial of the grave and from the torment of the Fire. You alone are worthy of fidelity and praise. O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him; indeed, You are the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.” Reported by Abū Dāwūd.

947 – ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Awfā (may Allah be pleased with them both) pronounced four takbīrs over the bier of his daughter. After the fourth he stood for a span equal to the interval between two takbīrs, asking forgiveness for her and supplicating, and then said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to do the same.”

In another narration: He pronounced four takbīrs and then waited for a while, until I thought he would pronounce a fifth; then he gave salām to his right and to his left. When he had finished we said to him, “What was that?” He replied, “I only meant to do what I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ do,” or, “That is how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did.” Related by al-Ḥākim, who said: “Authentic ḥadith.” (2)

158 – Chapter: Hastening with the Funeral

948 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Hasten with the funeral, for if the deceased was righteous, you are bringing him to something better, and if he was otherwise, you are removing an evil from your necks.” Agreed upon.

In Muslim’s wording: “…then it is good that you advance it to him.”

949 – Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺ used to say, “When a bier is placed and men lift it upon their shoulders, if the deceased was righteous it will say, ‘Take me forward!’ but if it was not righteous, it will say to its family, ‘Woe to it! Where are you taking it?’”