Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (1/236)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

who are children, then slaves whose sex is indeterminate [who are adults, then slaves whose sex is indeterminate] who are children, then adult free women, then free girls, then adult female slaves, then slave girls.

Section: The Manner of Performing the Funeral Prayer

According to Mālik—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—and all his companions, the funeral prayer consists of four takbīrs (pronouncements of “Allah is Most Great”). Each takbīr takes the place of a unit of prayer, while supplication takes the place of recitation. As with the Friday prayer, being led by an imam is a condition of its validity. If the prayer is offered over the deceased without an imam, it must be repeated so long as the opportunity to do so has not passed.

Section: The Obligation to Bury the Deceased

Burying the deceased is obligatory. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says concerning Adam’s two sons:

“His soul prompted him to kill his brother, so he killed him and became one of the losers. Then Allah sent a crow scratching in the ground to show him how to conceal his brother’s body. He said, ‘Woe to me! Was I unable to be like this crow and conceal my brother’s body?’ And he became remorseful.” [al-Mā’idah: 30 - 31] “Because of that” [al-Mā’idah: 32].

It is related that he carried him on his shoulders for a year, wandering about with him, not knowing what to do, until Allah sent the crow to show him that he should bury him. He then did so. This became an established practice for him and those after him until the Day of Resurrection—a blessing Allah bestowed upon His servants. He reminded them of this blessing in several verses of His Book. The Most High says:

“Have We not made the earth a receptacle” [al-Mursalāt: 25] “for the living and the dead?” [al-Mursalāt: 26].

The Most High also says:

“Then He causes him to die and provides a grave for him.” [Abasa: 21] “Then, when He wills, He will raise him again.” [Abasa: 22].

And He says:

“From it We created you, into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you forth once more.” [Tā Hā: 55].

Burial is also a communal obligation, discharged by those who undertake it. It follows the same rules as shrouding: the cost of hiring someone to perform it is paid from the principal of the estate; if the deceased has no wealth, that cost is imposed upon whoever is required to provide the shroud. And Allah grants success.

الصغار ثم الخنائي العبيد [الكبار ثم الخنائي العبيد] الصغار، ثم النساء الأحرار الكبار، ثم النساء الأحرار الصغار، ثم الإماء الكبار، ثم الإماء الصغار. فصل في صفة الصلاة على الجنائز وصلاة الجنائز أربع تكبيرات عند مالك - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى - وجميع أصحابه. تنزل التكبيرة فيها منزلة الركعة في الصلاة، والدعاء فيها بمنزلة القراءة في الصلاة. من شرط صحتها الإمامة كصلاة الجمعة، فإن صلي عليها بغير إمام أعيدت الصلاة ما لم يفت ذلك. فصل في وجوب دفن الميت وأما دفنه فإنه واجب، قال الله ﷿ في ابني آدم: ﴿فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُ نَفْسُهُ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ - فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِي الأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُ كَيْفَ يُوَارِي سَوْأَةَ أَخِيهِ قَالَ يَا وَيْلَتَا أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَذَا الْغُرَابِ فَأُوَارِيَ سَوْأَةَ أَخِي فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ النَّادِمِينَ﴾ [المائدة: ٣٠ - ٣١] ﴿مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ﴾ [المائدة: ٣٢]، وروي أنه حمله على عنقه سنة يدور به لا يدري ما يصنع إلى أن بعث الله الغراب منبها له على دفنه ففعل ذلك، وكانت سنة له ولمن بعده إلى يوم القيامة أنعم الله بها على عباده، وعدد النعمة بها عليهم في غير ما آية من كتابه، فقال تعالى: ﴿أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الأَرْضَ كِفَاتًا﴾ [المرسلات: ٢٥] ﴿أَحْيَاءً وَأَمْوَاتًا﴾ [المرسلات: ٢٦]، وقال تعالى: ﴿ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُ فَأَقْبَرَهُ﴾ [عبس: ٢١] ﴿ثُمَّ إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْشَرَهُ﴾ [عبس: ٢٢]، وقال: ﴿مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَى﴾ [طه: ٥٥]، وهو أيضا من فروض الكفاية يحمله من قام به من الناس، ويجري مجرى الكفن في كون الاستئجار عليه من رأس المال، والحكم به إن لم يكن له مال على من يحكم عليه بالتكفين، وبالله التوفيق.