427 — “Two sounds are cursed: the sound of a flute at a time of blessing, and the sound of wailing at a calamity.”

Abu Bakr al-Shafi'i recorded it in al-Ruba'iyyat (The Quaternaries) (2/22/1): Muhammad ibn Yunus narrated to us; al-Dahhak ibn Makhlad narrated to us; Shabib ibn Bishr narrated to us; Anas ibn Malik narrated it as attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.

I say: The narrators in this chain have been declared trustworthy, apart from Muhammad ibn Yunus, who is al-Kudaymi and is accused of fabricating hadith. However, he has been corroborated in this narration: al-Diya' recorded it in al-Mukhtarah (The Selected Collection) (131/1) through two other routes from al-Dahhak, with the same chain. Thus, the chain is good, if Allah wills.

Al-Haythami said in al-Majma' (The Compendium) (3/13), following al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib (Encouragement) (4/177): “Al-Bazzar narrated it, and its narrators are trustworthy.”

I say: It also has a supporting report that adds to its strength. Al-Hakim recorded it (4/40) through Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla, from Ata, from Jabir, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, who said:

“The Prophet ﷺ took my hand, and I went with him to his son Ibrahim, who was in his final agonies. The Prophet ﷺ took him into his lap until his soul departed. He then set him down and wept. I said, ‘You are weeping, Messenger of Allah, although you forbid weeping?’ He said, ‘I did not forbid weeping. Rather, I forbade two foolish, sinful sounds: a sound amid the melodies of diversion, play, and Satan’s pipes; and a sound at a calamity—slapping faces and tearing open the fronts of garments. This is mercy, and whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Were it not for the true promise, the true word, and that the first of us will join the last of us, we would have grieved for you, Ibrahim, more deeply than this. Indeed, we are grieved by your departure, Ibrahim: the eye sheds tears and the heart grieves, but we say nothing that angers the Lord.’”