Story of the Man Who Asked His Sons to Burn Him in Islam

Where the story is told

This story comes from the Sunnah, not from the Quran. It is reported through several companions. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated it in Sahih al-Bukhari 3481 and Sahih Muslim 2756. Abu Said al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated it in Sahih al-Bukhari 3478. Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated it in Sahih al-Bukhari 6480.

The wording differs in some details, as shown below, but all the reports agree on the main events and on the man's answer to Allah.

What the man said before he died

The Prophet ﷺ said that this was a man who lived before us. One narration says he had been wasteful against himself, meaning that he had committed many sins (Sahih al-Bukhari 3481). Another says that Allah had given him wealth, and that when death came he asked his sons what kind of father he had been. They said he had been a good father. He said that he had never done any good (Sahih al-Bukhari 3478). A third says that he thought badly of his own deeds (Sahih al-Bukhari 6480).

He then told his family to burn his body when he died, to crush it, and to scatter it. (The report in Sahih al-Bukhari 6480 mentions only scattering him.) The narrations differ on where. One says in the wind, one says on a windy day, one says in the sea on a hot day, and one says half on land and half in the sea. In Sahih al-Bukhari 3481 he added that if his Lord took hold of him, He would punish him with a punishment that He had given to no one else.

His family did as he asked.

Allah gathers him

Allah then gathered him. In Sahih al-Bukhari 3481, Allah commanded the earth to gather what was in it of him, and the man stood up whole. In Sahih Muslim 2756, Allah commanded the land and the sea to gather what was in them.

Allah asked him what had made him do it. The man answered that it was fear of Allah. In Sahih Muslim 2756 he added, "and You know best." According to the narrations, Allah forgave him. In Sahih al-Bukhari 3478 the wording is that Allah met him with His mercy.

What the narrations do not tell us

The hadith does not give the man's name, his people, his time or his place. It does not list his sins or say how many sons he had.

It is also not presented as a deed to imitate. It is a report about what Allah did with one servant, not a rule for anyone else.

What scholars said

Scholars discussed the man's words, because he seemed to doubt that Allah could bring him back after his body was scattered. They offered several explanations.

• Some said that the word translated here as "takes hold of me" (qadara) can also mean "puts me under strict reckoning," so the man was fearing a severe judgment and was not denying Allah's power.
• Some said that he spoke in a state of overwhelming fear and was not in control of his words, so he was excused.
• Many said that he was ignorant of the full extent of Allah's power, but not a denier of Allah. His fear of Allah and his belief in his Lord are what the hadith shows, and Allah forgave him for it.

Scholars also pointed out that the story is not a basis for judging anyone. Allah alone knows each person's condition.

Lessons from this story

• Fear of Allah can lead a servant to His mercy. The man's answer was fear, and Allah forgave him.
• Allah's power is complete. He can gather what is scattered in the land and the sea, and nothing is beyond Him.
• Do not despair of Allah's mercy, and do not be careless about sins. The believer lives between fear and hope.
• We should leave the final judgment of people to Allah and avoid declaring anyone's state.

Sources

• Sahih al-Bukhari 3481
• Sahih al-Bukhari 3478
• Sahih al-Bukhari 6480
• Sahih Muslim 2756