Throwing handfuls of dirt in the grave

20-1-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

After placing earth on the dead, some take handfuls of dirt and throw them on the grave thrice. We hope that you would give us a Hadeeth, if any, about this issue.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that once, the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, performed the funeral prayer on a deceased (Muslim) and then came to his grave and threw three handfuls of dirt at the direction of his head. [Ibn Maajah: Saheeh]

Many Hadeeths, narrated by Ad-Daraqatni and others support this meaning. It is also reported from ‘Ali that he did it.

According to Ibn Qudaamah in his Al-Mughni: “It is narrated from Ahmad that he attended a funeral procession and, when earth was put over the dead, he stood toward the grave and threw three handfuls of dirt on it and then returned to his place and said, commenting: ‘This is handed down from ‘Ali in an authentic narration, that he threw handfuls of dirt on the grave of Ibn Mukaffaf.’ Clarifying the reason why this is recommended, he mentioned the Hadeeth narrated by Ibn Maajah which we mentioned above.”

Allaah Knows best.