[Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah #18]: 'When ever you pass by the grave of a kaffir then give him the glad tidings of the Hellfire.'
The Origin Of the hadeeth
'A Bedouin came to the Prophet and said: ‘My father used to keep good relations with his relatives and he used to do such and such good deeds so where is he?” He -sall'Allaahu alayhi wa sallam- said 'in the fire':
It was as if the Bedouin was upset due to this, so he said, “O Messenger of Allaah, then where is your father?”
He said: 'Whenever you pass by the grave of a kaffir then give him the glad tidings of the Hellfire.'
The Bedouin accepted Islaam and he said; the Messenger of Allaah -sall'Allaahu alayhi wa sallam- gave me the responsibility of a task; I did not pass by a grave of a kaffir except that I gave him the glad tidings of the Hellfire.'
With certainty we know that many of the Muslims come to the lands of the kuffar to take care of some of their general or specific interests.
However, they do not suffice themselves with just this, rather they intend to visit some of the graves of those who are called great men from amongst the kuffar.
They place flowers and wreaths and they stand in front of those graves with humility and sadness which indicates being pleased with those in the graves and not having a detest for them.
They do this even though the best example i.e. that of the Prophets - alayhim assalam - dictates the opposite of what they do, as is mentioned in this authentic hadeeth.
Listen to the statement of Allaah Azza wa Jal:
<< Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibraheem and those with him, when they said to their people: Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever >> the Ayaah.
This is their stance against those who were alive, so what about those are dead!!
From the understanding of the hadeeth
There is a great benefit in this hadeeth which many of the general books of fiqh have neglected which is none other than the legislation of giving the kaffir the glad tidings of the Hellfire if you pass by his grave.
What is in this legislation is not hidden, since it contains that which awakens the believer and reminds him of the danger of the sin of the kaffir, who has committed a great sin which would make all of the sins of the world facing him seem like nothing if they were all gathered together.
The sin is disbelief in Allaah Azza wa Jal and committing shirk with him, which Allaah Ta'ala explained His severe hatred of such that He excludes shirk from His forgiveness.
He says
<< Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases >>
This is why the Messenger - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - said; 'That the biggest of the major sins is that you associate a partner to Allaah while He is the One who created you.'
Agreed upon.
Without doubt ignorance about this benefit is what leads some Muslims to fall into that which is contrary to what Allaah, the Most Wise, intends by this benefit.
extracted from "The Ahadeeth of Tawheed from the Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah #18
of Shaykh Al-Albaani"
Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya (hafidthhullah)
Chapters of Tawheed and the Shahadtayn Part 14
