The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 347
VIII - Blow of a Misfortune, Law of Inheritance, Prohibition of Alcohol, Treachery of the Disbelievers and Two Tragic Incidents 347 transformed completely. In fact, there is a narration that on one occasion, the Holy Prophet sa saw him dressed in a cloth which was covered with numerous patches. At this, the Holy Prophet sa was reminded of his earlier life, and the eyes of the Holy Prophet sa began to glisten with tears. 1 When Muṣ‘ab ra was martyred at Uḥud, he did not even have enough cloth by which his body could be covered fully. If his feet were covered his head would become exposed, and if his head was covered, his feet would become bare. As such, according to the instruction of the Holy Prophet sa , his head was covered with cloth and his feet were covered with grass. 2 After the dead bodies had been tended to, the task of burial began. The Holy Prophet sa instructed that the clothes on the bodies of the martyrs should be left as they were, and that the martyrs should not be bathed. Albeit, if someone had extra cloth which could be used as a shroud, the Holy Prophet sa instructed that it should be wrapped around the existing clothes worn by the martyrs. The funeral prayer was also not offered at the time. As such, the martyrs were buried without being bathed and without a funeral prayer. Generally, two Companions were shrouded together in a single cloth and buried together in a single grave. According to the instruction of the Holy Prophet sa , a Companion who knew more of the Holy Qur’ān was lowered into the grave first. 3 Although a funeral prayer was not offered at the time, afterwards, close to the era of his demise, the Holy Prophet sa especially offered a funeral prayer for the martyrs of Uḥud, and prayed for them with great anguish. The Holy Prophet sa would remember the martyrs of Uḥud with special love and respect. 4 On one occasion, when the Holy Prophet sa passed by the graves of the martyrs of Uḥud, he said, “These are such people whose faith I am a witness to. ” Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr ra submitted, “O Messenger of Allāh! Are we not their brothers? Have we not also accepted Islām as they did? Have we not also partaken in Jihād for the sake of Allāh as they did?” The Holy Prophet sa said, “Indeed! But how do I know of what you shall do after my demise?” Upon this Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr ra began to weep, and continued to weep profusely. Then he said, “O Messenger of 1 Sunanut-Tirmidhī, Kitābul-Qiyāmati War-Raqā’iq, Chapter 100/35, Ḥadīth No. 2476 2 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Ghazwati Uḥud, Ḥadīth No. 4047 3 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Man Qutila Minal-Muslimīna Yauma Uḥud, Ḥadīth No. 4079 * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 2, p. 451, Ghazwatu Uḥud , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 4 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābun Uḥudin Yuḥibbunā Wa Nuḥibbuhū, Ḥadīth No. 4085