Making Haste with the Janaaza

1. Hazrat Abu Hureira radhiyallahu anhu narrates that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:
“Make haste with the janaazah, for if it be (the janaazah of) a pious one then you are bringing it closer towards good, and if it be otherwise then it is evil which you (quickly) get rid of.” (Bukhari)


2. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar radhiyallahu anhu reports that he heard Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam say:
“When anyone dies, do not keep him back, instead, take him quickly towards his qabr.” (Tibrani)

3. A Sahaabi by the name of Talha ibnul Baraa was ill. Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam visited him and then remarked:
“I see the signs of death developing in him. So when he dies, inform me. And be prompt with his burial for it is not permissible for the corpse of a Muslim to be kept back among his family.” (Tirmizhi)

4. Once Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said to Hazrat Ali radhiyallahu anhu:
“O Ali! There are three things which you should never delay: the salah when its time has entered; the janaazah when it is ready; the marriage of a widow when she finds a compatible partner.” (Saheeh Ibni Hibbaan)

5. A janaazah passed by and Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam made the following remark:
“Mustareehun oh Mustaraahun minhu
The Sahaaba were mystified by these cryptic words, hence they queried from Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam: “O Prophet of Allah! What do these terms mean?” He replied:
“Mustareeh is the mumin servant who achieves relief and comfort from the hardships and difficulties of this world. And Mustaraahun minhu is the Faajir (rebellious sinner) from whose evil people, animals, trees and the entire town are relieved.”

6. It is reported that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam once said:
“He who loves to meet Allah, Allah too loves to meet him. And one who detests the meeting with Allah, Allah too detests meeting such a person.” (Ibni Hibbaan)

7. Hazrat Abu Saeed reports that Rasooolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:
“When a janaazah is ready and the menfolk lift it up to proceed, it speaks: if it is the janaazah of a pious person, it says: ‘Send me off quickly, send me off quickly!’, and if it is not so pious, it says: ‘Woe betide me, where are you taking me!?’. Every creation of Allah besides man hears the speech of the janaazah. If man could hear it then surely he would be rendered unconscious (out of terror). (Nasaai)

FROM THE ABOVE AHADITH THE FOLLOWING POINTS EMERGE:
a) It was the desire of Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam to have the dead buried as quickly as possible. Every Muslim should endeavour to fulfill this ambition of our Master (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam), and in this effort let us not be influenced by friends and relatives. The practice of waiting for relatives from distance places to attend the janaazah is in diametric conflict to this policy of our Master.
b) In adopting this policy we are doing ourselves as well as the mayyit a great favour. A pious servant is eager and restless to get to the reward that lies ahead, whilst the evil one has to be got ridden of as speedily as possible.
c) One who loves to meet Allah must not be kept waiting. Surely this is a great injustice to the mayyit.
d) By holding the mayyit back the anguish, grief and sorrow of the deceased’s family is increased.
e) Every Muslim should love to meet Allah, and such love is generated by the constant performance of good deeds and the regular abstention from sin.
f) Unless the circumstances are unavoidable, the corpse of the mayyit should never be kept lying in the house. In the swift execution of kafan and dafan arrangements there is great barakah which will undoubtedly be experienced by the mayyit too.

NOTE:
Even when conveying the janaazah to the cemetery the procession must move at a brisk pace. On the occasion of a janaazah Hazrat Abu Bakra radhiyallahu anhu (a Sahaabi) addressed the participants saying: “I recall ourselves taking out a janaazah with Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam, we almost ran while carrying it.”
However, the janaazah should not be transported so swiftly that inconvenience and disrespect is caused to the mayyit. For Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam taught that whatever hurts or inconveniences a person in his lifetime, causes the same even after death. The dead body too has to be respected and treated with reverence, just as we would respect one in his lifetime.