بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
All living things shall eventually taste death. There is no way to hide or escape from it. In today’s post I would like to share an authentic Hadith where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) shared about the three things that follows a person to the grave.
Hadith About The Three That Follows A Person To The Grave
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ يَتْبَعُ الْمَيِّتَ ثَلاَثَةٌ فَيَرْجِعُ اثْنَانِ وَيَبْقَى وَاحِدٌ يَتْبَعُهُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعَمَلُهُ فَيَرْجِعُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَيَبْقَى عَمَلُهُ ” .
Three things follow the bier of a dead man. Two of them come back and one is left with him: the members of his family, wealth and his good deeds. The members of his family and wealth go back and the deeds alone are left with him.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2960
Narrated by: Anas bin Malik (RA)
Based on the Hadith shared above, the only thing that remains as your companion in the grave is your good deeds. Your loved ones might stay for awhile but alas they will then return to their homes.
Your wealth might accompany you too but soon after it will be handed to others as well.
Quranic Verses About Death
The last two verses of Surah al-Munafiqun, ayah 10 and 11 talks about the certainty of death and what the dead requests from Allah:
And donate from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you, and you cry, “My Lord! If only You delayed me for a short while, I would give in charity and be one of the righteous.”
But Allah never delays a soul when its appointed time comes. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.
Whilst we are still a part of this temporary world lets strive to give charity sincerely. May Allah accept it and place us amongst the righteous people.
How to Generate Long Lasting Good Deeds
When a person passes away all the deeds ends except for three. The good deeds are as listed below:
- Knowledge that is shared and put to use.
- Supplications from the person’s children.
- Sadaqah jariyah (lasting charity).
Life is a journey and along the way we learn. Teach it to the people that you meet and InsyaAllah the knowledge that is put to good use shall be rewarded to you as well.
Treat your progeny well and bring them up with love. InsyaAllah you will always be close to their hearts and memory. Supplications for forgiveness from them to you shall lighten up your grave and carry you up in the hereafter.
Make it a mission to give what you can afford even if it may be little as that might be the deed that will save you and bring you continuous good deeds after passing away.
Conclusion About The Three Things That Follows A Person To The Grave
It is said that the smartest person is the one who remembers death. This world is finite and the road to Jannah is still quite a distant to travel and loaded with many tribulations.
Lets build up our good deeds and may Allah S.W.T accept it all. It is never to late to start and I may be the one deed that will save you.
I as well supplicate that may your children always pray for forgiveness from Allah for you.
As always, do share this article to all of your family and friends. I hope that this short post provides benefits and reminders to those who reads it. May it be one of the long lasting good deeds that rewards us well. Here and in the hereafter, InsyaAllah.
