The Required Depth of a Grave, the form of the Grave and Prepared Lahad for the Messenger of Allah
4 hadiths
1
1ـ سَهْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ قَالَ رَوَى أَصْحَابُنَا أَنَّ حَدَّ الْقَبْرِ إِلَى التَّرْقُوَةِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى الثَّدْيِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَامَةِ الرَّجُلِ حَتَّى يُمَدَّ الثَّوْبُ عَلَى رَأْسِ مَنْ فِي الْقَبْرِ وَأَمَّا اللَّحْدُ فَبِقَدْرِ مَا يُمْكِنُ فِيهِ الْجُلُوسُ قَالَ وَلَمَّا حَضَرَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهِما الْسَّلام) الْوَفَاةُ أُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ فَبَقِيَ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ رُفِعَ عَنْهُ الثَّوْبُ ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي أَوْرَثَنَا الْجَنَّةَ نَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ نَشَاءُ فَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ ثُمَّ قَالَ احْفِرُوا لِي وَابْلُغُوا إِلَى الرَّشْحِ قَالَ ثُمَّ مُدَّ الثَّوْبُ عَلَيْهِ فَمَاتَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام).
1. Sahl ibn Ziyad has said that according to the narration of our people:the depth of the grave is up to one’s collarbones. Certain ones have said that it is up to one’s chest and still others say that it is up to the whole height of a man, so one can pull the sheet over the head of those in the grave. The depth of Lahad is as high as one can sit straight inside. He (the narrator) has said that when Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, was about to die, he fainted for a while and then he removed the cloth and said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who has made us heirs of paradise. We can live wherever we like and this is good reward for those who do good deeds.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Dig for me (a grave) and sprinkle water properly.’ He (the narrator) has said that he (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, then pulled the sheet over his face and passed away.’” (Shahid al-Thani has said that fainting of the Imam in this Hadith is not in a literal sense; as long as an Imam is alive he is responsible and in a fainting condition one is not responsible). (Lahad is a prepared room horizontally at the bottom of the grave as opposed to a vertical ditch in the center of the grave)
2
2ـ سَهْلٌ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي هَمَّامٍ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ هَمَّامٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) حِينَ احْتُضِرَ إِذَا أَنَا مِتُّ فَاحْفِرُوا لِي وَشُقُّوا لِي شَقّاً فَإِنْ قِيلَ لَكُمْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) لُحِدَ لَهُ فَقَدْ صَدَقُوا.
2. Sahl has narrated from certain persons of his people from abu Hammam ’Isma‘il ibn Hammad who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, when about to leave this world said, ‘When I die dig a grave for me as a straight cut in the ground, as opposed to digging straight and then digging horizontally a passage to accommodate the body which is called Lahad. If people say that the Messenger of Allah was place in Lahad, accept it as true.’”
3
3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) أَنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) لَحَدَ لَهُ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ الأنْصَارِيُّ.
3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Abu Talhah al-Ansariy prepared Lahad for the Messenger of Allah.’”
4
4ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) نَهَى أَنْ يُعَمَّقَ الْقَبْرُ فَوْقَ ثَلاَثَةِ أَذْرُعٍ.
4. Ali has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Holy prophet, prohibited digging the grave deeper than three hands (yards).”