حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلَانَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الفَضْلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ هَاذِمِ اللَّذَّاتِ يَعْنِي الْمَوْتَ

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: وَفِي البَاب عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ : هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ

Book [36]: Chapters on zuhd [asceticism]
Chapter [4]: What has been related about remembering death

Ḥadīth [2307]: It is narrated on the authority of Abī Hurayrah (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated that he said: The Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures”, meaning death.

Abū ‘Īsā said: There is a narration on this topic from Abī Sa’īd. This ḥadīth is gharīb ḥasan.

Engrossed in the luxuries and pleasures of the world, man tends to forget the Hereafter. The best panacea for this disease is the remembrance of death that keeps alive the fear of Allāh and the care of the Last Hour, and thus man is saved from becoming oblivious of his ultimate destiny.

• Reference: [2307 (4/345), Sunan at-Tirmidhī, Dārussalām (Eng)]

Death is a reality that is not denied by anyone from the beginning of creation until the day of eternity. It is something that is observed by people. Every other day, relatives, friends and companions drink from the cup of death before their eyes. Everyone is helpless at that time. On such an occasion, hearts naturally become soft, people become afraid, reflect on their deeds, and the horrible scenes of the Day of Resurrection play out before their eyes. This creates a desire to prepare for the Day of Resurrection, and man inclines to good deeds. Therefore, we are commanded to remember death at all times.

• Reference: [425 (1/567-568), Tafhīm al-Islām Sharḥ Bulūgh al-Marām, Dār al-Qudas (Ur)]

Translated by ‘Imrān (Germany)

The mention of death often provokes a feeling of abstinence, self-introspection concerning one’s own deeds, and the dreadfulness of the Doomsday which in turn instigates one to perform good deeds and molds one’s psyche in such a condition so as to be prepared for the Day of Judgement.

• Reference: [425 (1/186), Bulūgh al-Marām, Dārussalām (Eng)]

Being heedful and talking about death checks man from being lost in the worldly pleasures and seductions. We are, therefore, supposed to remember death frequently and to avoid remaining indifferent to post-death affairs and occurrences.

• Reference: [579 (1/512), Riyāḍuṣ Ṣāliḥīn, Dārussalām (Eng)]

• Sunan an-Nasā’ī (1824 [1825])
• Sunan ibn Mājah (4258)
• Musnad Aḥmad (7925 (13/301-302)) [Shu’ayb al-Arna’ūṭ]
• Musnad Aḥmad (7912 (8/35-36)) [Aḥmad Shākir]
• Musnad Shihāb (668-669 (1/391))
• Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb (3333 (3/303))
• Nasā’ī’s Sunan al-Kubrā (1963 (2/379))
• Bulūgh al-Marām (425)
• Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ (1607)
• Riyāḍuṣ Ṣāliḥīn (579)
• Al-Jāmi’ aṣ-Ṣaghīr [Suyūṭī] (1400 (1/86-87))
• Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi’ (1210 (1/264))

• Irwā’ al-Ghalīl (682 (3/145-146))
• Al-Jāmi’ al-Kāmil (3522 (5/442-443) & 15109)
• Talkhīṣ al-Jāmi’ al-Kāmil (3522 (2/63) & 15109 (6/113-114))
• Jāmi’ al-Uṣūl (8476 (11/13))

Also, on the authority of Anas bin Mālik

• Musnad al-Bazzār (6987 (13/352-353))
• Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb (3334 (3/303))
• Shu’ab al-Īmān (4493 (6/474))
• Al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ (691 (1/213-214))
• Ḥilyatul Awliyā’ (9/252)
• Al-Jāmi’ aṣ-Ṣaghīr [Suyūṭī] (1400 (1/86-87))
• Al-Jāmi’ al-Kāmil (3523 (5/443-446) & 15110)

• Talkhīṣ al-Jāmi’ al-Kāmil (3523 (2/63) & 15110 (6/114))

Grade:

Ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh al-Albānī (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi’ & Irwā’ al-Ghalīl)
Ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh ‘Eṣām Mūsā Hādī (Sunan ibn Mājah (4258 (1/695)))
• Ṣaḥīḥ by Imām as-Suyūṭī (Al-Jāmi’ aṣ-Ṣaghīr)
Isnād ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir (Musnad Aḥmad (7912 (8/35-36)))
• Ḥadīth ṣaḥīḥ due to many shawāhid by Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qādir al-Arna’ūṭ (Jāmi’ al-Uṣūl)
• Ḥasan by Shaykh Dr. Ḍiyā’-ur-Raḥmān al-‘Aẓamī (Al-Jāmi’ al-Kāmil)
• Ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh al-Albānī (Sunan an-Nasā’ī (1824 (1/294)); Sunan at-Tirmidhī (2307 (1/522)); Sunan ibn Mājah (4258 (1/705)) & Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb (3333 (3/303)))
Ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ by Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar ad-Da’wah, New Delhi (Sunan at-Tirmidhī (2307 (3/303-304)))
• Ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh ‘Eṣām Mūsā Hādī (Jāmi’ al-Kabīr (2307 (1/705)))
• Isnād ḥasan by Ḥāfiẓ Zubayr ‘Alī Za’ī (Sunan an-Nasā’ī (1825 (1/365)); Jāmi’ at-Tirmidhī (2307 (1/696)); Sunan ibn Mājah (4258 (1/779-780)) & Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ (1607 (1/524)))
• Isnād ḥasan by Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Arna’ūṭ (Jāmi’ al-Kabīr (2460 (4/348)); Sunan ibn Mājah (4258 (5/326)); Musnad Aḥmad (7925 (13/301-302)) & Riyāḍuṣ Ṣāliḥīn (579 (1/205)))
• Isnād ḥasan by Mu’asassah ar-Resālah (Sunan an-Nasā’ī (1824 (1/502)))
• Ḥasan li-ghayri by Shaykh al-Albānī (Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb (3334 (3/303)))
• Ḥasan gharīb by Imām at-Tirmidhī