385 - Issue: He said: (And it is recommended to offer condolences to the family of the deceased).
We do not know of any disagreement regarding this issue, except that al-Thawri said: Offering condolences is not recommended after the burial, because it is the conclusion of his affair. Our evidence is the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Whoever offers condolences to someone afflicted with a tragedy, he shall have the same reward as him." It was narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who said: It is a gharib (singular) hadith. Ibn Majah narrated in his "Sunan" from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn 'Amr ibn Hazm, from his father, from his grandfather, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), that he said: "There is no believer who offers condolences to his brother for a tragedy, but that Allah the Almighty shall clothe him in the garments of honor on the Day of Resurrection." Abu Barzah said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever offers condolences to a bereaved mother shall be clothed in a mantle in Paradise." Al-Tirmidhi said: Its chain of narration is not strong. The purpose of offering condolences is to console the family of the afflicted, to fulfill their rights, and to draw closer to them; and the need for this after the burial is the same as the need for it before it.
Section: It is recommended to offer condolences to all the members of the family of the afflicted, both old and young. One should specify those among them who are virtuous and those who are looked upon with regard, so that others may follow their example, as well as those who are weak in bearing the tragedy, due to their need for it. However, a foreign man should not offer condolences to young women, for fear of fitna (temptation).
Section: We do not know of anything limited regarding condolences, except that it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) offered condolences to a man and said: "Rahimaka Allah wa-ajaraka" (May Allah have mercy upon you and reward you). It was narrated by Imam Ahmad. Ahmad offered condolences to Abu Talib, standing at the door of the mosque and saying: "A'zama Allahu ajrakum, wa-ahsana 'aza'akum" (May Allah increase your reward and make your mourning excellent).
(1) In: Chapter on what has been narrated regarding the reward of one who offers condolences to someone afflicted, from the Chapters on Funerals. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/294. It was also recorded by Ibn Majah, in: Chapter on what has been narrated regarding the reward of one who offers condolences to someone afflicted, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/511. (2) In: Chapter on what has been narrated regarding the reward of one who offers condolences to someone afflicted, from the Book of Funerals. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/511. (3) In: Another chapter on the virtue of offering condolences, from the Chapters on Funerals. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/296. (4) Imam Ahmad did not narrate this in the Musnad, see: Al-Fath al-Rabbani 8/91. The hadith was recorded by al-Bayhaqi as mursal, in: Chapter on what is said in offering condolences regarding seeking mercy for the deceased and supplicating for him and those he left behind, from the Book of Funerals. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 4/60.
٣٨٥ - مسألة؛ قال: (ويُسْتَحَبُّ تَعْزِيةُ أهْلِ المَيِّتِ)
لا نعلمُ في هذه المسأَلْةِ خِلَافًا، إلَّا أنَّ الثَّوْرِيَّ قال: لا تُسْتَحَبُّ التَّعْزِيَةُ بعدَ الدَّفْنِ؛ لأنَّه خَاتِمَةُ أمْرِه. ولَنا، عُمُومُ قَوْلِه عليه السَّلَامُ: "مَنْ عَزَّى مُصَابًا، فَلَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ". رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِىُّ (١). وقال: هو حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ. ورَوَى ابنُ مَاجَه، في "سُنَنِهِ" (٢) عن عبدِ اللَّه بنِ أبي بكرِ بنِ محمدِ بن عَمْرِو بنِ حَزْمٍ، عن أبيهِ، عن جَدِّهِ، عن النَّبِيِّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-، أنَّه قال: "مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ يُعَزِّى أخَاهُ بِمُصيبَةٍ، إِلَّا كَسَاهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وجَلَّ مِنْ حُلَلِ الكَرَامَةِ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ". وقال أبو بَرْزَةَ: قال رسولُ اللهِ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-: "مَنْ عَزَّى ثَكْلَى، كُسِىَ بُرْدًا في الجَنَّةِ". قال التِّرْمِذِىُّ (٣): هذا ليسَ إسْنادُهُ بالقَوِيِّ. والمَقْصُودُ بالتَّعْزِيَةِ تَسْلِيَةُ أهْلِ المُصِيبَةِ، وقَضاءُ حُقُوقِهم، والتَّقَرُّبُ إليهم، والحاجةُ إليها بعدَ الدَّفْنِ كالحاجةِ إليها قَبْلَه.
فصل: ويُسْتَحَبُّ تَعْزِيَةُ جَمِيعِ أهْلِ المُصِيبَةِ، كِبارِهم وصِغارِهم، ويَخُصُّ خِيارَهم، والمَنْظُورَ إليه مِن بينهم؛ لِيَسْتَنَّ به غيرُه، وذَا الضَّعْفِ منهم عن تَحَمُّلِ المُصِيبَةِ، لِحاجَتِه إليها، ولا يُعَزِّى الرَّجُلُ الأجْنَبِىُّ شَوَابَّ النِّساء؛ مَخَافَةَ الفِتْنَةِ.
فصل: ولا نعلمُ في التَّعْزِيَةِ شيئًا مَحْدُودًا، إلَّا أنَّه يُرْوَى أنَّ النَّبِىَّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- عَزَّى رَجُلًا، فقال: "رَحِمَكَ اللهُ وآجَرَكَ". رَوَاهُ الإِمامُ أحمدُ (٤). وعَزَّى أحمدُ أبا طَالِبٍ، فوَقَفَ على بابِ المسجدِ فقال: أعْظَمَ اللهُ أَجْرَكم، وأحْسَنَ عَزَاءَكُم.
(١) في: باب ما جاء في أجر من عزى مصابا، من أبواب الجنائز. عارضة الأحوذى ٤/ ٢٩٤. كما أخرجه ابن ماجه، في: باب ما جاء في ثواب من عزى مصابا، من كتاب الجنائز. سنن ابن ماجه ١/ ٥١١.(٢) في: باب ما جاء في ثواب من عزى مصابا، من كتاب الجنائز. سنن ابن ماجه ١/ ٥١١.(٣) في: باب آخَر في فضل التعزية، من أبواب الجنائز. عارضة الأحوذى ٤/ ٢٩٦.(٤) لم يروه الإِمام أحمد في المسند، انظر: الفتح الربانى ٨/ ٩١.والحديث أخرجه البيهقي مرسلا، في: باب ما يقول في التعزية من الترحم على الميت والدعاء له ولمن خلف، من كتاب الجنائز. السنن الكبرى ٤/ ٦٠.
