The Faculty of hearing of the Dead
Call to Islam Research



One often wonders about the soul's faculties in the barzakh (the stage between death and the Resurrection). Can it hear? Can it see? Does it have knowledge of certain things going on in the world? In order to answer these and other questions, one must carefully scrutinize the quality of the evidence presented in support of certain claims made by scholars in this field.

THE DECEASED'S FACULTY OF HEARING

It is a common concept among some people that the dead in their graves have the ability of hearing a visitor's greeting, his supplication, talk, etc.. Such a concept is unfounded, for it has no proof from clear texts of the divine shari'ah. In fact, it is in open contradiction to the unchallengeable texts of the Quran and the authentic traditions of the Prophet (saws) which deny the possibility of the dead possessing this faculty.

PROOF FROM THE QUR'AN AND THE SUNNAH NEGATING IT

There are two unequivocal texts from the Qur'an which deny the possibility of the dead in their graves possessing the faculty of hearing. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, states :

"Verily you cannot make the dead hear and you can not make the deaf hear the call when they turn their backs and retreat." [Surah an-Naml 27:80]

"The living and the dead are not alike. Allah makes whoever he wishes hear, but you cannot make those in the graves hear." [Surah Fatir 35:22]

In the first verse Allah addresses His messenger, Muhamad (saws), reminding him that he cannot make the disbelievers hear the invitation to Islam, for they are like the dead, who do not hear either. In the second verse Allah points to the difference between the living and the dead - they are not all alike. He further clarifies to His prophet that he cannot make the rejectors of faith hear the message (for they are dead in heart and in spirit) any more than he can make those in the graves hear what is spoken to them![2]

Just as the Qur'an denies the possibility of the deceased possessing the faculty of hearing, there are a number of texts in the sunnah which arrive at the same conclusion. One such hadith follows:

Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet (saws) said: "Allah has angels who travel about the earth; they [do and will] convey to me the peace greeting from my ummah." [Authentically reported by Abu Dawud] This hadith clarifies that the Prophet (saws) does not hear the greetings of peace from Muslims when they pronounce it upon him, for if he could hear it directly, there would be no need of angels to convey it to him. Therefore, it follows that the Prophet (saws) cannot hear other forms of conversation directed to him either;[3] and it stands even more to reason that the deceased, being lesser than the Prophet (saws), also cannot hear the salam (greeting of peace) or any other form of speech.[4] Thus contrary to a popular misconception, because the Messenger (saws) cannot directly hear either one's invocation of blessings[5] or one's salam addressed to him, such greetings may be conveyed to him from anywhere, regardless of the distance or proximity of the greeter to the Prophet's grave. The erroneous belief that the Prophet (saws) hears these greetings directly disregards the previous hadith whcih specifies that the greetings are conveyed to him by the angels, and it is based on a forged tradition whose text follows:

It has been narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever asks blessings for me at my grave, I hear him, and whoever asks blessings upon me from afar, it is conveyed to me." [This tradition was mentioned by al-'Uqayli in his book, adh-Dhu'afa and by al-Khateeb, Ibn 'Asakir, et. al., and they all agreed that it is a forged (mawdhu') hadith. See al-Albani's al-Ahadith adh-Dha'eefah, vol.1, hadith no.203]

ALLEGED EVIDENCE AND ITS REFUTATION

In order to refute the allegations which claim that the deceased in the grave possess the faculty of hearing, it is essential to analyze them and discover the means by which such allegations are dependent upon weak and forged traditions and/or due to erroneous interpretattions of various texts.

There are a number of authentic narrations relating the Prophet's address to the corpses of the mushrikeen (polytheists) of Quraysh who were slain by the believers in the Battle of Badr and then thrown into a dried well. The following two examples suffice for the purpose of the present discussion:

Abu Talhah reported: "On the day of the Battle of Badr, Allah's Prophet (saws) ordered that the bodies of twenty-four leaders of the Quraysh be thrown into one of the foul, abandoned wells of Badr. On the third day after the battle the Prophet called for his mount and saddled it. Then he set out, so his companions followed him. They said amongst themselves, "He must be going to something important." When the Prophet (saws) arrived at the well[6], he stood at its edge and began addressing those therein by calling upon them by their names, "O so and so, son of so and so; and you, so and so, son of so and so! Would it not have been easier to have obeyed Allah and His Messenger? We have found that which our Lord promised us to be true[7]. Did you find what your Lord promised you to be true?[8] Thereupon 'Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah, what are you saying to these bodies without souls?! Do they hear? For Allah, the Majestic and Mighty, says, "Verily, you cannot make the dead hear."[Surah an-Naml 27:80] The Prophet (saws) answered, "By Him in whose hand lies the soul of Muhammad, you did not hear better than them and what i just said." Qatadah[9] added: "Allah brought them back[10] to life (momentarily) in order to make them hear as a means of scorn and belittlement and [so that they would feel] regret and remorse." [Authentically related by al-Bukhari and Muslim]

In another narration of this incident there is a slight variation in the wording of the text which follows:

"Ibn 'Umar related: "The Prophet (saws) stood at the edge of a well[11] at Badr and said, "Did you find the promise of your Lord to be true?" Then he added, "Verily at this moment they hear what I am saying." Later on[12], this was mentioned to 'A'ishah[13], whereupon she commented, "What the Prophet (saws) meant was, "Now they know that what I used to tell them is the truth." Then she recited, "Verily you cannot make the dead hear,"[Surah an-Naml 27:80] up to the end of the verse."[Related authentically by al-Bukhari and others]

Some often misconstrue the texts of the two aforementioned hadiths as proof for the contention that the dead can hear. However, the following argumentation refutes such a claim. This miraculous circumstance in which the corpses of the slain Quraysh were made to hear the Prophet's address to them is a special case - an exception to the general rule that the dead do not hear.[14] By a miracle, Allah, the Almighty, made them hear the scolding from the Prophet (saws) - only for the moment he spoke to them![15] This is clearly proven by the second narration itself, for their hearing was said to be conditioned by the moment when the Prophet (saws) called out to them in scorn and rebuke. He said, "At this moment they hear what I am saying." Furthermore, in the first narration the Prophet (saws) does not deny 'Umar's sound understanding of the verse's general ruling that the does do not hear. Rather, the Prophet (saws) merely clarifies for 'Umar that what occurred at Badr was a divine miracle and, therefore, an exception to the general ruling of the verse.[16]

Another text often quoted by those who believe that the dead can hear is the following tradition:

Anas bin Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (saws) said: "After the deceased is placed in his grave and his companions[17] turn to leave, he hears the shuffling of their feet as they walk away. Then there comes to him the two angels."[Part of an authentic hadith related by al-Bukhari and Muslim]

This text is not valid evidence for the general claim that the dead can hear; rather, this tradition only specifies another exception to the general rule. In this case, the deceased hears the shuffling feet of those who attended his funeral as they walk away. This is a momentary possession of the faculty of hearing which is terminated at the point at which the two questioning angels[18] come to him[19]. From what has preceded, it is abundantly clear that the deceased generally do not have the faculty of hearing, for they are beyond the barrier (barzakh) which separates our world from theirs. This proves the gross error in the thinking of those who attempt to carry on "conversations" with the dead, or worse, petition them for certain things. Petitioning the dead is shirk, and this is indeed the greatest of all sins.

FOOTNOTES : 1. by Abu Bilal Mustafah al-Kanadi

2. See Tafseer at-Tabari, vol.21, p.36 and al-Qurtubi's al-Jami, vol.13, p.232

3. Thus it is absolutely foolish for one to attempt to converse with the Prophet (saws) or others at their graves. To ask them for any form of help is blatant shirk. Such is the misguidance spread by Sufis, who have gone astray.

4. See al-Ayat al-Bayyinat of al-Alusi, p.37, Published by al-Maktabah al-Islamee [1982]

5. In Islam, it is encouraged to invoke blessings upon the Prophet (saws) and this commonly follows the mention of his name in one form or another.

6. Into which the bodies of the slain Quraysh had been thrown earlier.

7. That is, that the believers would have victory over their enemy, the Quraysh. See al-Qurtubi's tafseer, al-Jami'u li Ahkam al-Qur'an, vol.7, p.370 regarding the information about Surah al-Anfal, 8:7-10.

8. This is a reference to the Quraysh's supplication asking their Lord to bring a painful punishment upon them if what Muhammad (saws) was preaching was the truth. See Surah al-Anfal, 8:32.

9. A famouse tabi'ee and a narrator of this hadith

10. The slain Quraysh who bodies were in the abandoned well.

11. The same well mentioned earlier into which the bodies of the slain Quraysh were thrown.

12. Most likely after the Prophet's death.

13. The beloved wife of the Prophet.

14. See al-Alusi's Ruh al-Ma'ani, vol.6 p.455

15. This is confirmed by many of the dependable commentators and jurists. For example, see al-ayat al-Bayyinat, pp.29, 56 and 59.

16. See al-Ayat al-Bayyinat, pp.30-31

17. His friends and others who attended his burial.

18. There names are Munkar and Nakeer, and their fearful appearance has been described earlier in this treatise. <{My note: There is some disagreement amongst scholars some who say that the angels may not really be called Munkar and Nakeer for the words Munkar and Nakeer mean bad things in the Arabic language, whilst the angels are all pure.}>

19. See al-Ayat al-bayyinat, pp.38 and 56.

jazahka Allah Khayr...very intresting read! :sister:

*bump

Jazakallah...

fascinating, I learned something new today
baraka Allah feeki

on the other hand, the living can 'hear; from the dead in dreams or see & talk to them, atleast as far as I know...
just my three cents-or was it two

Greetings,

Can I ask: before reading this article, was anyone really under any doubt over whether the dead can hear or not?

Peace

I don't think that is correct. The texts have been misinterpreted, as there is a clear hadith in Bukhari to the contrary:

Volumn 002, Book 023, Hadith Number 452.
-----------------------------------------
Narated By Ibn 'Umar : The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam) looked at the people of the well (the well in which the bodies of the pagans killed in the Battle of Badr were thrown) and said, "Have you found true what your Lord promised you?" Somebody said to him, "You are addressing dead people." He replied, "You do not hear better than they but they cannot reply."

The only apparent evidence given to show that the dead cannot hear from the Quran has the following interpretation from Tafsir Ibn Kathir:


The Command to put One's Trust in Allah and to convey the Message

﴿فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ﴾

(So, put your trust in Allah;) in all your affairs, and convey the Message of your Lord.

﴿إِنَّكَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ الْمُبِينِ﴾

(surely, you are on manifest truth.) meaning, you are following manifest truth, even though you are opposed by those who oppose you because they are doomed. The Word of your Lord has been justified against them, so that they will not believe even if all the signs are brought to them. Allah says:

﴿إِنَّكَ لاَ تُسْمِعُ الْمَوْتَى﴾

(Verily, you cannot make the dead to hear) meaning, you cannot cause them to hear anything that will benefit them. The same applies to those over whose hearts is a veil and in whose ears is deafness of disbelief. Allah says:

﴿وَلاَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ الدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوْاْ مُدْبِرِينَ﴾

وَمَآ أَنتَ بِهَادِى الْعُمْىِ عَن ضَلَـلَتِهِمْ إِن تُسْمِعُ إِلاَّ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِـئَايَـتِنَا فَهُم مُّسْلِمُونَ-﴾ (nor can you make the deaf to hear the call, when they flee, turning their backs. Nor can you lead the blind out of their error. You can only make to hear those who believe in Our Ayat, so they submit (became Muslims).) meaning, those who have hearing and insight will respond to you, those whose hearing and sight are of benefit to their hearts and who are humble towards Allah and to the Message that comes to them through the mouths of the Messengers, may peace be upon them.


The relevant part from the Tafsir for the other ayat:


(Verily, Allah makes whom He wills to hear,) means. He guides them to listen to the proof and accept it and adhere it.

﴿وَمَآ أَنتَ بِمُسْمِعٍ مَّن فِى الْقُبُورِ﴾

(but you cannot make hear those who are in graves.) means, `just as the dead cannot benefit from guidance and the call to truth after they have died as disbelievers and ended up in the graves, so too you cannot help these idolators who are decreed to be doomed, and you cannot guide them.'

﴿إِنْ أَنتَ إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ ﴾
You are only a warner means, all you have to do is to convey the Message and warn them, and Allah leaves astray whomsoever He wills and guides whomsoever He wills.

Wassalam.

It is common knowledge in many circles that hearing is the last sensation to go upon death---

that was excerpted from a site about hospice care..
http://www.singaporehospice.org.sg/9...rminalcare.htm


this however is a matter of (aqeeda) creed, I don't see how an article such as this (sporting one belief or another) can have any sort of impact as far as you are concerned?.. what happens upon death from an atheist's point should come to a halt after the termination of all physiological function, making this the wrong section for you to question in, whether in awe, amusement or mockery!

cheers

Greetings,

What a nice new name you have. I wish you great luck with it.

I don't doubt it.

Do truth-claims operate under different criteria in this section than in others?

Peace

I don't believe in luck-- but thank you!



that is good to know :wink:



It operates on a different plateau, and needs for one to have arrived to some other conclusions before hand in order to delve into its philosophy which is rather esoteric? don't you think?

Peace

I used to feel that the stronger opinion was the one that said that they could not hear, but after reading other arguments from Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah, I would say that both opinions are very strong and they both have their proofs. The important thing to remember is that this is entirely a theoretical issue and it does not have any legal implications, regardless of which opinion you choose.

,

Yep, I realised that, that's why I've edited my post before your post . At first I thought there's clear evidence to show that the dead can hear, so then we should have this belief. But I guess an argument can be made for the other view too, but it can be seen that the dead can hear and perceive is the stronger view. And Allah knows best.

And the funny thing is the next hadith straight after the well one is:

Volumn 002, Book 023, Hadith Number 453.
-----------------------------------------
Narated By 'Aisha : The Prophet said, "They now realize that what I used to tell them was the truth. "And Allah said, 'Verily! You cannot make the dead to hear (i.e. benefit them, and similarly the disbelievers) nor can you make the deaf hear. (27.80).

Which goes to show the verse is just talking about guidance, as also can be seen from Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

Wassalam.