Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear brother

salam

if ahle kitab dies can we say inna lilahhe wainna............

can we see their face before the burial ? (ahle kitab)

my second question is we shouldnot talk bad about anyone who dies even for disbeliever. than why do we talk about firroun?

i will be thankful for your answers.

a sister

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Answer:

Not to talk evil of deceased

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 155-157:

155    Be sure We shall test you with something of fear, and hunger, some loss in goods, or lives, or the fruits (of your toil); but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.

156    Who say when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong and to Him is our return."

157    They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.

Your Question: if ahle kitab dies can we say inna lilahhe wainna............

Beloved Sister in Islam, the Quranic phrase ‘Inna lillahe wa inna ilayhe rajeoon’ (To Allah we belong and to Him is our return) is not a supplication but rather a statement of fact; and there is absolutely no harm if one says this phrase and statement of fact when anyone dies, regardless of whether that person is a believer or a disbeliever…..for indeed everything belongs to Allah and to Him they are returned.

Your Question: can we see their face before the burial ? (ahle kitab)

To the best of our knowledge there is absolutely nothing in the Glorious Quran or in the authentic and established practice and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) which prohibits the believers from seeing the face of a deceased person, regardless of whether the deceased is a believer or a disbeliever.

What is absolutely impermissible and prohibited in Islam is that a believer make supplications of mercy and forgiveness to the Lord for one who has died on disbelief.

Your Question: my second question is we shouldnot talk bad about anyone who dies even for disbeliever. than why do we talk about firroun?

There are certain groups or types of people who are cursed by Allah Subhanah in His Glorious Quran itself…..

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Noor verse 23:

23      Those who slander chaste women indiscreet but believing, are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter: for them is a grievous Penalty

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 57:

57      Those who annoy Allah and his Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this world and in the Hereafter and has prepared for them a humiliating Punishment.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 64:

64      Verily Allah has cursed the unbelievers and prepared for them a Blazing Fire

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 48 Surah Fath verse 6:

6        And that He (Allah) may punish the hypocrites men and women, and the polytheists men and women who imagine an evil opinion of Allah.  On them is a round of evil: the Wrath of Allah is on them: He has cursed them and got Hell ready for them: and evil is it for a destination.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 161:

161    Those who reject faith and die rejecting on them is Allah's curse and the curse of Angels and of all mankind.

Then there are some specific communities and even specific people upon whom the Lord has Declared His Wrath and His Curse like the communities who were destroyed by Allah for their sins, the Jews, the evil Pharaoh and his chiefs, etc…..

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 11 Surah Hud verses 59-60:

59      Such were the `Ad people: they rejected the Signs of their Lord and Cherisher; disobeyed His Messengers; and followed the command of every powerful obstinate transgressor.

60      And they were pursued by a Curse in this Life and on the Day of Judgment.  Ah! Behold! For the Ad rejected their Lord and Cherisher! Ah! Behold! Removed (from sight) were Ad the people of (Prophet) Hud!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 88:

88      They (the Jews) say "Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve Allah's Word, thus we need no more)."  Nay! Allah's curse is on them for their blasphemy; little is it they believe.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 11 Surah Hud verses 96-99:

96      And We sent Moses with Our Clear (Signs) and an authority manifest

97      Unto Pharaoh and his Chiefs: but they followed the command of Pharaoh and the command of Pharaoh was no right (guide).

98      He (the Pharaoh) will go before his people on the Day of Judgment and lead them into the Fire: but woeful indeed will be this leading (and) the place led to!

99      And they are followed by a curse in this (life) and on the Day of Judgment: and woeful is the gift which shall be given (unto them)!

Islam guides that one should refrain from reviling, abusing or cursing anyone (regardless of whether they choose to believe or disbelieve) who is alive, leave alone those who are dead and returned to their Lord….but there is absolutely no harm in invoking the curse of the Lord on those communities or groups, or even those specific people who have been cursed by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

The likes of the evil and arrogant like Pharaoh and Abu Jahl were specifically cursed by name by Allah and His Messenger (saws); thus there is absolutely no harm in invoking the curse of Allah upon these evil transgressors.  But when Allah and His Messenger (saws) has not invoked the curse on a specific person, it would not behove and befit the believers to speak evil about such a person. 

When an evil person or group whose war and hatred against Islam and the believers is absolutely manifest is mentioned, the most one who fears Allah and the Last Day may say: ‘Hasbun-Allah o wa Nehmal Wakeel’ (Sufficient is Allah for us; and He is the (Absolute) Best Disposer of Affairs) or ‘wa kafa billahe Wakeela’ (enough is Allah as a Disposer of Affairs).

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan