08 November 2010

I see the angels washing Hanzalah's body

When the battle of Uhud started, Hanzalah (Radhiyallahu anhu) had just been wedded and therefore did not join the battle from the beginning. It is said that he had just left the bed of his wife and had hardly started taking his bath, when he heard somebody breaking the news about the defeat. He postponed the bath and, with sword in hand, rushed towards the battle-field. He jumped into the enemy concentration, fighting and penetrating till he was killed. Now the body of the person killed in the path of Allah is not washed, unless a bath has been incumbent on him before his death. Not knowing his failure to take the bath incumbent on him, the Sahabah buried him without a wash. Just before his burial, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "I see the angels washing Hanzalah's body."

Abu Saeed Sa'di (Radhiyallahu anhu) says: "On hearing this from the Prophet (Peace be upon him), I went to have a look at Hanzalah's face and I noticed drops of water trickling down his hair."

When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) returned to Madinah, he made queries and the facts of Hanzalah's (Radhiyallahu anhu) postponing his bath came to light.

Source: From the book "Stories of the Sahaabah" Revised translation of the Urdu book Hikayaat-e-Sahaabah

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