Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 968
sahih

Thumama b. Shafayy reported:

When we were with Fadala b. 'Ubaid in the country of the Romans at a place (known as) Rudis, a friend of ours died. Fadala b. 'Ubaid ordered to prepare a grave for him and then it was levelled; and then he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanding (us) to level the grave.

وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، - فِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي الطَّاهِرِ - أَنَّ أَبَا عَلِيٍّ الْهَمْدَانِيَّ، حَدَّثَهُ - وَفِي، رِوَايَةِ هَارُونَ - أَنَّ ثُمَامَةَ بْنَ، شُفَىٍّ حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ بِأَرْضِ الرُّومِ بِرُودِسَ فَتُوُفِّيَ صَاحِبٌ لَنَا فَأَمَرَ فَضَالَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ بِقَبْرِهِ فَسُوِّيَ ثُمَّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْمُرُ بِتَسْوِيَتِهَا ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 11, Hadith 119
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 4, Hadith 2114 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Burial is one of the things by which a dead person is honored. A Muslim should follow the Prophet's guidance in all matters. One of these is the manner of burying the dead and the shape and condition of the grave after burial. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to follow this Prophetic guidance. In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Thumāmah ibn Shufayy relates that he was with the Companion Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) on an expedition "in the land of the Romans, at Rūdis" is a Greek island situated east of the Mediterranean Sea and located midway between the main Greek islands and Cyprus. Rūdis was conquered in 53 A.H., during the reign of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him). A Muslim man from their companions passed away. So, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded that this man be buried. After the dust was thrown over him, he commanded that his grave be leveled and blotted out and that it should not be raised or prominent. Then, Fadālah said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanding that it be leveled" i.e., the grave should be leveled to the ground and not be raised a lot; rather, it should be raised as high as a hand span, and it should be flattened or embossed, which is more appropriate so that it can be recognized as a grave and thus be protected from being sat on or trodden. The Hadīth contains the command that the graves should be leveled and not be raised above the ground. It indicates that those killed in wars should be buried, and their corpses should not be left without concealment..
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