Question
Kindly provide the translation for the following words of the Hadith:
قال: بَرِّدْ على صاحِبِك، ثم عَجِّلْ قضاءَه، ثمَّ لَقِيه
عن عبدالله بن عمر رضي الله عنه قال: مات ميتٌ، فمروا على رسولِ الله ﷺ فدَعَوه للصلاةِ عليه، فقال: على صاحِبِكم دَينٌ؟ قالوا: نعم، يا رسولَ اللهِ، دينارانِ، قال: صلُّوا على صاحِبِكم، فقال رجلٌ مِن قرابتِه: هو عليَّ يا رسولَ اللهِ، قال: هو عليك وهو بريءٌ منه؟ قال: نعم، فصلى عليه رسولُ الله ﷺ فلَقِيَه بعدُ، فقال: ما صنعتَ؟ قال: ما فرغتُ، قال: بَرِّدْ على صاحِبِك، ثم عَجِّلْ قضاءَه، ثمَّ لَقِيه فقال: قد قضيتُه يا رسولَ اللهِ، قال: الآن حين بَردتَ على صاحبِك
Answer
This Hadith has been recorded by Imam Tabarani (rahimahullah) on the authority of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma)
(Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 3469; Also see: At-Targhib Wat Tarhib, Hadiths: 2698-2706, and Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 3 pg. 40)
The aforementioned words in question can be translated as follows:
- بَرِّدْ على صاحِبِك – alleviate (the pain/worry/burden of) your companion. [Literally it means to bring coolness to your companion]
(Refer: Musnad Ahmad, vol. 3 pg. 330, Hashiyatus Sindhi, vol. 3 pg. 400-401, Arabic Lexicon, vol. 1 pgs. 183-184)
- عَجِّلْ قضاءَه – hasten in discharging it (i.e. the deceased debt).
Translation
Hereunder is an explanatory translation of the complete narration:
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) has mentioned: “A person had passed away, thus they [i.e. the companions] passed by Rasulullah [sallalalhu ‘alayhi wasallam] and requested him to perform the Janazah Salah.
Rasulullah [sallalahu ‘alayhi wasallam] asked: ‘does your companion [i.e. the one who passed away] have any debt [i.e. does he owe anyone wealth]?’
They replied: “Yes, O Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam]. [He owes] Two gold coins.”
Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam] said: ‘[Then] You all perform the Janazah Salah [without me].’
A relative of the deceased then [spoke up and] said: “It is upon me O Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam – i.e. I will bear the responsibility of discharging the debt and paying the creditors of my diseased relative]”
Nabi [sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam] asked: It is upon you and he is absolved from it [i.e. do you truly take on this responsibility]?
He [i.e. the relative of the deceased] replied: “Yes”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) then performed the janazah salah.
Later on, Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam] met him and asked: ‘what have you done [about the debt]?
He [i.e. the relative of the deceased] responded: “I haven’t finished [paying it off yet]”
Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam] said: “Alleviate [the pain/worry/burden of] your companion and hasten in discharging it [i.e. the debt].
Thereafter, he [i.e. the relative] met him [again, i.e. Rasulullah – sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam] and said: “Indeed I have just payed it off O Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam].
Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam] said: ‘It is now that you have alleviated [the pain/worry/burden of] your companion.’
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Farhan Shariff
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar