ACTS OF THE DEAD · 21 – CLOSING THE EYES OF THE DEAD
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) related:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) entered upon Abu Salamah (upon his death). Abu Salamah opened his eyes. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) closed his eyes (with his hands). Some of the people of Abu Salamah’s family began to wail and cry. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Do not supplicate with anything other than good, for indeed the angels say ‘Amen’ to your words.” Then he said:
“O Allah, forgive Abu Salamah, raise his rank among those who are rightly guided, leave behind a righteous successor amongst those who follow in his footsteps. O Allah, Lord of the worlds, forgive us and Abu Salamah. O Allah, expand his grave and illuminate it for him.”
Abu Dawud said: Closing the eyes of the deceased is done after the soul has departed from the body. I heard [said] Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Numan al-Mukri: I heard it from Abu Maysara, a very devout person. While he was dying, I closed the eyes of Ja’far, who was a teacher and devoted to worship. I saw him in a dream that night; he said, “The greatest burden upon me is that you closed my eyes before I died.”