ACTS CHAPTER 71 – DIGGING THE GRAVE DEEPLY
Hisham ibn Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
On the day of the Battle of Uhud, the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “Harm and hardship have afflicted us (we have suffered losses); how do you order us to proceed?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Dig the graves deep and widen them, and place two or three people in a single grave."
It was asked, "Who is placed first?" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The one who knows the most Quran.”
Hisham stated: My father, Amr, was buried between two (people) or alone on that day. [119]
COMMENTARY
When those who die in battlefields are buried in a grave out of necessity, their graves are widened. Some earth is placed between them to separate them as much as possible. If this is not possible, then whatever is feasible is done. With regard to the honor of the Quran, those who recite the Quran are placed first.
Hisham ibn Amir al-Fizari, may Allah be pleased with him, Ibn Hibban mentioned him among the reliable narrators. Abu Hatim also says he is reliable and an ancient elder. (Tahdhib at-Tahdib, vol. 11, p. 55)
Humayd ibn Hilal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated on the same chain of narration and meaning as the preceding hadith. In this narration, Humayd added the phrase, "Dig deeply."
COMMENTARY:
It is considered commendable for graves to be a man's height in depth and half a man’s breadth. A depth of half a man’s height is also sufficient.
It was narrated from Sa'd bin Hisam bin Amir in a manner similar to the preceding hadith.