Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salaam Alaikum Burhan Bhai,

Hope you are doing fine, of late I ahve not been receiving your mails, hope everything is alright.

While going through one of your answers I came across a hadith (Bukhari) which says that upon death of Saad Bin Muad (RA), Allah (SWT) throne shook. I had read this earlier too.

Now consider this. Upon death of Prophet`s (PBUH) son Ibrahim, a rumour started in Madinah that the Sun had not arisen since the Prophet`s (PBUH) passed away. Incidentally this day there was a solar eclipse. A grieving Prophet (PBUH) corrected the situation by saying that the Sun and the Moon were the signs of Allah and that they dont change their course on birth or death of any human-being.

How do you reconcile these two facts? Prophet`s son Ibrahim or Saad Bin Muad (RA), both were human beings. When Sun and Moon, which are signs of Allah cant change their course on death of any human-being, how can Allah`s throne shake? Could you please clarify. Such contradictions, shake me up.

JazakAllah Khair. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Throne shook on death

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.147 Narrated by Jabir

I heard the Prophet (saws) saying, "The Throne (of Allah) shook at the death of Sad bin Muadh."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.168 Narrated by l Mughira bin Shuba

On the day of (the Prophet’s (saws) infant son) Ibrahim's death, the sun eclipsed and the people said that the eclipse was due to the death of Ibrahim. Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The sun and the moon are two Signs amongst the Signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of someone's death or life! So when you see them, invoke Allah and pray till the eclipse is clear."

Your Question: How do you reconcile these two facts? Prophet`s son Ibrahim or Saad Bin Muad (RA), both were human beings. When Sun and Moon, which are signs of Allah cant change their course on death of any human-being, how can Allah`s throne shake? Could you please clarify. Such contradictions, shake me up.

Beloved Brother in Islam, both the incidents and quotation you have quoted are from the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

The sun and the moon are indeed amongst the visible Signs of Allah and they do not change course on the life or death of anyone as declared by the Prophet (saws). The Magnificent Throne of the Majestic Lord on the other hand is not a visible Sign; and the statement of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that it shook at the death of his honorable companion Hadrat Saad ibn Muadh (r.a.) was only to inform the status and rank of this noble companion in the Sight of Allah Subhanah. How exactly did the Magnificent Throne shake, or what exactly transpired in the Heavens is known to Allah Subhanah Alone.

It is also possible that the statement of the Messenger of Allah (saws) regarding the shaking of the Magnificent Throne at the death of the noble companion Hadrat Saad ibn Muadh (r.a.) was used as a figure of speech to signify the services and sacrifices that this noble companion had rendered to the Cause of Allah. There are many instances of terms of ‘figure of speech’ employed by Allah Subhanah even in the Glorious Quran to explain the enormity of the situation.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 44 Surah Dukhan verses 23-28:

23 (It was commanded to Moses (a.s.)): "March forth with My servants by night: for ye are sure to be pursued.

24 And leave the sea as a furrow (divided). For they (Pharoah and his army) are a host (destined) to be drowned."

25 How many were the gardens and springs they left behind.

26 And corn-fields and noble buildings.

27 And wealth (and conveniences of life) wherein they had taken such delight!

28 Thus (was their end)! And We made other people inherit (those things)!

29 And neither the heavens nor the earth shed a tear over them: nor were they given a respite (again)!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 187:

187 They ask thee about the (Final) Hour when will be its appointed time? Say: "The Knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone): none but He can reveal as to when it will occur. Heavy were its burden through the heavens and the earth. Only all of a sudden will it come to you.” They ask thee as if thou wert eager in search thereof: Say: "The Knowledge thereof is with Allah (Alone) but most men know not."

The above phrases that the heavens and the earth ‘shed tears’ over the death of a people or that the Final Hour is a ‘heavy burden’ through the heavens and the earth are simply figures of speech used to explain the gravity and enormity of the situation being described.

Your Question: Could you please clarify. Such contradictions, shake me up.
Beloved Brother in Islam, it is not appropriate to compare a visible sign like the movement of the sun and moon to the information of the ‘unseen’ shaking of the Magnificent Throne of Allah Subhanah. The statement of the Messenger of Allah (saws) regarding the shaking of the Magnificent Throne of the Majestic Lord at the death of his noble companion was to signify and explain the elevated status and position of Hadrat Saad ibn Muadh (r.a.) in the Sight of Allah Subhanah. Whether the Thone did actually shake or was the statement only a figure of speech to explain the enormity of the situation is in the Knowledge of the Supreme Lord Alone. We as believers are duty bound to believe with absolute conviction, in letter and in spirit, every information of the unseen related by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan