Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
abudawud:20Zuhayr b. Ḥarb And Hannād b. al-Sarī > Wakīʿ > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) passed by two graves. He said : Both (the dead) are being punished, but they are not being punished for a major (sin). One did not safeguard himself from urine. The other carried tales. He then called for a fresh twig and split it into two parts and planted one part on each grave and said: Perhaps their punishment may be mitigated as long as the twigs remain fresh. Another version of Hannad has: "One of them did not cover himself while urinating." This version does not have the words: "He did not safeguard himself from urine."  

أبو داود:٢٠حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَهَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَنْزِهُ مِنَ الْبَوْلِ وَأَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِعَسِيبٍ رَطْبٍ فَشَقَّهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ ثُمَّ غَرَسَ عَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَعَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَقَالَ لَعَلَّهُ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا قَالَ هَنَّادٌ يَسْتَتِرُ مَكَانَ يَسْتَنْزِهُ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī
bukhari:1361Yaḥyá > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

The Prophet ﷺ once passed by two graves, and those two persons (in the graves) were being tortured. He said, "They are being tortured not for a great thing (to avoid). One of them never saved himself from being soiled with his urine, while the other went about committing slander (to make enmity between friends). He then took a green leaf of a date-palm tree split it into two pieces and fixed one on each grave. The people said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Why have you done so?" He replied, "I hope that their punishment may be lessened till they (the leaf) become dry."  

البخاري:١٣٦١حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ مَرَّ بِقَبْرَيْنِ يُعَذَّبَانِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَتِرُ مِنَ الْبَوْلِ وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ جَرِيدَةً رَطْبَةً فَشَقَّهَا بِنِصْفَيْنِ ثُمَّ غَرَزَ فِي كُلِّ قَبْرٍ وَاحِدَةً فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا فَقَالَ لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفَّفَ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا  

bukhari:1378Qutaybah > Jarīr > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn

The Prophet ﷺ once passed by two graves and said, "They (the deceased persons in those graves) are being tortured not for a great thing to avoid." And then added, "Yes, (they are being punished for a big sin), for one of them used to go about with calumnies while the other never saved himself from being soiled with his urine." (Ibn ʿAbbas added): Then he took a green leaf of a date-palm) and split it into two pieces and fixed one piece on each grave and said, "May their punishment be abated till these (two pieces) get dry."  

البخاري:١٣٧٨حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ قَالَ

ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ مِنْ كَبِيرٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ بَلَى أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ يَسْعَى بِالنَّمِيمَةِ وَأَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَتِرُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ عُودًا رَطْبًا فَكَسَرَهُ بِاثْنَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ غَرَزَ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى قَبْرٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَعَلَّهُ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا  

bukhari:6052Yaḥyá > Wakīʿ > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by two graves and said, "Both of them (persons in the grave) are being tortured, and they are not being tortured for a major sin. This one used not to save himself from being soiled with his urine, and the other used to go about with calumnies (among the people to rouse hostilities, e.g., one goes to a person and tells him that so-and-so says about him such-and-such evil things). The Prophet ﷺ then asked for a green leaf of a date-palm tree, split it into two pieces and planted one on each grave and said, "It is hoped that their punishment may be abated till those two pieces of the leaf get dried." (See Hadith No 215, Vol 1).  

البخاري:٦٠٥٢حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَتِرُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ وَأَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِعَسِيبٍ رَطْبٍ فَشَقَّهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ فَغَرَسَ عَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَعَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا ثُمَّ قَالَ لَعَلَّهُ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا  

muslim:292aAbū Saʿīd al-Ashaj And ʾAbū Kurayb Muḥammad b. al-ʿAlāʾ Waʾisḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > Isḥāq > al-Ākharān > Wakīʿ > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ happened to pass by two graves and said: They (their occupants) are being tormented, but they are not tormented for a grievous sin. One of them carried tales and the other did not keep himself safe from being defiled by urine. He then called for a fresh twig and split it into two parts, and planted them on each grave and then said: Perhaps, their punishment way be mitigated as long as these twigs remain fresh.  

مسلم:٢٩٢aوَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَتِرُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ قَالَ فَدَعَا بِعَسِيبٍ رَطْبٍ فَشَقَّهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ ثُمَّ غَرَسَ عَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَعَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا ثُمَّ قَالَ لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفَّفَ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا  

nasai:2069Hannād b. al-Sarī Fī Ḥadīthih > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

"The Messenger of Allah passed by two graves and said: "They are being punished but they are not being punished for anything that was difficult to avoid. One of them used not to take care to avoid getting urine on his body or clothes, and the other used to walk about spreading gossip.' Then he took a fresh palm stalk and broke it in half, and planted one half on each grave. They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, why did not do that?' He said: 'May it be reduced for them so long as this does not dry out."'  

النسائي:٢٠٦٩أَخْبَرَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ فِي حَدِيثِهِ عَنْ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِقَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَبْرِئُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ جَرِيدَةً رَطْبَةً فَشَقَّهَا نِصْفَيْنِ ثُمَّ غَرَزَ فِي كُلِّ قَبْرٍ وَاحِدَةً فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا فَقَالَ لَعَلَّهُمَا أَنْ يُخَفَّفَ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا  

nasai:31Hannād b. al-Sarī > Wakīʿ > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by two graves and said: 'These two are being punished, but they are not being punished for something that was difficult to avoid. As for this, he used not to take precautions to avoid (his body to clothes being soiled by) urine, and this one used to walk around spreading malicious gossip.' Then he called for a fresh palm-leaf stalk and split it in two, and placed one piece on each of the two graves. They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that?' He said: 'Perhaps the torment will be reduced for them so long as this does not dry out.'" Mansur Contradicted him, he reported it from Mujahid from ibn 'Abbas but he did not mention Tawus in it.  

النسائي:٣١أَخْبَرَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ عَنْ وَكِيعٍ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَنْزِهُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ وَأَمَّا هَذَا فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِعَسِيبٍ رَطْبٍ فَشَقَّهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ فَغَرَسَ عَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَعَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا ثُمَّ قَالَ لَعَلَّهُ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا خَالَفَهُ مَنْصُورٌ رَوَاهُ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ طَاوُسًا  

ذِكْرُ الْخَبَرِ الدَّالِّ عَلَى أَنَّ عَذَابَ الْقَبْرِ قَدْ يَكُونُ أَيْضًا مِنَ النَّمِيمَةِ

ibnhibban:3128ʿImrān b. Mūsá b. Mujāshiʿ > ʿUthmān b. Abū Shaybah > Jarīr > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ passed by two graves and said, "Verily, they are being punished, and they are not being punished for something major." Then he said, "Yes indeed, as for one of them, he used to spread gossip, and as for the other, he did not keep himself clean from urine." Then he took a piece of wood, broke it into two, and stuck one piece in each of their graves. Then he said, "Perhaps their punishment will be reduced as long as these pieces do not dry out."  

ابن حبّان:٣١٢٨أَخْبَرَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ مُجَاشِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ «إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «بَلَى أَمَا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ يَسْعَى بِالنَّمِيمَةِ وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَكَانَ لَا يَسْتَنْزِهُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ» ثُمَّ أَخَذَ عُودًا فَكَسَرَهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ ثُمَّ غَرَزَ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى قَبْرٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ «لَعَلَّهُ يُخَفِّفُ عَنْهُمَا الْعَذَابَ مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا»  

nasai-kubra:27Hannād b. al-Sarī > Wakīʿ > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwūs > Ibn ʿAbbās

Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by two graves and said, "Both of them (persons in the grave) are being tortured, and they are not being tortured for a major sin. This one used not to save himself from being soiled with his urine, and the other used to go about with calumnies (among the people to rouse hostilities, e.g., one goes to a person and tells him that so-and-so says about him such-and-such evil things). The Prophet ﷺ then asked for a green leaf of a date-palm tree, split it into two pieces and planted one on each grave and said, "It is hoped that their punishment may be abated till those two pieces of the leaf get dried." (See Hadith No 215, Vol 1). (Using translation from Bukhārī 6052)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٢٧أَخْبَرَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ عَنْ وَكِيعٍ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ طَاوُوسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ لَا يَسْتَنْزِهُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ وَأَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِعَسِيبٍ رَطْبٍ فَشَقَّهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ فَغَرَسَ عَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَعَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا ثُمَّ قَالَ «لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفَّفَ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا»  

nasai-kubra:11549Hannād b. al-Sarī > Wakīʿ > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by two graves and said, "Both of them (persons in the grave) are being tortured, and they are not being tortured for a major sin. This one used not to save himself from being soiled with his urine, and the other used to go about with calumnies (among the people to rouse hostilities, e.g., one goes to a person and tells him that so-and-so says about him such-and-such evil things). The Prophet ﷺ then asked for a green leaf of a date-palm tree, split it into two pieces and planted one on each grave and said, "It is hoped that their punishment may be abated till those two pieces of the leaf get dried." (See Hadith No 215, Vol 1). (Using translation from Bukhārī 6052)  

الكبرى للنسائي:١١٥٤٩أَخْبَرَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ عَنْ وَكِيعٍ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ «إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ لَا يَسْتَتِرُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ وَأَمَّا هَذَا فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ» ثُمَّ دَعَا بِعَسِيبٍ رَطْبٍ فَشَقَّهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ فَغَرَسَ عَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَعَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا ثُمَّ قَالَ «لَعَلَّهُ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا»  

bayhaqi:508Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ Binaysābūr And ʾAbū al-Qāsim Zayd b. Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-ʿAlawī Bi-al-Kūfah > Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. Duḥaym al-Shaybānī > Ibrāhīm b. ʿAbdullāh al-ʿAbsī > Wakīʿ > al-Aʿmash > Mujāhid > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ happened to pass by two graves and said: They (their occupants) are being tormented, but they are not tormented for a grievous sin. One of them carried tales and the other did not keep himself safe from being defiled by urine. He then called for a fresh twig and split it into two parts, and planted them on each grave and then said: Perhaps, their punishment way be mitigated as long as these twigs remain fresh. (Using translation from Muslim 292a)   

البيهقي:٥٠٨أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ بِنَيْسَابُورَ وَأَبُو الْقَاسِمِ زَيْدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْعَلَوِيُّ بِالْكُوفَةِ قَالَا ثنا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ دُحَيْمٍ الشَّيْبَانِيُّ ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْعَبْسِيُّ ثنا وَكِيعٌ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَكَانَ لَا يَسْتَنْزِهُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ وَقَالَ وَكِيعٌ لَا يَتَوَقَّى قَالَ فَدَعَا بِعَسِيبٍ رَطْبٍ فَشَقَّهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ ثُمَّ غَرَسَ عَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا وَعَلَى هَذَا وَاحِدًا ثُمَّ قَالَ لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفِّفَ عَنْهُمَا الْعَذَابَ مَا لَمْ يَيْبَسَا  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى وَغَيْرِهِ وَرَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ عَنْ أَبِي كُرَيْبٍ وَغَيْرِهِ كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ وَكِيعٍ