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.
Qurʾān Bukhārī Muslim Nasāʾī Abū Dāwūd Tirmidhī Ibn Mājah Mālik Aḥmad Dārimī Ḥākim Ibn Ḥibbān Ṭabarānī Nasāʾī's Kubrá Bayhaqī al-Luʾluʾ wa-al-Marjān Ibn Rajab's Fifty Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn Aḥmad's Zuhd Suyūṭī

ذِكْرُ الْإِخْبَارِ بِأَنَّ الْأَرْوَاحَ يَعْرِفُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا بَعْدَ مَوْتِ أَجْسَامِهَا

ibnhibban:3014 – ʿUmar b. Muḥammad al-Hamdānī > Zayd b. Akhzam > Muʿādh b. Hishām from my father > Qatādah > Qasāmah b. Zuhayr > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] About the Prophetﷺ he said:

"When a believer passes away, angels of mercy come to him with white silk covers and say: 'Come out to the mercy of Allah.' So, his soul comes out like the sweetest fragrance of musk till they reach the nearest heaven. They ask permission to enter and Allah grants them permission. In every heaven, they ask for his permission and it is granted until they reach the seventh heaven. Then Allah says: [Record the book of My slave in 'Illiyyin and take him back to the earth, for I created them from it, and I shall return them into it and from it I shall extract them a second time] [23.12-14]. At that point, his soul is returned to his body and two angels come and make him sit up."

Regarding disbelievers, angels of punishment come to them with sackcloth and say: "Come out to the wrath of Allah." Then, his soul disperses like the most foul stench imaginable, and they take it up to the lowest heaven. They ask permission to enter and Allah does not give them permission.  

ابن حبّان:٣٠١٤ – أَخْبَرَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ أَخْزَمَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ قَسَامَةَ بْنِ زُهَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ «إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا قُبِضَ أَتَتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ بِحَرِيرَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ فَتَقُولُ اخْرُجِي إِلَى رَوْحِ اللَّهِ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَطْيَبِ رِيحِ مِسْكٍ حَتَّى إِنَّهُمْ لِيُنَاوِلُهُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا يَشُمُّونَهُ حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ بَابَ السَّمَاءِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا هَذِهِ الرِّيحُ الطَّيِّبَةُ الَّتِي جَاءَتْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ؟ وَلَا يَأْتُونَ سَمَاءً إِلَّا قَالُوا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَلَهُمْ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْغَائِبِ بِغَائِبِهِمْ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا فَعَلَ فُلَانٌ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ دَعُوهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَرِيحَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي غَمِّ الدُّنْيَا فَيَقُولُ قَدْ مَاتَ أَمَا أَمَاتَكُمْ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ ذُهِبَ بِهِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ الْهَاوِيَةِ وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ فَيَأْتِيهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ بِمُسْحٍ فَيَقُولُونَ اخْرُجِي إِلَى غَضِبِ اللَّهِ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَنْتَنِ رِيحِ جِيفَةٍ فَتَذْهَبُ بِهِ إِلَى بَابِ الْأَرْضِ»  

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Nasāʾī, Ḥākim, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Suyūṭī
nasai:1833 – ʿUbaydullāh b. Saʿīd > Muʿādh b. Hishām from my father > Qatādah > Qasāmah b. Zuhayr > Abū Hurayrah

"When the believer is dying, the angels of mercy come to him with white silk and sya: 'Come out content and with the pleasure of Allah upon you to the mercy of Allah, fragrance and a Lord Who is not angry; So it comes out like the best fragrance of musk. They pass him from one to another until they bring him to the gate of heaven, where they say: '; How good is this fragrance that has come to you from the Earth! Then the souls of the believers come to him and they rejoice more over him than any one of you rejoices when his absent loved one comes to him. They ask him: 'What happened to so-and-so, what happened to so-and-so?' They say: 'Let him be, for he was in the hardship of the world. When he says, 'Did he not come here?' They say: 'He was taken to the pit (of Hell).' Come out discontent, subject of Divine wrath, to the punishment of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime; So it comes out like the foulest stench of a corpse. They bring him to the gates of the Earth, where they say: 'How foul is this stench!' Then they bring him to the souls of the disbelievers."  

النسائي:١٨٣٣ – أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ قَسَامَةَ بْنِ زُهَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا حُضِرَ الْمُؤْمِنُ أَتَتْهُ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ بِحَرِيرَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ فَيَقُولُونَ اخْرُجِي رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيًّا عَنْكِ إِلَى رَوْحِ اللَّهِ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبٍّ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَطْيَبِ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ لَيُنَاوِلُهُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ بَابَ السَّمَاءِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَطْيَبَ هَذِهِ الرِّيحَ الَّتِي جَاءَتْكُمْ مِنَ الأَرْضِ فَيَأْتُونَ بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَلَهُمْ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ بِغَائِبِهِ يَقْدَمُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَسْأَلُونَهُ مَاذَا فَعَلَ فُلاَنٌ مَاذَا فَعَلَ فُلاَنٌ فَيَقُولُونَ دَعُوهُ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي غَمِّ الدُّنْيَا فَإِذَا قَالَ أَمَا أَتَاكُمْ قَالُوا ذُهِبَ بِهِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ الْهَاوِيَةِ وَإِنَّ الْكَافِرَ إِذَا احْتُضِرَ أَتَتْهُ مَلاَئِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ بِمِسْحٍ فَيَقُولُونَ اخْرُجِي سَاخِطَةً مَسْخُوطًا $$عَلَيْكِ إِلَى عَذَابِ اللَّهِ ﷻ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَنْتَنِ رِيحِ جِيفَةٍ حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ بَابَ الأَرْضِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَنْتَنَ هَذِهِ الرِّيحَ حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْكُفَّارِ  

hakim:1302 – Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-Ādamī Bimakkah > Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Maʿmar > Qatādah > Qasāmah b. Zuhayr > Abū Hurayrah

"When the believer is dying, the angels of mercy come to him with white silk and sya: 'Come out content and with the pleasure of Allah upon you to the mercy of Allah, fragrance and a Lord Who is not angry; So it comes out like the best fragrance of musk. They pass him from one to another until they bring him to the gate of heaven, where they say: '; How good is this fragrance that has come to you from the Earth! Then the souls of the believers come to him and they rejoice more over him than any one of you rejoices when his absent loved one comes to him. They ask him: 'What happened to so-and-so, what happened to so-and-so?' They say: 'Let him be, for he was in the hardship of the world. When he says, 'Did he not come here?' They say: 'He was taken to the pit (of Hell).' Come out discontent, subject of Divine wrath, to the punishment of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime; So it comes out like the foulest stench of a corpse. They bring him to the gates of the Earth, where they say: 'How foul is this stench!' Then they bring him to the souls of the disbelievers." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1833)   

الحاكم:١٣٠٢ – أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْآدَمِيُّ بِمَكَّةَ ثنا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَنْبَأَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَنْبَأَ مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ قَسَامَةَ بْنِ زُهَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا احْتُضِرَ أَتَتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ بِحَرِيرَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ فَيَقُولُونَ اخْرُجِي رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً عَنْكِ إِلَى رَوْحِ اللَّهِ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبٍّ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَطْيَبِ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُمْ لِيُنَاوِلُهُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا يَشُمُّونَهُ حَتَّى يَأْتُوا بِهِ بَابَ السَّمَاءِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَطْيَبَ هَذِهِ الرِّيحُ الَّتِي جَاءَتْكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ؟ فَكُلَّمَا أَتَوْا سَمَاءً قَالُوا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَأْتُوا بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ «فَلَهُمْ أَفْرَحُ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ بِغَائِبِهِ إِذَا قَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ» قَالَ «فَيَسْأَلُونَهُ مَا فَعَلَ فُلَانٌ؟» قَالَ فَيَقُولُونَ دَعُوهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَرِيحَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي غَمِّ الدُّنْيَا فَإِذَا قَالَ لَهُمْ أَمَا أَتَاكُمْ؟ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ قَالَ «فَيَقُولُونَ ذُهِبَ بِهِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ الْهَاوِيَةِ» قَالَ وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ فَإِنَّ مَلَائِكَةَ الْعَذَابِ تَأْتِيِهِ فَتَقُولُ اخْرُجِي سَاخِطَةً مَسْخُوطٌ عَلَيْكِ إِلَى عَذَابِ اللَّهِ وَسَخَطِهِ فَيَخْرُجُ كَأَنْتَنِ رِيحِ جِيفَةٍ فَيَنْطَلِقُونَ بِهِ إِلَى بَابِ الْأَرْضِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَنْتَنَ هَذِهِ الرِّيحَ كُلَّمَا أَتَوْا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَأْتُوا بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْكُفَّارِ وَقَدْ تَابَعَ هِشَامُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الدَّسْتُوَائِيُّ مَعْمَرَ بْنَ رَاشِدٍ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ قَسَامَةَ بْنِ زُهَيْرٍ  

nasai-kubra:1972 – ʿUbaydullāh b. Saʿīd Abū Qudāmah > Muʿādh b. Hishām from my father > Qatādah > Qasāmah b. Zuhayr > Abū Hurayrah > Nabī Allāh ﷺ

"When the believer is dying, the angels of mercy come to him with white silk and sya: 'Come out content and with the pleasure of Allah upon you to the mercy of Allah, fragrance and a Lord Who is not angry; So it comes out like the best fragrance of musk. They pass him from one to another until they bring him to the gate of heaven, where they say: '; How good is this fragrance that has come to you from the Earth! Then the souls of the believers come to him and they rejoice more over him than any one of you rejoices when his absent loved one comes to him. They ask him: 'What happened to so-and-so, what happened to so-and-so?' They say: 'Let him be, for he was in the hardship of the world. When he says, 'Did he not come here?' They say: 'He was taken to the pit (of Hell).' Come out discontent, subject of Divine wrath, to the punishment of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime; So it comes out like the foulest stench of a corpse. They bring him to the gates of the Earth, where they say: 'How foul is this stench!' Then they bring him to the souls of the disbelievers." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1833)  

الكبرى للنسائي:١٩٧٢ – أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ أَبُو قُدَامَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ قَسَامَةَ بْنِ زُهَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ

إِذَا حُضِرَ الْمُؤْمِنُ أَتَتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ بِحَرِيرَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ فَيَقُولُونَ اخْرُجِي رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيًّا عَنْكِ إِلَى رَوْحِ اللهِ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبٍّ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَطْيَبِ رِيحِ مِسْكٍ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيُنَاوِلُهُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا حَتَّى يَأْتُوا بِهِ بَابَ يَعْنِي السَّمَاءِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَطْيَبَ هَذِهِ الرِّيحَ الَّتِي جَاءَتْكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ فَيَأْتُونَ بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَلَهُمْ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ بِغَائِبِهِ يَقْدَمُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَسْأَلُونَهُ مَا فَعَلَ فُلَانٌ مَا فَعَلَ فُلَانٌ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ دَعُوهُ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي غَمِّ الدُّنْيَا فَإِذَا قَالَ أَمَا أَتَاكُمْ؟ قَالُوا ذُهِبَ بِهِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ الْهَاوِيَةِ وَإِنَّ الْكَافِرَ إِذَا حُضِرَ أَتَتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ بِمِسْحٍ فَيَقُولُونَ اخْرُجِي سَاخِطَةً مَسْخُوطًا عَلَيْكِ إِلَى عَذَابِ اللهِ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَنْتَنِ رِيحِ جِيفَةٍ حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ بَابَ الْأَرْضِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَنْتَنَ هَذِهِ الرِّيحَ حَتَّى يَأْتُوا بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْكُفَّارِ  

nasai-kubra:11926 – ʿUbaydullāh b. Saʿīd > Muʿādh b. Hishām from his father > Qatādah > Qasāmah b. Zuhayr > Abū Hurayrah > Nabī Allāh ﷺ

"When the believer is dying, the angels of mercy come to him with white silk and sya: 'Come out content and with the pleasure of Allah upon you to the mercy of Allah, fragrance and a Lord Who is not angry; So it comes out like the best fragrance of musk. They pass him from one to another until they bring him to the gate of heaven, where they say: '; How good is this fragrance that has come to you from the Earth! Then the souls of the believers come to him and they rejoice more over him than any one of you rejoices when his absent loved one comes to him. They ask him: 'What happened to so-and-so, what happened to so-and-so?' They say: 'Let him be, for he was in the hardship of the world. When he says, 'Did he not come here?' They say: 'He was taken to the pit (of Hell).' Come out discontent, subject of Divine wrath, to the punishment of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime; So it comes out like the foulest stench of a corpse. They bring him to the gates of the Earth, where they say: 'How foul is this stench!' Then they bring him to the souls of the disbelievers." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1833)  

الكبرى للنسائي:١١٩٢٦ – عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ قَسَامَةَ بْنِ زُهَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ

إِذَا حُضِرَ الْمُؤْمِنُ أَتَتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ بِحَرِيرَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ فَيَقُولُونَ اخْرُجِي رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيًّا عَنْكِ إِلَى رَوْحِ اللهِ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبٍّ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَطْيَبِ رِيحِ مِسْكٍ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لِيُنَاوِلُهُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ بَابَ يَعْنِي السَّمَاءِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَطْيَبَ هَذِهِ الرِّيحِ الَّتِي جَاءَتْكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ فَيَأْتُونَ بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَلَهُمْ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ بِغَائِبِهِ يَقْدَمُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَسْأَلُونَهُ مَا فَعَلَ فُلَانٌ؟ مَا فَعَلَ فُلَانٌ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ دَعُوهُ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي غُمِّ الدُّنْيَا فَإِذَا قَالَ أَمَا أَتَاكُمْ؟ قَالَوا ذُهِبَ بِهِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ الْهَاوِيَةِ وَإِنَّ الْكَافِرَ إِذَا حُضِرَ أَتَتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ بِمِسْحٍ فَيَقُولُونَ اخْرُجِي سَاخِطَةً مَسْخُوطًا عَلَيْكِ إِلَى عَذَابِ اللهِ فَتَخْرُجُ كَأَنْتَنِ رِيحِ جِيفَةٍ حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ بَابَ الْأَرْضِ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَنْتُنَ هَذِهِ الرِّيحُ حَتَّى يَأْتُونَ بِهِ أَرْوَاحَ الْكُفَّارِ 11927 وَعَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ بِهِ  

suyuti:1667a –

"When the believer is dying, the angels of mercy come to him with white silk and sya: 'Come out content and with the pleasure of Allah upon you to the mercy of Allah, fragrance and a Lord Who is not angry; So it comes out like the best fragrance of musk. They pass him from one to another until they bring him to the gate of heaven, where they say: '; How good is this fragrance that has come to you from the Earth! Then the souls of the believers come to him and they rejoice more over him than any one of you rejoices when his absent loved one comes to him. They ask him: 'What happened to so-and-so, what happened to so-and-so?' They say: 'Let him be, for he was in the hardship of the world. When he says, 'Did he not come here?' They say: 'He was taken to the pit (of Hell).' Come out discontent, subject of Divine wrath, to the punishment of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime; So it comes out like the foulest stench of a corpse. They bring him to the gates of the Earth, where they say: 'How foul is this stench!' Then they bring him to the souls of the disbelievers." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1833)   

السيوطي:١٦٦٧a –

"إِذا حُضِرَ المؤمِنُ أتَتْهُ ملائكةُ الرحمةِ بحريرةِ بيضاءَ، فيقولون: اخْرجى راضيةً مرضيًّا عنك إلى رَوْحِ اللهِ وريحان ورَبٍّ غَيرِ غضبانَ، فتخرجُ كأطيب ريح المسكِ، حتى إِنَّهُ لَيُنَاولُه بعضُهُمْ بَعْضًا، حتَّى يَأتُوا بِه بابَ السَّماءِ، فيقولوَن: ما أطيبَ هذا الريحَ التي جاءتك من الأرض، فيأتُونَ به أَرواحَ المؤمنين، فَلَهُمّ أشَدُّ فرحًا به من أحدكم بغائبه يقدُم عليه، فيسألُونهَ: مَاذَا فعلَ فلان؟ ماذا فَعَلَ فلانُ؟ . فيقولون: دَعُوه؛ فإنَّهُ كانَ فِي غَمِّ الدنيا؛ فإذا قال: أمَّا أتَاكُمُ؟ قالوا: ذُهبَ به إِلَى أُمِّه الهاويةِ، وَإِنَّ الكافَر إذا حُضِرَ أتَتْهُ مَلائِكَةُ الْعذابِ بِمِسْحٍ فيقولونَ: اخُرجِى سَاخطةً مسْخوطًا عليك إلى عذاب اللهِ؛ فتخرجُ كأنْتنِ رِيحِ جِيفَة، حتَّى يأتُوا بها بابَ الأرْضِ، فيقولون: ما أنتنَ هذه الريحَ! حتَّى يأتُوا بها أرواح الكفَّارِ".  

[ن] النسائي [ك] الحاكم في المستدرك عن أبي هريرة