Necrophilia/ Sex with dead woman slander

It is a nonsensical and a malicious claim which is gaining some popularity amongst the aberrations on the internet
 The narration which is used is from a book named Kanza ul Amal. This book contains fabricated and weak narrations, thus is not recognised as an authoritative source (individual narrations need to be checked).

Regardless of the authenticity let’s still look at the narration and context to gain understanding so we can realise the actual meaning of such a narration (regardless of authenticity)

 Narrated by Ibn Abbas:

"I (Muhammad) put on her my shirt that she may wear the clothes of heaven, and I SLEPT with her in her coffin (grave) that I may lessen the pressure of the grave. She was the best of Allah's creatures to me after Abu Talib"... The prophet was referring to Fatima, the mother of Ali.
Looking at the narration alone one would not cry “necrophilia” or any wrong doing as “sex” is not mentioned. However, simply looking at the narration’s English translation one would find it odd. Sleeping with somebody in a coffin (grave) is an odd occurrence indeed. However, once the context is given we realise what actually happened.
 Firstly the translation of “I slept” does not best convey the meaning based on the context, the Arabic word translated as “I Slept” is Idtaja’ (اضطجع ). This word can either mean:
lie down, lie, recline, repose [3].

I hope you have noticed within the list of definitions (lie down, lie, recline, repose) the word “sleep” (or “sex”) does not appear. Lane’s Lexicon does indicate it can refer to sleeping too:

lay upon his side; or] he laid his side upon the
ground; [and simply he lay; and he slept [4]

Though the word can refer to sleep, I have seen NO indication in Lane’s Lexicon nor the other dictionary which indicates the word means sex

The context explains it all, as it was a grave we realise the word cannot possibly mean “sleep” but rather it means “lie/lay in the grave”.

This actually makes sense with the other bits of context we have at our disposal; “When the grave was prepared Muhammad himself examined it and placed her into the grave” [5].

Thus, it is reasonable to think the examination procedure also involved Muhammad lying in the grave. This would not have been at length in terms of duration (time). Therefore we realize Muhammad simply laid in the grave to make sure it was comfortable for his deceased foster mother as well as to honour the lady as it would be seen as a fabulous honor to be resting in a place where a Prophet of God had previously laid

It does not appear so as the process of investigating/examining the grave would have been PRIOR (before) lowering Fatima Bint Asad into the grave. Therefore Muhammad would have reclined (lied) in the grave in order to check the grave before Fatima was placed in the grave, thus he would not have lied with her. Furthermore, there were two types of graves in vogue at the time of the Prophet which were Lahd and Shaqq

Thus, it seems the laying in the grave for examination purposes was done prior to Fatima being lowered into her resting place. This is despite the Arabic phraseology used literally denoting “with”:

اضطجعت معها في قبرها

However, even if one takes it literally it does not mean wrong doing took place and it certainly does not refer to sex.
If Muhammad did lie with his foster mother whilst she was in the grave in order to check for comfort and honor her before the companions filled the grave it would only have been for a short time and this would have been witnessed by other people too. There is nothing wrong with lying in the grave to ensure comfort for your foster mother and honor; in fact it was an act of great compassion.
 Conclusion 
Muhammad was doing what any loving and caring person should do; that was focussing on the well being of his relative (foster mother and aunt, Fatima bint Asad) ) both in this life and the hereafter. There was no sex or wrong doing involved.(by yahya snow )

   prophet Muhammad was performing actions he thought would protect his uncle's deceased wife from the punishments of the grave. He is not sleeping with her. He is lying down next to her body and saying prayers. She helped raise him when he was a child and she must be very dear to him to receive this special treatment. by ahmad retha

 

Misquoting Bukhari Book # 23, Hadith # 426

 It is well known that the critics and enemies of Islam after failing to find any logical, rational argument against true teachings if Islam indulge in mud slinging against the person of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). For this purpose they try to twist the historic narratives from Islamic sources. As you know  that history has its own limitations, quoting Quran or Hadith out of context is to pollute the minds of simple Muslims not aware of details. Even some“Professional Muslim scholars” give their opinion without sufficient knowledge. The real scholars agree that any Hadith or narrative related to the Prophet (pbuh) which contradictsQuran and established Sunnah, the clear established teachings of Islam, ethics are to be considered null and void. The issue raised in this e mail is an other such example.  Performing sex with a dead women is unthinkable in any civilized society, that too with a woman who is foster mother? Most ridiculous!

 

Narrated Anas bin Malik: We were (in the funeral procession) of one of the daughters of the Prophet and he was sitting by the side of the grave. I saw his eyes shedding tears. He said, “Is there anyone among you who did not have sexual relations with his wife last night?” Abu Talha replied in the affirmative. And so the Prophet told him to get down in the grave. And so he got down in her grave.

again it is repeated.

Here it is from Bukhari (Book #23, Hadith #426):

Narrated Anas: We were in the funeral procession of the daughter of Allah’s Apostle and Allah’s Apostle was sitting near the grave and I saw his eyes full of tears. He said, “Is there anyone amongst you who did not have sexual relations with his wife last night?” Abu Talha replied in the affirmative. And so Allah’s Apostle told him to get down in her grave and he got down in her grave and buried her.

It is well-known Muslim tradition that a person who have ‘sex’ or ‘wet dream’ is unclean, he has to take a ceremonial bath for Tahara [to be clean]. At times due to shortage of water, extreme cold or sickness dry ablution [tayammum] is performed. However to be 100% sure of cleanness in this Hadith it appears to refer to a person totally clean without any ambiguity. No where this Hadith mentions about sexual relations with dead body. It appears that Prophet (peace be upon him) got help from Abu Talha, a clean man to bury his daughter, any other explanation or conclusion is nothing but conjecture, product of sick mind. This Hadith is refered to build up case/ argument for the next fallacy. [Necrophilia, has never been practiced in Islam, it is Haram, forbidden, dead are accorded highest respect, even in war discretion of dead body is not permitted]

“The lies (Western slander) which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammad) are disgraceful to ourselves only.” “A silent great soul, one of that who cannot but be earnest. He was to kindle the world, the world’s Maker had ordered so.”

 [Thomas Carlyle in ‘Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroic in History,’ 1840]

 Necrophilia, Sex with dead woman: Misquoting Bukhari Book # 23, Hadith # 426