The Angel Ruman Coming to the Deceased before Munkar and Nakir

Question

The author of [the book] “The Morning Star” writes that it is narrated from Hazrat ‘Abdullah ibn Salam ﵁ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “O Ibn Salam, before Munkar and Nakir an angel comes to the deceased whose face shines like the sun; his name is Ruman” (p. 25). Is it correct that before Munkar and Nakir an angel named Ruman comes? Please give a well-reasoned answer.

Answer

From Hazrat ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud ﵁ a narration is related about the angel Ruman coming to the graves before Munkar and Nakir; it is cited in “al-Fatawa al-Hadithiyya”, p. 8, on the authority of al-Qurtubi and al-Ghazali: [ar]عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَا أَوَّلُ مَا يَلْقَى الْمَيِّتُ إِذَا دَخَلَ قَبْرَهُ؟

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.