وَعَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُرَّ عَلَيْهِ بِجَنَازَةٍ، فَقَالَ: مُسْتَرِيحٌ أَوْ مُسْتَرَاحٌ مِنْهُ. فَقَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! مَا الْمُسْتَرِيحُ وَالْمُسْتَرَاحُ مِنْهُ؟ فَقَالَ: الْعَبْدُ الْمُؤْمِنُ يَسْتَرِيحُ مِنْ نَصَبِ الدُّنْيَا وَأَذَاهَا إِلَى رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ، وَالْعَبْدُ الْفَاجِرُ يَسْتَرِيحُ مِنْهُ الْعِبَادُ وَالْبِلَادُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَابُّ
Translation: Abu Qatadah relates that a funeral passed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: “One finding rest, or one from whom rest is found.” Asked to explain, he said that the believing servant finds relief from worldly exhaustion and harm in Allah’s mercy; from a wicked servant, people, lands, trees, and animals gain relief.
Abu Qatadah reports that a funeral procession passed by the Prophet ﷺ. He said مُسْتَرِيحٌ أَوْ مُسْتَرَاحٌ مِنْهُ—“one finding rest, or one from whom others find rest.” The companions asked what the two expressions meant. The Prophet ﷺ described relief from worldly hardship for a believing servant in Allah’s mercy, and relief experienced by others from an immoral person’s harmful behavior.
The contrast is an ethical warning: personal character affects more than an individual’s private life. Other people, and the surrounding world, can be helped or harmed by one’s actions.
Source: Bukhari, Muslim