The upward gaze of the deceased follows his soul
باب فِي شُخُوصِ بَصَرِ الْمَيِّتِ يَتْبَعُ نَفْسَهُ
Sahih Muslim, Book of The Book of Prayer - Funerals(view book)
Abu Huraira reported Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: Did you not see when the man died and his eyes were fixedly open? He (Abu Huraira) said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) said: It is due to the fact that when (the soul leaves the body) his eyesight follows the soul.
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ، يَعْقُوبَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " أَلَمْ تَرَوُا الإِنْسَانَ إِذَا مَاتَ شَخَصَ بَصَرُهُ " . قَالُوا بَلَى . قَالَ " فَذَلِكَ حِينَ يَتْبَعُ بَصَرُهُ نَفْسَهُ " .
Classification
This hadith is narrated on the authority of 'Ala' with the same chain of transmitters.
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي الدَّرَاوَرْدِيَّ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ .