DEDICATION TO THE DEAD

Al-Kaf’ami has recorded this prayer in the same aforementioned method. Yet, he added that he saw in some books of our master scholars that in the first unit of this prayer, Surah al-Faatehah and Ayah al-Kursi are recited once and Surah al-Tawheed twice.

The following is quoted from the book of Zad al-Ma’ad by ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, may Allah have mercy upon him:

It is highly advisable not to neglect mentioning the dead, because they are now too short to do any righteous or charitable deed. They therefore hope that their sons, relatives, and brethren-in-faith will do charitable acts on behalf of them or pray for them, especially at the nocturnal prayers. An individual is required to pray for his parents in the post-prayer supplicatory utternances and at visiting the holy shrines and to do charitable and righteous acts on behalf of them.

A tradition holds that an individual who may be impious to his parents can be recorded as pious to them after their death when he does charitable and righteous acts on behalf of them; while an individual who is pious to his parents in their lifetimes may be decided as impious to them after their death, because he disregards doing any charitable or righteous act on behalf of them. The best charitable favor that is done to one’s parents or relatives is to settle their debts and to release them from any liability towards Almighty Allah or towards other people. Hence, one may do his best to go on the ritual pilgrimage (Hajj) on behalf of the dead or to make up for the obligatory acts of worship that they missed to do, either voluntarily or by employing someone to do that for a certain wage.

In this respect, an authentic tradition holds that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) used to offer a two-unit prayer each night on behalf of his son and another two-unit prayer each day on behalf of his parents. In the first unit, he used to recite Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Qadr, and in the second Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Kawthar (No. 108).

Another authentic tradition holds that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said, “It happens that the tight grave of a dead is expanded for him. He is then informed that this expansion has been made due to the prayer of your brother-in-faith, so-and-so, for you.”

The reporter asked, “Is it permissible to dedicate a two-unit prayer to two dead persons?”

The Imam (a.s.) answered, “Yes, it is. Indeed, a dead person takes pleasure in the prayers and forgiveness-seeking implorations that are dedicated to him just as a living person feels happy when a present is gifted to him. The reward of such act is recorded for both the dead and the dedicating person.”

According to another tradition, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said, “Prayers, fasting, going on Hajj, almsgiving, charitable acts, and supplications - these things join the dead in his grave.”

According to another tradition, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said, “Any Muslim who does a (righteous) act on behalf of a dead, Almighty Allah will double his reward and make his act beneficial for the dead.”

Other traditions hold that when one gives something as alms on behalf of a dead, Almighty Allah will order Archangel Gabriel to lead seventy thousand angels to the grave of that dead, each angel carrying a saucer and saying to the dead, “Peace be upon you, O Allah’s intimate servant. This is the gift of so-and-son, the faithful, to you.” The grave of that dead will then glitter. Moreover, Almighty Allah will give him one thousand cities in Paradise, one thousand Paradisiacal women in marriage, one thousand garments to dress, and will grant him one thousand of his requests.