Bab ad-Dua lil-Mayyit
Supplicating for the Deceased and Donating Reward to Them
I say this, "Every affair of the world runs on supposition (Zann)." The sacred relics that are presented before us, we also have the "supposition" that they must be authentic, and this is the correct and best way. Otherwise, if someone were to ask that objecting gentleman: Do you have any definitive proof that you are the legitimate and biological son of your father? At most, the testimony of the midwife and their confirmation. As for the rest, *Wallahu a'lamu bis-sawab* (And Allah knows best the truth). "*Zannul mumineena khayran*" (The supposition of believers is good). The reality is that in the hearts of these people is the disease of materialism, which manifests itself in various ways and through various statements. O friends! Ponder a little, Allah the Exalted is commanding us to pray at the spot where Ibrahim (AS) stood and built the Ka'bah. The Quranic text is a clear proof. Repent, abandon stubbornness, do not turn away from the friends of God. The Samiri is better than you because he believed in spirituality. You are stone, hard-hearted. I say again, revere the friends of God, hold firmly to their means, and act upon the open command of "*Wabtaghu ilayhil waseelah*" (And seek the means [of nearness] to Him). *Verse:* What face will you show to Allah after turning away from the beloved of God! Through the means of the Prophets, the path of Allah and His teachings and gnosis (Marifa) became available to us. After the Prophet ﷺ, the chain of prophethood has undoubtedly ended. Now there is the chain of saintship (Wilayat) which will remain until the Day of Judgment. The Awliya of Allah also continued giving the teachings of Allah and His Messenger. History is a witness that Mahmud Ghaznavi's sword did not achieve what the messianic breath of Sultan ul Hind Gharib Nawaz impacted. Even today, those who receive blessings from that shrine continue to receive them continuously. *Couplet:* Gar na beenad ba-roz shab-parah chashm + Chashmah-e-aftab ra cheh gunah (If the bat's eye does not see the sun during the day, then what fault is it of the fountain of the sun's light?)
بَابٌ : اَلدُّعَاءُ لِلْمَيِّتِ وَهِبَةِ الثَّوَابِ لَهُ
This chapter is regarding supplicating for the deceased and bestowing reward upon them. قَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی : وَالَّذِيْنَ جَاءُ وْ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُوْلُوْنَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْلَنَا وَلِاِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِيْنَ سَبَقُوْنَا بِالْاِيْمَانِ - (آیت ۱۰ - حشر) *(And Allah the Exalted says: And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, "Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith." - Verse 10, Al-Hashr)* Vocabulary: جَاءُ وْ: They came, they arrived. سَبَقُوْا: They preceded, they went ahead. Translation: And Allah the Exalted says on behalf of the people: And those who came after them, they say, "O God! Forgive our sins and also those of our brothers who passed away before us with Iman." O friends! If praying for another was not beneficial, why would these individuals pray that our sins be forgiven and also those of our Muslim brothers? Can an act whose confirmation is from the Quran be denied? *Astaghfirullah* (I seek forgiveness from Allah).
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قَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی : وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ صَلٰوتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ - (آیت ۱۰۳ - التوبہ) *(And Allah the Exalted says: And invoke [Allah's blessings] upon them; indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. - Verse 103, At-Tawbah)* Vocabulary: صَلِّ: Pray, supplicate. سَكَنٌ: Tranquility, comfort. Translation: Allah says: "You pray for those people. Undoubtedly, your prayer is a source of tranquility and peace of heart for them." O friends! Is it not known from this verse that a prayer of mercy for another is a cause of tranquility?
قَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی حِكَايَةً عَنْ سَيِّدِنَا نُوْحٍ : رَبِّ اغْفِرْلِيْ وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَنْ دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا وَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ - (آیت ۲۸ - نوح) *(And Allah the Exalted says narrating from our master Nuh: "My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and the believing men and believing women." - Verse 28, Nuh)* Translation: And Allah the Exalted narrates the supplication of Hazrat Nuh (AS) as a recounting: "O God, forgive my sins, and forgive the sins of my parents, and also the sins of whoever enters my house with Iman, and also of the other believing men and believing women." From this prayer, it is clearly evident that Hazrat Nuh (AS) prayed for the forgiveness of his parents who were not alive at that time, and also for the men and women of his nation. However, the condition of being a believer (Mumin) and a Muslim is there, and this should indeed be the case.
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا : أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ أُمِّيَ قُبِضَتْ نَفْسُهَا وَاَرَاهَا لَوْ تَكَلَّمَتْ تَصَدَّقَتْ فَهَلْ لَّهَا مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ تَصَدَّقْتُ عَنْهَا قَالَ نَعَمْ - (متفق علیہ - ریاض الصالحین) *(From Aishah (RA): A man said to the Prophet ﷺ, "My mother died suddenly, and I think that if she could have spoken she would have given in charity. So will she have a reward if I give in charity on her behalf?" He said, "Yes." - Muttafaqun Alayh - Riyad as-Salihin)* Vocabulary: قُبِضَتْ نَفْسُهَا: Her soul departed (she died). لَوْ تَكَلَّمَتْ: If she could speak. تَصَدَّقَتْ: She would have given charity. Translation: It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'mineen Sayyidah Aishah (RA) that a person submitted to the Noble Prophet ﷺ that my mother has died, and I think that if she could have spoken she would surely have given some charity. Will she receive reward if I give some charity on her behalf? The Master ﷺ said, "Yes." *(Both Bukhari and Muslim are agreed upon this Hadith and it is also in Riyad [as-Salihin])*
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا : قَالَ اَتَى رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أُخْتِيْ نَذَرَتْ اَنْ تَحُجَّ وَإِنَّهَا مَاتَتْ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَوْ كَانَ عَلَيْهَا دَيْنٌ اَكُنْتَ قَاضِيَهُ ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَاقْضِ دَيْنَ اللّٰهِ فَهُوَ اَحَقُّ بِالْقَضَاءِ - (متفق علیہ - مشکوٰۃ) *(From Ibn Abbas (RA): He said, a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "My sister vowed to perform Hajj, but she died." The Prophet ﷺ said, "If she had a debt, would you have paid it?" He said, "Yes." He said, "Then pay the debt of Allah, for it is more deserving of being paid." - Muttafaqun Alayh - Mishkat)* Vocabulary: اَتَى رَجُلٌ: A man came. اُخْتِيْ: My sister. نَذَرَتْ: She made a vow. دَيْنٌ: Debt. اَحَقُّ بِالْقَضَاءِ: More deserving of payment.
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Translation: It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (RA). He said that a person presented himself in the service of the Noble Prophet ﷺ. Then he submitted that my sister had vowed to perform Hajj, and she has passed away. The Noble Prophet ﷺ said, "If she had a debt, would you have paid it?" That person submitted, "Yes." Then the Prophet ﷺ said, "Then pay the debt of Allah, because it is more deserving to be fulfilled." *(Both Bukhari and Muslim have taken this Hadith, therefore it is called Muttafaqun Alayh, and this Hadith is also in Mishkat)*
عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ اَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ إِنَّ أُمَّ سَعْدٍ مَاتَتْ فَاَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ اَفْضَلُ قَالَ الْمَاءُ قَالَ فَحَفَرَ بِئْرًا وَ قَالَ هٰذِهِ لِاُمِّ سَعْدٍ - (رواہ ابوداؤد و النسائی - مشکوٰۃ) *(From Sa'd bin Ubadah that he said: "O Messenger of Allah, the mother of Sa'd has died, so which charity is best?" He said, "Water." So he dug a well and said, "This is for the mother of Sa'd." - Narrated by Abu Dawud and Al-Nasa'i - Mishkat)* Vocabulary: حَفَرَ: Had dug, dug. بِئْرًا: Stepwell. Well. Translation: It is narrated from Hazrat Sa'd bin Ubadah (RA). He submitted, "O Messenger of Allah! Sa'd's mother has passed away. Which good deed is best (for her)?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Water." So, he had a stepwell dug. The Prophet said, "This is the stepwell of Sa'd's mother." *(Abu Dawud and Nasa'i have narrated this and it is also in Mishkat)*
وَعَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - إِذْ اَتَتْهُ اَمْرَاَةٌ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ إِنِّيْ تَصَدَّقْتُ عَلٰى أُمِّيْ بِجَارِيَةٍ وَإِنَّهَا مَاتَتْ قَالَ وَجَبَ اَجْرُكِ وَرَدَّهَا عَلَيْكِ الْمِيْرَاثُ قَالَتْ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَلَيْهَا صَوْمُ شَهْرٍ اَفَاَصُوْمُ عَنْهَا قَالَ صُوْمِيْ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ إِنَّهَا لَمْ تَحُجَّ قَطُّ اَفَاَحُجُّ عَنْهَا قَالَ نَعَمْ حُجِّيْ عَنْهَا - (رواہ مسلم - مشکوٰۃ) *(And from Buraidah he said: I was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ when a woman came to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I gave a slave-girl in charity to my mother, and she has died." He said: "Your reward has become obligatory, and the inheritance has returned her to you." She said: "O Messenger of Allah, a month of fasting was due upon her, so should I fast on her behalf?" He said: "Fast on her behalf." She said: "She never performed Hajj, so should I perform Hajj on her behalf?" He said: "Yes, perform Hajj on her behalf." - Narrated by Muslim - Mishkat)* Translation: It is narrated from Hazrat Buraidah (RA), he said that I was sitting near the Prophet ﷺ when a woman presented herself in his service. She submitted, "O Messenger of Allah! I had given a slave-girl to my mother for the sake of reward, now she has passed away." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You have received your reward, and inheritance has returned that slave-girl to you." Then that woman said, "O Messenger of Allah! A month's fasts were obligatory on her (my mother), can I fast on her behalf?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You fast on her behalf." That woman said that she (meaning my mother) had never performed Hajj, so can I perform Hajj on her behalf? He ﷺ said, "Perform Hajj on her behalf." *(Muslim (RH) has narrated this and it is also recorded in Mishkat)*