Beautiful Recitations

Islamic Manners of Du’a - آداب الدعاء

Duás favorable time: 

Imam Ali (s) said: Seize the opportunity to pray at four occasions: 

When Quran is being recited, when athan is being recited, when it is raining and when the two armies meet for martyrdom. 

في الأوقات المرجوة لاستجابة الدعاء 

عن أمير المؤمنين (ع) قال : اغتنموا الدعاء عند أربع .. عند قراءة القرآن ، وعند الأذان ، وعند نزول الغيث، وعند التقاء الصفين للشهادة .ق

Imam Jafer al-Sadiq (s) said: When you feel you are being compassionate seize the opportunity to pray, for a compassionate heart asks sincerely.

عن أبي عبد الله (ع) قال: إذا رق أحدكم .. فليدع ، فإن القلب لا يرق حتى يخلص

Imam al-Baqir (s) said: Almighty Allah favors every hard praying servant. So seize the opportunity to pray just before daybreak until sunrise; it is a time in which heaven’s gates are opened, subsistence is distributed and major prayers are granted.

عن أبي جعفر الباقر (ع) قال : إن الله عز وجل يحب من عباده المؤمنين كل عبد دعاء ، فعليكم بالدعاء في السحر إلى طلوع الشمس فإنها ساعة تفتح فيها أبواب السماء ، وتقسم فيها الأرزاق، وتقضى فيها الحوائج العظام

Theory of Evolution...

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Lesson 2; Death part 2 of 5

Reasons for the Squeeze in the Grave.

Laziness in purifying oneself after urinating, creating mischief amongst people, backbiting (ghibat), and severing relation with kith & kin are some of the reasons for this punishment.

Sa'ad bin Ma'az was one of the noble men of Ansars. He was held dear by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) Himself and His companions, to the extent that whenever he came to meet the Prophet, He used to instruct His companions to welcome him with honour. The Prophet Himself stood up to welcome him. Sa'ad was wounded in a battle fought against the jews of Qurayza, and later succumbed to the injuries. When he died, seventy thousand Angels attended his funeral. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) was present bare feet till the end, and gave shoulder to his bier, and said that the Angels had come to recite the funeral prayers (Namaze Mayyit), and Jibraeel and Mikaeel were also present alongside him. The Holy prophet loved him so much that He Himself buried him. Seeing these, the mother of Sa'ad remarked, “O my son, rejoice at the attainment of Paradise”. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) says that, if a believer (Mo'min) does not help his believer brother even after having capacity to do so, Allah will send a large serpent named ‘Shaja’ in his grave, who will keep biting at his fingers”. In another narration it is stated that the serpent will keep on biting his fingers even though his sin will have been forgiven.

 

Do people who are drowned or are hanged have to face the Squeeze in the Grave?

Shaikh Kulaini narrates from Yunus who says that once Imam Ali-ar-Reza (A.S.) was asked whether a person who is hanged also faces squeezing. (In the olden days it was a custom that when a person was hanged, his body was not brought down from the gallows, but was kept hanging there. As in the case of Zaid bin Ali bin Husain (A.S.), he lay in that manner for three years). Imam Reza (A.S.) answered, “Yes, they too shall face it, because Allah A(who has power over all things) orders the wind to squeeze him, as the earth does”. Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) says that, “Verily the Lord of the earth and the wind is One and the same, He commands the wind to squeeze the dead man, and this squeezing is more painful than the squeezing by the earth”. In the same manner those who are drowned or are killed and eaten up by the beasts have to face the squeezing. Not offering thanks to Allah for His blessings and denying them, is also one of the causes of the squeeze in the grave (Fishare Qabr).

 

Those A'mal which saves one from the Squeeze in the Grave.

There are many acts (A'amal) to save one from the squeeze in the grave, but for brevity's sake, I state here only seventeen of them.

(1) Amirul Mo'meneen Ali (A.S.) says, that a person who recites Surah-an-Nisa on every Friday will remain safe from the squeeze in the grave.

(2) It is narrated that if a person recites Surah-az-Zukhruf, Allah will save him from the reptiles of the earth, and the squeeze in the grave.

(3) A person who recites Surah-al-Qalam in Obligatory Prayers (Wajib Namaz) or Supererogatory Prayers (Nafela), will remain safe from this punishment.

(4) Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) says, that if a person dies between the sunset of thrusday and the sunset of friday, Allah will exempt him from this punishment.

(5) Imam Ali-ar-Reza (A.S.) says, that the Midnight Prayers (Namaze Shab) is recommended (sunnat) for you. So if a person gets up in the last part of the night and recites Namaze Shab, Allah will save him from the squeeze in the grave and grant him immunity from the fire of hell, and will increase his age and sustenance.

(6) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S.) says, that if a person recites Surah-at-Takasur before going to bed, Allah will grant him freedom from this punishment.

(7) If a person recites this supplication (dua') ten times daily will be saved from this punishment.

(The du'a has already been quoted in Chapter - I under “Those A'mal which prove beneficial during death and eases it's tribulations”).

(8) A person who is buried in Najafe Ashraf. Because the earth of that place has got the speciality, that a person buried there will be saved from the punishment in the grave, and will be exempted from the questioning by Munkir & Nakeer.

(9) To put Jareedatayn (two wet sticks or branches) alongwith the dead body in the grave. It is narrated that so long as the sticks remain wet, the dead person is saved from chastisement. It is related that once the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S.) was passing by a grave on which Allah's wrath was descending. He called for a leafless branch. He cut it from between,wetted it with water, and kept one on the head of the grave and the other on the feet. It is also related that to sprinkle water on the grave is also beneficial, for so long as the mud of the grave remains wet, the dead person remains safe from the punishment in the grave.

(10) A person who recites ten units (Rak'at) of Namaz on the 1st of Rajab, such that in every Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recites three times Surah-at-Tawheed, will be saved from the squeeze in the grave. To recite twenty Rak'at Namaz on the night of 1st Rajab, such that in every Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite once Surah-at-Tawheed is beneficial to save oneself from the punishment in the grave.

(11) To fast for four days in the month of Rajab or twelve days in the month of Sha'ban is also beneficial.

(12) To recite Surah-al-Mulk on the grave is an act which saves the dead man from the punishment in the grave. Allamah Qutubuddin Rawandi relates from Ibne Abbas, who says that once a person pitched a tent on a ground not knowing that there was a grave beneath. Thereafter he started reciting Surah-al-Mulk. Suddenly he heard a voice saying that the Surah gives salvation. He related this incident to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S.), who replied that, “Verily this Surah frees a person from the punishment in the grave”. Shaikh Kulanini also narrates from Imam Mohammad-al-Baqir (A.S.) who said that the recitation of Surah-al-Mulk saves one from the punishment in the grave.

(13) It is related from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) in “Da'waat” of Allamah Qutubuddin Rawandi that, when a person is being buried and someone recites this supplication (du'a) thrice, the corpse will remain safe from the punishment in the grave till the day of Qayamat:

اللّهُمَّ إنّي أسأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ أنْ لا تُعذِّبَ هذا المَيِّت.

(14) Shaikh Toosi in his ‘Misbahul Mutahajjid’ relates the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S.) as saying that, if a person recites the following two Rak'at Namaz on friday night, Allah will free him from the punishment in the grave, and save him from fear on the day of Qayamat. In each Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite fifteen times Surah-az-Zilzal.

(15) To recite thirty Rak'at Namaz in the middle part of the month of Rajab, such that in each Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite ten times Srah-at-Tawheed is beneficial to ward off punishment in the grave. In the same manner to recite the above Namaz on the night of 16th and 17th Rajab and the 1st of Sha'ban is also beneficial. On the night of the 1st of Sha'ban to recite 100 Rak'at Nasmaz, such that in each Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite once Surah-at-Tawheed, after ending the Namaz recite fifty times Surah-at-Tawheed. On the night of 24th Sha'ban recite one hundred Rak'at Namaz, such that in each Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite ten times Surah-an-Nasr. Also to recite fifty Rak'at Namaz such that in each Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite fifty times Surah-at-Tawheed, fifty times Surah-al-Falaq, and 50 tiems Surah-an-Naas saves one from the punishment in the grave. To recite the same Namaz on the night of ‘Ashoora’ (10th of Moharram) is also beneficial.

(16) To keep ‘Khake Shifa’ (the mud of the grave of Imam Husain A.S.) in the shroud (kafan), or to rub it on the parts of prostration (Sajdah).

(17) It is narrated from Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) in “Anware No'maniyah” that if forty persons gather near the body and recite:

اللّهُمَّ إنّا لا نَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ إلاّ خَيراً وأنْتَ أعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنّا فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ .

Allah will safeguard the dead man from the punishment in the grave.

It is related from Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) that there was a virtuous man in Bani Israil, regarding whom it was revealed to Prophet Dawood (A.S.) that he was a hypocrite (riyakar). When he died, Hazrat Dawood refrained from attending his funeral. But forty other people attended his funeral and said:

اللّهُمَّ إنّا لا نَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ إلاّ خَيراً وأنْتَ أعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنّا فَاغْفِرْ لَهُ .

Then another forty came and repeated the same, for they were not aware of the hidden reality. Allah then revealed to Dawood (A.S.) and asked him as to why did he not attend his funeral? Hazret Dawood answered, “O Lord! You said that the man was a hypocrite, and so I avoided his funeral”. Allah said, “Verily it was true, but because forty persons bore witness to his goodness, I forgave his sins”. It is Allah's mercy and beneficence who thus forgave His servant with any trial or tribulation.

It is for this reason that the believers (mo'meneen) in the olden days kept their shrouds (kafan) with them, and would request other believers to write down their testimonies on it. The sight of the shroud made them remember death and increase the fear of the hereafter. We too should follow this example and request other mo'meneen to write down their testimonies on our shrouds, and preserve it with us, so that we are always reminded of the hereafter.

Imam Ali (as) insight - Nahjul-Balagha's brief covering of authenticity.

Assalamu Alaykum Dear readers

I congratulate you upon the luminous day and birth of our Moula Imam Ali (as). This brief lecture is regarding the gaining of knowledge on Imam Ali (as). We would like to sight in this lecture, some of the commentators and the compilers of the sermons, letters and the ahadith of Imam Ali (as). This basically covers the authenticity of the book Nahjul Balagha.

Training: Training denotes the missionary program sent by Allah and it is related to Him.

And teaches them the Book and the Wisdom. (Surah Jumah 62:2).

This portion of the verse shows that training is related to two things,
'Book' and 'Wisdom'. Actually both are one and the same. 'Book' means
the knowledge of the Holy Quran and wisdom denotes the secret of the
creation of the Universe. In other words 'Book' is the codification of religious
law and 'Wisdom' means the realities connected with creation of
the universe and it is related to natural factors. For example the

Almighty has created the universe. Now this is not a religious command.

Therefore, one who intends to acquire perfection and righteousness
must strive for Quranic knowledge. One should study it and act upon it.
The verses regarding the oneness of Allah, His names, attributes and
Divine acts must be studied with concentration and through this exercise
we must strengthen our basic beliefs. We must also pay attention to the
laws of Shariah. We must perform obligatory acts and shun prohibited
ones. We must also ponder on the verses with regard to Day of Judgment.
Through these verses each one of us must create a longing for
Paradise and a fear of Hell. In this way a man is gradually persuaded to
perform good deeds and distance himself from evil deeds.

There are many verses of the Quran concerning wisdom and which
cannot be understood by the five senses of man. A study of these verses
indeed tells man regarding his origin and his destination. What is the
aim behind the creation of man and other creatures? And why they subsequently
leave the world? What is the purpose of designing and devising
the long caravan of creatures and created things? The reply to the
questions is the foundation of Quran.

-Ayatullah Shaheed Dastaghaib Shirazi Ref: Book, Qalbe Saleem, advice of training. 

Imam Sadiq (as)'s explanation on Taqwa.

Precaution (taqwa) has three facets:

1. Precaution by dependence on Allah, which means leaving behind
contradiction and going beyond any shade of doubt, and this is the precaution
exercised by the highest.
2. The precaution of Allah, which means to abandon all doubtful matters
and to leave the forbidden (haram) alone; this is the precaution of
the elite.
3. The precaution of the Fire and Punishment, which results in leaving
alone what is forbidden; this is the precaution of the general public.

Precaution is like water flowing in a river. The three levels of precaution
are like trees of every color and variety planted on the bank of that
river, each tree absorbing water from that river according to its essence,
capacity, delicateness and thickness.
Then the benefits, which creatures take from these trees and fruits, are
according to their value and worth. Allah said,

Palm trees having one root and [others] having distinct roots - they
are watered with one water, and We make some of them excel others in
fruit. (13:4)

Precaution in acts of obedience to Allah is like water for the trees, and
the natures of the trees and their fruits in their colors and tastes are like
the measures of belief. Whoever has the highest degree in belief and the
purest nature with respect to the soul has the greatest precaution. He who is careful, and has the purer and more sincere worship: whoever is
like that is nearer to Allah.
But every act of devotion that is founded on something other than precaution
comes to nothing. Allah said,

Is he, therefore, better who laid his foundation on fear of Allah and
[His] good pleasure, or he who laid his foundation on the edge of a
cracking, hollowed bank, so it broke down with him into the fire of
Hell? (9:109)

The explanation of precaution is to avoid entering an affair which contains
no harm simply out of fear of one which does. It is, in reality, obedience
without rebellion, remembrance without forgetfulness, knowledge
without ignorance, and it is accepted by Allah and not rejected.

________________________________________________

Reference: Book, Lantern of Path, teachings of Imam Sadiq (as) compiled, Chapter on Taqwa. 

Knowing Allah, His Greatness and His Grace

قالَ رَسُولُ الله (ص) :

اَيّهَا النّاسُ اِنّهُ لا نَبِيَّ بَعدي وَ لا اُمّةَ بَعدَكُم ألا فَاعبُـدُوا رَبّكُـم وَصَلّوا خَمسَكُم وَصُومُوا شَهرَكُم وَ حِجُّـوا بَيتَ رَبِّكُم وَ اَدّوا زَكوةَ اَموالِكُم طيّبَةً بِها اَنفُسُكُم وَ اَطيعُوا وُلاةَ اَمرِكُم تَدخُلُـوا جَنّةَ رَبِّكُم

الخصال/322

The Holy Prophet [p.b.u.h.] said: "O' people! Verily, there is no prophet after me, nor any Ummah after you (Muslims). So, take care to worship your Lord, perform your five ritual prayers, fast in the appointed month (Ramadan), make pilgrimage to the House of your Lord (Mecca), give the alms of your wealth in order to purify your souls thereby, and obey the Holders of Authority, so that you enter the Paradise of your Lord."

Khisal-al-Saduq, p. 152

قالَ الا ِمامُ اَميرُالمُومنينَ عَلِيّ (ع) :

عِظَمُ الخالِقِ عِندكَ يُصَغِّرُ المَخلُوقَ في عَينك

نهج البلاغه الكلمات القصار 129

Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a.s.] said: "Having the Greatness of the Creator in your mind would make you realize the insignificance of the creatures in your view."

Nahjul-Balagha, Statement 129

قالَ الا ِمامُ اَميرُالمُومنينَ عَلِيّ (ع) :

طُوبى لِمَن اَخلَصَ لِلّهِ عَمَلَهُ وَ عِلْمَهُ وَ حُبّهُ وَ بُغْضَـهُ وَ اَخْذَهُ وَ تَرْكَهُ وَ كَلامَهُ وَ صَمْتَهُ وَ فِعْلَهُ وَ قَوْلَهُ

بحارالانوار/77/289

Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a.s.] said: " Blessed is he who sincerely devotes the entirety of his actions, knowledge, love, hatred, receiving, relinquishing, speech, silence, deeds, and statements absolutely to Allah."

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 77, p. 289

قالَ الا ِمامُ الصّـادِقُ (ع) :

اَلقَلبُ حَرَمُ الله فَلا تُسكِنْ حَرَمَ اللهِ غَيرَ اللهِ

بحارالانوار/70/25

Imam Sadiq [a.s.] said: "The heart is the sanctuary of Allah, therefore, do not settle therein anything but Allah (The sacred place of the heart belongs to and Him alone. Therefore, keep the love of the world out of it.)

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 25

قالَ الا ِمامُ الصّـادِقُ (ع) :

شيعَتُنَا الّذينَ اِذا خَلَوا ذَكَرُوا اللّهَ كَثيرًا

بحارالانوار/93/162

Imam Sadiq [a.s.] said: "Our true followers are those who, when they are alone, remember Allah abundantly." (That is, they avoid committing vices in private where there is no barrier for them to commit sin by the mere remembrance of Allah.)

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 93, p. 162

قالَ الا ِمامُ البـاقِرُ (ع) :

لا وَاللهِ ما اَرادَ اللّهُ تَعالى مِنَ النّاسِ إلّا خَصلَتَينِ: اَن يُقِرّوا لَهُ بِالنِّعَمِ فَيَزيدَهُم وَ بِالذُّنُوبِ فَيَغفِرَها لَهُم

الكافي/2/426

Imam Baqir [a.s.] said: "By Allah, He, the Exalted, expects of people but two traits: that they confess for Him the blessings in order that He increases His bounties for them; and that they make confessions about their evil actions and then He forgives those sins for them."

Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 426

قالَ الا ِمامُ الحُسَينُ (ع) :

اِنّ اللّه جَـلّ ذِكـرُهُ ما خَلَـقَ العِبـادَ إلّا لِيَعرِفُـوهُ فَـاِذا عَرَفـُوهُ عَبَـدُوهُ, فاِذا عَبَدُوهُ اِستَغنَوْا بِعِبادَتِهِ عَن عِبَادَة ما سِواهُ 

سفينةالبحار/2/180

Imam Husayn ibn Ali [a.s.] said: "Verily, Allah, the Exalted, has not created human beings except for recognizing Him and worshipping Him as (the consequence of) knowing Him; and when they worship Him they would lack the need of adoring any human being (or things) other than Him because of that worship."

Safinat-ul-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 180

قالَ الا ِمامُ عَلِيّ بنُ الحُسَينِ (ع) :

لا يُهلَكُ مُؤمِنٌ بَينَ ثَلاثِ خِصـالٍ: شَهـادَةِ اَن لا اِلهَ إلّاَ اللهُ وَحدَهُ لا شَريك لَهُ, وَ شَفاعَةِ رَسُولِ الله, وَ سِعَةِ رَحمَةِ الله

سفينةالبحار/517

The fourth Imam, Ali ibn Husayn [a.s.] said: "There is no destruction (Hell) for a believer having three qualities:

Confessing that there is no god besides Allah, the One Who has no partner; the intercession of the Messenger of Allah and the vastness of the Grace of Allah.

Safinat-ul-Bihar, p. 517

Dua By Imam Al-Sajjad (as) for Saturday;

"Bismillah" words that seekers of sanctuary repeatedly recite, word that the very cautious, in search of protection, often repeat. for the I seek refuge with Allah, the Exalted above all, from the oppression of the unjust, from the deceitful malice the envious (use) to lay snares and traps, from the injustice and outrage of the tyrants, and I sing His praise, do better and go beyond other praisers.

O Allah, Thou art One, has no partner; and is the Lord—Master, without being made; there is no discrepancy or nonsense in Thy commands, nor there is lawlessness in Thy Kingdom, I beseech Thee, to send blessings on Muhammad, Thy servant, Thy Messenger; to let me ask Thee for enlightenment and inspiration so as to be thankful for Thy bounties, which alone get Thy approval ultimately; to help me to obey Thee, and instinctively worship Thee; and make me deserve Thy rewards on account of Thy very kind patronage; and have mercy on me and prevent me from breaking in the bounds of (Thy) prohibitions, as far as I am kept alive, and show the way unto that which is useful and advantageous till I go on (survive); to let me take to heart the meanings of Thy Book, and, by its reading, throw down the heavy burden (of sins), and receive welfare and salvation, as a gift; let not my family and friends, who love me, leave me alone, let Thy favors reach me, in abundance, during the remainder of my life, exactly as they used to be made available for me, in full in the days gone by, O the Most Merciful.

O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad.

Lesson 2; Death part 1 of 5

One of the fearsome stages of the Hereafter is the grave, which calls out daily: “I am the abode of loneliness, I am the house of terror, I am the home of worms”.

 

Terror of the Grave

It is quoted in Man La Yahzaruhul Faqih, that when a dead body is brought for burial, it should not be buried immediately. For there is no doubt that the terror of the grave horrifies the dead person, and he seeks refuge from Allah's wrath. The dead body should be laid to rest for sometime far from the grave, so that it prepares itself, and gets accustomed to it. Again one should stop and then take it to the grave. Allamah Majlisi while commenting on the above, says that even though the spirit is separated from the body, it is still maintains relation with it, and remains somewhat attached to it. The darkness & loneliness, questioning by ‘Munkir & Nakeer’, Squeezing in the grave (Fishar), and the chastisement in hell are some of the frightful stages. Hence it is necessary for man to take lessons from a dead man's state, and reflect upon it, because one day he himself will have to pass through these stages. Yunus narrates that one day he asked Imam Moosa-al-Kazim (A.S.) that, “Whenever I think about the door of a house, the house becomes narrow in my sight, why is it so”? Imam (A.S.) replied, “It is so because whenever you take a dead body for burial, you should lay it to rest for sometime near the grave, so that the dead person may ready itself to enter there in, and collect strength to answer the questions of ‘Munkir’ & Nakeer’”.

Bara bin Azib, one of the companions (Ashab) of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) says that one day I was in the presence of the Prophet, when we saw a group of people gathered. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) asked them as to why they had gathered? They replied that they had gathered to dig a grave. As soon as the Prophet heard the name of the grave, he hurried towards it and sat on one side of the grave. I sat on the other side facing him so as to get a clear view of what he did. I saw that the Prophet (S.A.W.S) started weeping bitterly so much so that his face became wet, then he looked at us and said, “O my brothers! Prepare yourselves for this house”.

Shaikh Bahai says that at times he saw many kings and rulers regretting their sins and wailing over their lives while dying. The Shaikh asked one such person who was about to die as to what was the reason for such regret. The dying king replied, “What do you have to say about the person who is proceeding for a journey without having gathered any provisions for it, and devoid of a helpful companion. He is stopped on the way in a horrifying grave, to be produced later before the Almighty Ruler, without having any goodness in store”.

Allamah Qutubuddin Rawandi says, that after the death of Hazrat Maryam (A.S.), her son Prophet Isa (A.S.) called her, “O mother! Please speak to me, and tell me whether you are desirous of returning back to this world”. Hazrat Maryam (A.S.) answered, “Yes, I desire to return back, so that during the cold winter nights I could recite Namaz, and during the hot summer days I could fast. O my dear! Verily the way to the hereafter is very difficult.”

It is narrated that when the last moments of Hazrat Fatema (A.S.) neared, She called Amirul Mo'meneen Ali (A.S.) and said, “When I die, you bathe me, shroud me, pray Namaz over my dead body, and bury me. When you do so, sit near my grave for sometime and recite the Holy Qur'an, and pray for my forgiveness. For verily after death the dead person relies totally on the prayers (dua's) and affection of the living ones”.

When Hazrat Fatema binte Asad (the mother of Hazrat Ali) died, Amirul Mo'meneen (A.S.) came weeping to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) and gave Him the new of her death. The Prophet was grieved and said, “My mother has died”. History bears witness that she had brought up the Prophet affectionately like a mother. The Prophet (S.A.W.S) gave her his own gown for the shroud (Kafan), and Himself lay in the grave for sometime before burying her. After burying her, he stood near the grave and called out: “Your son, your son, not Aqeel, nor Ja'far”. People were surprised and asked him the reason for uttering these words. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) replied that, “One day we were discussing about Qayamat, and I said that on that day people will be come out of their graves in a state of nakedness. My aunt (Fatema binte Asad) started crying, so I assured her that I would give her my own gown for shroud, so she would not have to face that humiliation. She was scared of the squeeze in the grave (Fishare Qabr) , so I lay myself in her grave so as to save her from this too. After burying her, Munkir & Nakeer came to question her. They asked her about her Lord, she replied that Almighty Allah was her Lord. Then they asked her about Prophet hood (Nabuwwah), she bore testimony that I was Allah's Apostle. But when they questioned her about her Imam, she was a bit confused. Hence I called out to her that “Your son, your son, not Aqeel nor Ja'far (but Ali)”. Fatema binte Asad was a distinguished lady, who had the honor of giving birth to a son like Ali (A.S.), and herself remaining in the Ka'bah for three days as Allah's guest. She was the second woman who accepted the Prophet hood of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) the first being Hazrat Khadija (A.S.) even then she was fearful of the hereafter and wept. And we being sinful have forgotten our end, and do not take account of our deeds, but are averse to the terror of the hereafter.

Sayyed ibne Tawoos relates from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) that he said that the first night is the most fearful and difficult for the dead person, hence give Sadqa for his safety. If you do not have to give anything as ‘Sadqa’ then recite two unit (Rak'at) Namaz: In the first Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite twice Surah-at-Tawheed, and in the second Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite ten times Surah-at-Takasur. After finishing the Namaz recite the following dua:

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ على مُحَمَّدٍ وآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وابْعَثَ ثَوابَها اِلى قَبْرِ ذِلِكَ المَيِّتِ فُلان بن فُلان.

(here take the name of the dead man)

Allah will immediately send one thousand Angels to the grave of the dead person with attires of Paradise, and expand his grave till Qayamat. And for the one who recites this Namaz, Allah will offer him great rewards and exalt his position forty times.

The other Namaz to be recited on the first night of burial is as follows: Two Rak'at Namaz is to be recited, in the first Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite once Ayatal Kursi, and in the second Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite ten times surah-al-Qadr. After finishing Namaz say:

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ على مُحَمَّدٍ وآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وابْعَثَ ثَوابَها اِلى قَبْرِ فُلان

(here take the name of the deceased person).

My teacher Allamah Mirza Husain Noori (may Allah exalt his position) quotes in his book Darus Salaam from his teacher Haj Fath Ali Sultanabadi that he said: It was my routine that whenever I heard about the death of follower (Shi'ah) of Ahlulbait (A.S.), whether known or unknown to me, I recited (the above stated) Namaz, and this was not known to anyone else except myself. One day I met one of my friends who told me that the previous night he saw in a dream a Shi'ah who had died some days ago. May friend asked him as to how his state was. He replied that he was in deep trouble facing the consequences of his deeds, till one so and so (he took my name) person recited Namaz for him. He said that, “May Allah bless his father, he rescued me from severe chastisement”. My friend asked me regarding the Namaz and I had to tell him.

 

Those deeds which are beneficial for warding off fear of the Grave.

One of them is performing Ruku' with entire recitation. Imam Mohammad-al-Baqir (A.S.) says, that a person reciting entire recitation of Ruku' in Namaz will be saved from the fear of the grave. And one who recites.

لا إلهَ إلاّ اللهُ المَلِكُ الحَقُّ المُبينُ

100 times daily, will be saved from anxiety in the grave, will become prosperous  and the doors of Paradise will be opened for him. It is also related that the person who recites Surah-al-Yaseen before going to bed, and the following Namaz (Namaze Laylatur Raghaib), he will be saved from the terror of the grave. The first night of the month of Rajab is known as Laylatur Raghaib.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.S.) used to fast on the first Thursday of the month of Rajab, and between Maghrib and Isha Prayers recite twelve Rak'at Namaz (in si sets of two units) as under:

In every Rak'at after Surah-al-Hamd recite three times Surah-al-Qadr and twelve times Surah-an-Naas. After Salaam recite seventy times:

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ على مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبيِّ الأمِّي وَعلى آلِهِ

Then go into prostration (Sajdah) and say seventy times:

سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبَّ المَلائِكَةِ والرُّوحِ

Then sit erect and say seventy times:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَتَجاوَزْ عَمَّا تَعْلَمُ إنَّكَ أنْتَ العَليُّ الأعْظَمُ

Then again go into Sajdah and say seventy times:

سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبَّ المَلائِكَةِ والرُّوحِ

It has been related that a person who fasts for twelve days in the month of Sha'ban, Allah will send seventy thousand Angels daily to his grave. And if a person visits an ailing man, Allah appoints an Angel for him who accompanies him in his grave till Qayamat.

Abu Sa'eed Khudri says, that he heard the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) telling Amirul Mo'mineen Ali (A.S.), “O Ali! Give glad tidings to your Shi'ahs that their death will be eased, and they will be saved from the terror of the grave and Qayamat”.

Narrowness of. and Squeeze in the Grave (Fishare Qabr).

This event is so horrifying, that it makes a person shiver with fright in this very world. Amirul Mo'meneen Ali (A.S.) says: “O the servants of Allah! The state in the grave of a person whose sins are not forgiven is more horrifying than death it self. Fear it's (grave's) narrowness, it's squeezing, it's imprisonment  and it's loneliness. Verily the grave calls out daily: I am the house of loneliness, of terror and worms. Grave is like a garden of Paradise for a good doer, while it is like a dungeon of hell for the evil doer. Allah tells His enemies that He will send ninety nine serpents in their graves, who will tear their flesh and smash their bones, and this punishment will continue till the outbreak of Qayamat. If one of the serpents exhales towards this earth, all plants and trees will be destroyed. O servants of Allah! Your souls are tender, and your bodies delicate, you cannot confront any ordinary serpent of this world, how then will you face them”. It is related that Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) used to get up daily in the middle of the night and call out in a loud voice so that everyone in the house could hear, and would say:

اللّهُمَّ أعِنِّي عَلى حَوْلِ المُطَّلَعِ وَوَسِّعْ على ضِيقِ المَضْجَعِ وَارْزُقْني ما قَبلَ المَوتِ وارْزُقني خَيرَ ما بَعدَ المَوتِ.

One of his (A.S.)'s Supplication (Du'a) is also stated:

اللّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لي في المَوتِ اللّهُمَّ أعِنّي على سَكَراتِ المَوتِ اللّهُمَّ أعِنّي على غَمِّ القَبْرِ اللّهُمَّ أعِنّي على ضَيْقِ القَبْرِ اللّهُمَّ أعِنّي على وَحْشَةِ القَبْرِ اللّهُمَّ زَوِّجْني مَنَ الحُورِ العِينِ.

 

Meaning of Good Conduct

عَنْ أَبِي وَلاَدِ الْحَنَّاطِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللٌّهِ )ع) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللٌّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ } وَ بِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْساناً { مَا هٌذَا الإِِحْسَانُ؟ فَقَالَ: الإِِحْسَانُ أَنْ تُحْسِنَ صُحْبَتَهُمَا وَ أَنْ لاَ تُكَلِّفَهُمَا أَنْ يَسْأَلاَكَ شَيْئاً مِمَّا يَحْتَاجَانِ إِلَيْهِ‏.

Abu Wallad al-Hannat narrates that he once asked Imam as-Sadiq (as) about the meaning of the words of Allah (in the Qur’an): (And be good to parents.”) [1]

The Imam (peace be upon him) replied: “Being good to them means to accompany them in a good manner and never to wait for them to ask you for what they need.”

Biharul Anwar, Volume 74, Page 79

[1] - Al-Qur’an, Suratul Baqarah (2), Verse 83

Recommended Salaa't on Friday

Between Fajr & Zuhr - Recite Salaat Jafar e Tayyar

Salat Al Arabi /Bedouins prayer from Baqeyatus salehat

Salaat of Masoomeen

Friday evening Salat
Regarding the prayer for Friday eve the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said: If one recites two rakat prayers and in each rakat after Surah Hamd recites Surah Tawheed 70 times and after the prayer recites Astaghfirullaah 70 times, then by the One Who has sent me with truth anyone who performs this act and does Isteghfar then even if he supplicates for my whole nation the Almighty would accept his supplication and would enter the whole nation in Paradise.

Salaat 2 for Friday 

It is related from Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) that one who recites this day eight-rakat prayer in the forenoon the Almighty elevates him a thousand levels in Paradise.

The prayer for Friday is four rakats. In each rakat after Surah Hamd recite Ayatul Kursi 15 times and after the prayers recite Astaghfirullaah 70 times and 'Laa hawla wala Quwwata illa billa'  50 times.

Salaat 3 for Friday 

It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that one who recites four rakats prayer on Friday and in each rakat after Surah Hamd recites Surah Mulk and Surah Ha Mim the Almighty would admit him into Paradise and would accept his intercession for his family members and keep him safe from the squeeze of the grave and the punishment of Qiyamat.

The narrator asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) regarding the time of these prayers. He (s.a.w.s.) replied: After sunrise and before noon. That is in between the two.

We should know that all these prayers for the days of the week are narrated from Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) and he has quoted from his forefathers.

"Seeking knowledge is obligatory."

H 35, Ch. 1, h 1

Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub has narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim from his father from alHassan ibn abu al-Hassan al-Farisi from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Ziyad from his father from abu 

‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following:

"The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim. Let it be 

known that Allah loves those who seek knowledge."

H 36, Ch. 1, h 2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Muhammad ibn 

‘Abdallah from ‘Isa ibn ‘Abdallah al-‘Amri from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the 

following:

"Seeking knowledge is obligatory."

H 37, Ch. 1, h 3

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from 

certain persons of his people who has said the following: 

"Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) was asked, "Is it permissible for people not to seek what (religious 

knowledge) they need?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "No, (it is not permissible to ignore learning)."

H 38, Ch. 1, h 4

Ali ibn Muhammad and others have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya 

from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa all from ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from abu 

Hamza from abu Ishaq al-Subay‘i from one who narrated to him who has said the following:

"I heard Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) say, ‘O people, you must know that religion becomes complete through seeking knowledge and acting accordingly. You must know that seeking 

knowledge is much more urgent for you than seeking wealth. In wealth every one’s share is 

guaranteed. A just person has already divided the wealth among you. He and my sword 

guarantee you to receive your share. Knowledge, however, is stored with those who possess 

it. You are commanded to seek knowledge from its sources (those who possess it). You must 

seek knowledge.’"

H 39, Ch. 1, h 5

A number of our people has narrated has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from 

Ya’qub ibn Yazid from abu ‘Abdallah, a man of our people narrated in a marfu‘ manner from 

abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) from the Holy Prophet (s.a) who has said the following: 

"Seeking knowledge is obligatory."

In another Hadith Imam abu ‘Abdallah has narrated from the holy Prophet who said, "Seeking 

knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim. Let it be known that Allah loves those who seek 

knowledge."

H 40, Ch. 1, h 6

Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from 

‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn abu Hamza who has said the following:

"I heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah saying, ‘Acquire good understand in religion because those of 

you who do not have good understand in religion are like the Bedouins. Allah has said in His 

book, ‘ Why do not some people from each group of believers seek to become specialists in 

religious learning and, after completing their studies, guide their group so that they will have 

fear of God. (9:122)’"

H 41, Ch. 1, h 7

Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad from al-Qasim ibn alRabi‘ from Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar who has said the following:

"I heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say, ‘It is necessary for you to have good understanding of 

religion of Allah. Do not be like Bedouins because those who do not gain good understanding 

of religion, Allah will not look to then on the Day of Judgement and none of his deeds will be 

cleansed.’"

H 42, Ch. 1, h 8

Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from ibn abu ‘Umayr from 

Jamil ibn Durraj from Aban ibn Taghlib from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following:

"I would like to teach my associates and followers to have good understanding of religion 

even if it would require to use my whip on their heads."

H 43, Ch. 1, h 9

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from one who 

narrated to him from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following:

"A man said asked, ‘May Allah take my soul in your service, a man believes in this fact, 

(Leadership of Ahlul Bayt with Divine Authority) but keeps himself at home and does not 

acquaint himself with his brethren."

Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, "How he achieves good understanding of his religion?"

• Ahadith taken from Usool-e-Kafi