The Book on Dying People
Preparing Lahad and the Materials Needed (Ch. 64 is best explained by fatwa.)
1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَاسَانِيِّ قَالَ كَتَبَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) أَنَّهُ رُبَّمَا مَاتَ الْمَيِّتُ عِنْدَنَا وَتَكُونُ الأرْضُ نَدِيَّةً فَنَفْرُشُ الْقَبْرَ بِالسَّاجِ أَوْ نُطْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ فَهَلْ يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ فَكَتَبَ ذَلِكَ جَائِزٌ.
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn Muhammad al-Qasaniy who has said the following: “Once Ali ibn Bilal wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the condition of a grave asking, ‘Someone may die in our area but the ground of the grave is wet.’ We pave it (the floor) with teak (wooden board) or cover it in this way, is this permissible? He (the Imam) wrote the answer, ‘It is permissible.’” H 4536, Ch. 64, h 2
2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاَءِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ أَلْقَى شُقْرَانُ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فِي قَبْرِهِ الْقَطِيفَةَ.
2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Husayn ibn ‘Uthman from ibn Muskan from Aban ibn Taghlib who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Ali (a.s.), placed bricks on the grave of the Holy prophet.’ I then asked, ‘If one places tiles on the grave is it harmful to the deceased?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not harmful.’”
The Book on Dying People
Who Should Fill Soil in the Grave and How
1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَقُولُ مَا شَاءَ الله لاَ مَا شَاءَ النَّاسُ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى الْقَبْرِ تَنَحَّى فَجَلَسَ فَلَمَّا أُدْخِلَ الْمَيِّتُ لَحْدَهُ قَامَ فَحَثَا عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابَ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ بِيَدِهِ.
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Dawud ibn al-Nu‘man who has said the following: “I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.), say, ‘It is what Allah wills, not what people will.’ When he approached the grave, he kept to a side and sat down. When the deceased was placed in the grave, he stood up and filled three handfuls of soil in the grave, one at a time.”
2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا حَثَوْتَ التُّرَابَ عَلَى الْمَيِّتِ فَقُلْ إِيمَاناً بِكَ وَتَصْدِيقاً بِبَعْثِكَ هَذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا الله وَرَسُولُهُ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَقُولُ مَنْ حَثَا عَلَى مَيِّتٍ وَقَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَعْطَاهُ الله بِكُلِّ ذَرَّةٍ حَسَنَةً.
2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father, from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when you fill soil in the grave of a deceased say, ‘(It is) out of faith in You (O Allah) and an acknowledgement of Your resurrection. This is what Allah and His Messenger have promised us.’ He (the Imam) said that Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say, “Whoever fills soil in the grave of a deceased saying this expression, Allah grants him the reward of one good deed for each particle.’””
3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) فِي جِنَازَةِ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا فَلَمَّا أَنْ دَفَنُوهُ قَامَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) إِلَى قَبْرِهِ فَحَثَا عَلَيْهِ مِمَّا يَلِي رَأْسَهُ ثَلاَثاً بِكَفِّهِ ثُمَّ بَسَطَ كَفَّهُ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللهمَّ جَافِ الأرْضَ عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ وَأَصْعِدْ إِلَيْكَ رُوحَهُ وَلَقِّهِ مِنْكَ رِضْوَاناً وَأَسْكِنْ قَبْرَهُ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ مَا تُغْنِيهِ بِهِ عَنْ رَحْمَةِ مَنْ سِوَاكَ ثُمَّ مَضَى.
3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from certain individuals of his people from ‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I was with abu Ja‘far (a.s.), in a funeral procession for one of our companions. When they buried him, he (the Imam) stood up next to his grave, then filled soil toward his head, three handfuls. He then extended his palm over the grave, and then said, ‘O Allah make earth spacious on his both sides, raise his spirit to Yourself and grant him happiness from Your side and settle his grave with Your mercy so much so that it suffices him of the mercy of all things other than Your mercy,’ then he (the Imam) left.”
4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَطْرَحُ التُّرَابَ عَلَى الْمَيِّتِ فَيُمْسِكُهُ سَاعَةً فِي يَدِهِ ثُمَّ يَطْرَحُهُ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ عَلَى ثَلاَثَةِ أَكُفٍّ قَالَ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ يَا عُمَرُ كُنْتُ أَقُولُ إِيمَاناً بِكَ وَتَصْدِيقاً بِبَعْثِكَ هَذَا مَا وَعَدَ الله وَرَسُولُهُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ تَسْلِيماً هَكَذَا كَانَ يَفْعَلُ رَسُولُ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَبِهِ جَرَتِ السُّنَّةُ.
4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Darraj from ‘Umar ibn ’Udhaynah who has said the following: “I saw abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), fill soil in the grave of a deceased. He held it (soil) in his hand for a while then tossed it in the grave and did not do more than three handfuls. I asked him about it and he replied, ‘O ‘Umar I was saying, “It is out of faith in You (O Allah), and an acknowledgement of Your resurrecting (people). This is what Allah and His Messenger have promised us. Allah and His Messenger are truthful. This has only increased our faith and acceptance.” This is how the Messenger of Allah would do and thus it has become a tradition.’”
5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ مَاتَ لِبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) وَلَدٌ فَحَضَرَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) فَلَمَّا أُلْحِدَ تَقَدَّمَ أَبُوهُ فَطَرَحَ عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابَ فَأَخَذَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) بِكَفَّيْهِ وَقَالَ لاَ تَطْرَحْ عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابَ وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْهُ ذَا رَحِمٍ فَلاَ يَطْرَحْ عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) نَهَى أَنْ يَطْرَحَ الْوَالِدُ أَوْ ذُو رَحِمٍ عَلَى مَيِّتِهِ التُّرَابَ فَقُلْنَا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ الله أَ تَنْهَانَا عَنْ هَذَا وَحْدَهُ فَقَالَ أَنْهَاكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ تَطْرَحُوا التُّرَابَ عَلَى ذَوِي أَرْحَامِكُمْ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يُورِثُ الْقَسْوَةَ فِي الْقَلْبِ وَمَنْ قَسَا قَلْبُهُ بَعُدَ مِنْ رَبِّهِ.
5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Ya‘qub ibn Yazid from Ali ibn Asbat from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah who has said the following: “A son of one of the companions of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), died. Abu ‘Abd Allah attended the funeral. When the deceased was placed in the grave, his father went forward to toss soil into his grave. Abu ‘Abd Allah held his hand and said, ‘You must not toss soil on him. No one of his relatives should do so. The Messenger of Allah has prohibited a father and relatives to do so.’ We asked him (the Imam), ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, do you prohibit in this case only?’ He replied, ‘I prohibit from tossing soil in the grave of your relatives; it causes hardheartedness and those suffering from hardheartedness are away from their Lord.’”
The Book on Dying People
Preparing Four Corners of the Grave and Sprinkling Water on It
1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ قُدَامَةَ بْنِ زَائِدَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) سَلَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ابْنَهُ سَلاًّ وَرَبَّعَ قَبْرَهُ.
1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from ibn Bukayr from Qudamah ibn Za’idah that Abu Jaf'ar (al-Baqir) (as) said: Rasulullah (sw) placed his son Ibrahim in a basket-shaped place in the grave and made the surface into a square shape.’”
2ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ يُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يُدْخَلَ مَعَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ جَرِيدَةٌ رَطْبَةٌ وَيُرْفَعَ قَبْرُهُ مِنَ الأرْضِ قَدْرَ أَرْبَعِ أَصَابِعَ مَضْمُومَةٍ وَيُنْضَحَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَاءُ وَيُخَلَّى عَنْهُ.
2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is preferable to place two fresh twigs of palm tree with the deceased in the grave, raise the surface of the grave above ground by four inches, sprinkle water on it and then leave it alone.’”
3ـ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ وَضْعِ الرَّجُلِ يَدَهُ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ مَا هُوَ وَلِمَ صَنَعَ فَقَالَ صَنَعَهُ رَسُولُ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) عَلَى ابْنِهِ بَعْدَ النَّضْحِ قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ كَيْفَ أَضَعُ يَدِي عَلَى قُبُورِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى الأرْضِ وَوَضَعَهَا عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ رَفَعَهَا وَهُوَ مُقَابِلُ الْقِبْلَةِ.
3. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about one’s placing his hand over the grave, its significance and why it is done. He (the Imam) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah had done so over the grave of his son after sprinkling water.’ He (the narrator) has said that I then asked, ‘How should I place my hand over the graves of the Muslims?’ He (the Imam) pointed with his hand, placed it on the ground, then raised it while he was facing al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah).’”
