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Washing of the Deceased
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «فِي اَلْمَيِّتِ تَدْمَعُ عَيْنَاهُ عِنْدَ اَلْمَوْتِ وَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ مُعَايَنَةِ رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَيَرَى مَا يَسُرُّهُ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَ مَا تَرَى اَلرَّجُلَ يَرَى مَا يَسُرُّهُ وَ مَا يُحِبُّ فَتَدْمَعُ عَيْنَاهُ وَ يَضْحَكُ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "When a believer is at the moment of death, tears may come to their eyes because, at that moment, they witness the presence of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and they see what pleases them." Then Imam (a.s) said: "Do you not see that when a person sees what delights and pleases them, tears come to their eyes and they smile?"
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِذَا رَأَيْتَ اَلْمُؤْمِنَ قَدْ شَخَصَ بِبَصَرِهِ وَ سَالَتْ عَيْنُهُ اَلْيُسْرَى وَ رَشَحَ جَبِينُهُ وَ تَقَلَّصَتْ شَفَتَاهُ وَ اِنْتَشَرَ مَنْخِرَاهُ فَأَيَّ ذَلِكَ رَأَيْتَ فَحَسْبُكَ بِهِ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "If you see a believer whose eyes are fixed, the left eye tears up, the forehead perspires, the lips contract, and the nostrils widen, then that is sufficient for you (as a sign of their passing)."
وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ آيَةَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِ إِذَا حَضَرَهُ اَلْمَوْتُ أَنْ يَبْيَضَّ وَجْهُهُ أَشَدَّ مِنْ بَيَاضِ لَوْنِهِ وَ يَرْشَحَ جَبِينُهُ وَ يَسِيلَ مِنْ عَيْنَيْهِ كَهَيْئَةِ اَلدُّمُوعِ فَيَكُونُ ذَلِكَ آيَةَ خُرُوجِ رُوحِهِ وَ إِنَّ اَلْكَافِرَ تَخْرُجُ رُوحُهُ سَلاًّ مِنْ شِدْقِهِ كَزَبَدِ اَلْبَعِيرِ كَمَا تَخْرُجُ نَفْسُ اَلْحِمَارِ.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) said: "The sign of a believer when death approaches is that their face becomes whiter than its usual color, their forehead perspires, and tears flow from their eyes like drops. This is the sign of the departure of their soul. As for the disbeliever, their soul exits from their mouth forcefully, like the froth of a camel or the expiration of a donkey."
وَ رُوِيَ: «أَنَّ آخِرَ طَعْمٍ يَجِدُهُ اَلْإِنْسَانُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ طَعْمُ اَلْعِنَبِ.
It is reported: "The last taste that a person experiences at the time of death is the taste of grapes."
وَ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ كَيْفَ يَتَوَفَّى مَلَكُ اَلْمَوْتِ اَلْمُؤْمِنَ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ مَلَكَ اَلْمَوْتِ لَيَقِفُ مِنَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ مَوْقِفَ اَلْعَبْدِ اَلذَّلِيلِ مِنَ اَلْمَوْلَى فَيَقُومُ وَ أَصْحَابُهُ لاَ يَدْنُونَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَبْدَأَهُ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ وَ يُبَشِّرَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) was asked how the Angel of Death takes the soul of a believer. He (saws) replied: "Indeed, the Angel of Death stands before the believer at the time of their death in the position of a humble servant before their master. He and his companions do not approach until the believer is greeted with peace and given glad tidings of Paradise."
وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ اَلْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا حَضَرَهُ اَلْمَوْتُ وَثَّقَهُ مَلَكُ اَلْمَوْتِ فَلَوْ لاَ ذَلِكَ لَمْ يَسْتَقِرَّ.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) said: "When a believer is at the point of death, the Angel of Death reassures (secures) them ; without this, they would not be able to remain settled."
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّهُ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ اَلنَّفْسُ اَلْحُلْقُومَ أُرِيَ مَكَانَهُ مِنَ اَلْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ رُدُّونِي إِلَى اَلدُّنْيَا حَتَّى أُخْبِرَ أَهْلِي بِمَا أَرَى فَيُقَالُ لَهُ لَيْسَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ سَبِيلٌ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "When the soul reaches the throat, the person (believer), is shown their place in Paradise. They say, 'Return me to the world so that I may inform my family about what I see.' But it is said to them, 'There is no way for that.'"
وَ سُئِلَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ « اَللّٰهُ يَتَوَفَّى اَلْأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهٰا » وَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ « قُلْ يَتَوَفّٰاكُمْ مَلَكُ اَلْمَوْتِ اَلَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ » وَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: « اَلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفّٰاهُمُ اَلْمَلاٰئِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ » وَ « اَلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفّٰاهُمُ اَلْمَلاٰئِكَةُ ظٰالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ » وَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: « تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنٰا » وَ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: « وَ لَوْ تَرىٰ إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى اَلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا اَلْمَلاٰئِكَةُ » وَ قَدْ يَمُوتُ فِي اَلسَّاعَةِ اَلْوَاحِدَةِ فِي جَمِيعِ اَلْآفَاقِ مَا لاَ يُحْصِيهِ إِلاَّ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَكَيْفَ هَذَا فَقَالَ «إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وتَعَالَى جَعَلَ لِمَلَكِ اَلْمَوْتِ أَعْوَاناً مِنَ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةِ يَقْبِضُونَ اَلْأَرْوَاحَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ صَاحِبِ اَلشُّرْطَةِ لَهُ أَعْوَانٌ مِنَ اَلْإِنْسِ يَبْعَثُهُمْ فِي حَوَائِجِهِ فَتَتَوَفَّاهُمُ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَ يَتَوَفَّاهُمْ، مَلَكُ اَلْمَوْتِ مِنَ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةِ مَعَ مَا يَقْبِضُ هُوَ وَ يَتَوَفَّاهَا اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ مَلَكِ اَلْمَوْتِ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) was asked about the different Qur'anic verses that mention Allah (swt) taking souls at the time of death, about the words of Allah (swt), the Exalted: "Allah (swt) takes the souls at the time of their death," (Surah Az-Zumar 39:42) And about the words of Allah (swt), the Exalted: "Say, 'The Angel of Death, who is put in charge of you, will take you,'" (Surah As-Sajdah 32:11) And about the words of Allah (swt), the Exalted: "Those whom the angels take while they are in a state of purity," (Surah An-Nahl 16:32) And "Those whom the angels take while they are wronging themselves," (Surah An-Nahl 16:28) And about the words of Allah (swt), the Exalted: "Our messengers angels take them," (Surah Al-An’am 6:61) And about His words: "And if you could see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved." (Surah Al-Anfal 8:50) The questioner further inquired about how this process works, given that countless souls may die simultaneously across the world Imam Al-Sadiq replied: "Indeed, Allah (swt), Blessed and Exalted, has appointed for the Angel of Death assistants among the angels who seize souls. They function similarly to a chief of police who has deputies among the people whom he sends out to fulfil tasks on his behalf. Thus, the angels take the souls, and the Angel of Death receives them from the angels along with what he himself seizes. Ultimately Allah (swt), Blessed and Exalted, takes them from Angel of Death”.
وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ وَلِيَّ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَرَاهُ فِي ثَلاَثَةِ مَوَاطِنَ حَيْثُ يَسُرُّهُ عِنْدَ اَلْمَوْتِ وَ عِنْدَ اَلصِّرَاطِ وَ عِنْدَ اَلْحَوْضِ.
Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "Indeed, the follower of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) will see him in three places that bring joy: at the time of death, at the Sirat (the bridge over Hell), and at the Hawdh (the Pool)."
وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ اَلْعَبْدَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي آخِرِ يَوْمٍ مِنَ اَلدُّنْيَا وَ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ مِنَ اَلْآخِرَةِ مُثِّلَ لَهُ مَالُهُ وَ وُلْدُهُ وَ عَمَلُهُ فَيَلْتَفِتُ إِلَى مَالِهِ وَ يَقُولُ وَ اَللَّهِ إِنِّي كُنْتُ عَلَيْكَ لَحَرِيصاً شَحِيحاً فَمَا ذَا عِنْدَكَ فَيَقُولُ خُذْ مِنِّي كَفَنَكَ فَيَلْتَفِتُ إِلَى وُلْدِهِ فَيَقُولُ وَ اَللَّهِ إِنِّي كُنْتُ لَكُمْ مُحِبّاً وَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَمُحَامِياً فَمَا ذَا عِنْدَكُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ نُؤَدِّيكَ إِلَى حُفْرَتِكَ وَ نُوَارِيكَ فِيهَا فَيَلْتَفِتُ إِلَى عَمَلِهِ فَيَقُولُ وَ اَللَّهِ إِنَّكَ كُنْتَ عَلَيَّ لَثَقِيلاً وَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ فِيكَ لَزَاهِداً فَمَا ذَا عِنْدَكَ فَيَقُولُ أَنَا قَرِينُكَ فِي قَبْرِكَ وَ يَوْمِ حَشْرِكَ حَتَّى أُعْرَضَ أَنَا وَ أَنْتَ عَلَى رَبِّكَ.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) said: "When a servant is in their last day of this world and their first day of the Hereafter, their wealth, children, and deeds are presented before them. They turn to their wealth and say, 'By Allah (swt), I was extremely attached and miserly with you; what do you have for me now?' It (wealth) replies, 'Take your shroud from me.' Then they turn to their children and say, 'By Allah (swt), I loved you and I was protective over you; what do you have for me now?' They (children) respond, 'We will carry you to your grave and bury you in it.' Then they turn to their deeds and say, 'By Allah (swt), you were burdensome upon me, and I was reluctant toward you; what do you have for me now?' It (deeds) replies, 'I am your companion in your grave and on the Day of Resurrection until you and I are presented before your Lord (azj).'".
