Multiple Burial In One Grave

Summary:

Muslims, in
general, believe that Islam allows for multiple burials in one grave site (2.20
x 1.25 meters’ spot), i.e., having two to three coffins to be laid to rest in
multi-story graves. For this, they quote a Hadith from Rasool Allah^-saww
(non-Shia source), under exceptional circumstances related to the Battle of Uhud,
that Rasool Allah^-saww buried two to three martyrs in each grave
after the Battle of Uhud. 

However, Ahadith
from Shia sources disallow, under all circumstances, the burial of multiple
bodies in one grave.

We first
quote two Ahadith from the non-Shia sources:

Non-Shia
Narrations:

Rasool Allah^-saww instructed regarding the martyrs of
Uhud:

واجعلوا
الرجلين والثلاثة في القبر

Place two or three men in a single grave.[1][2]

Also, in another Riwaya from a non-Shia source, we find:

يج مِنْ مُعْجِزَاتِهِ ص‏

From his^-saww miracles –

‏
فَدُفِنَ كُلُّ رَجُلَيْنِ فِي قَبْرٍ إِلَّا حَمْزَةَ فَإِنَّهُ دُفِنَ وَحْدَهُ

So, every
two men were buried in one grave except Hamza^-asws, for he^-asws
was buried alone (an extract).[3]

Shia
Narrations:

In Shia Ahadith, we do
not find such an option (multiple burials at a grave) even under the conditions of
the battles. See, for example, some Ahadith below:

Rasool Allah^-saww
Buried each Martyr at the place of his Martyrdom

In a lengthy Hadith on battle
of Uhud, from Abu Al-Jaroud, from Abu Ja’far^-asws it has been
narrated:

وَ أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِالْقَتْلَى فَجُمِعُوا
فَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِمْ وَ دَفَنَهُمْ فِي مَضَاجِعِهِمْ وَ كَبَّرَ عَلَى حَمْزَةَ
سَبْعِينَ تَكْبِيرَةً.

And Rasool-Allah^-saww
instructed with the killed ones, and they were gathered, and he^-saww
prayed Salat over them and buried them in their dying places, and he^-saww
exclaimed seventy Takbeers over Hamza^‑asws. (an extract).^[4]

Separate Grave for every martyr
after the Battle of Siffeen:

In a
lengthy Hadith describing the Battle of Siffeen, it is:

قَالَ: ثُمَّ مَضَى حَتَّى جُزْنَا دُورَ بَنِي عَوْفٍ
فَإِذَا نَحْنُ عَنْ أَيْمَانِنَا بِقُبُورٍ سَبْعَةٍ أَوْ ثَمَانِيَةٍ فَقَالَ
أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع مَا هَذِهِ الْقُبُورُ فَقَالَ لَهُ قُدَامَةُ بْنُ
الْعَجْلَانِ الْأَزْدِيُّ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّ خَبَّابَ بْنَ
الْأَرَتِّ تُوُفِّيَ بَعْدَ مَخْرَجِكَ فَأَوْصَى أَنْ يُدْفَنَ فِي الظَّهْرِ وَ
كَانَ النَّاسُ يُدْفَنُونَ فِي دُورِهِمْ وَ أَفْنِيَتِهِمْ فَدُفِنَ النَّاسُ
إِلَى جَنْبِهِ

He (the narrator) said, ‘Then he^-asws
went until we crossed over the houses of the clan of Awf, and there we were
with seven or eight graves on our right. Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said:
‘What are these graves?’ Qudama Bin Al-Ajlan Al-Azdy said to him^-asws,
‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Khabab Bin Al-Arti died after your^-asws
going out, and he bequeathed that he be buried at the outback, and the people
were burying in their houses and their courtyards, so the people buried to his
side’.

فَقَالَ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ خَبَّاباً فَقَدْ أَسْلَمَ رَاغِباً
وَ هَاجَرَ طَائِعاً وَ عَاشَ مُجَاهِداً وَ ابْتُلِيَ فِي جَسَدِهِ أَحْوَالًا وَ
لَنْ يُضِيعَ اللَّهُ‏ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا

He^-asws said: ‘May Allah^-azwj
have Mercy on Khabab. He had become a Muslims being desirous and emigrated
willingly, and lived as a fighter, and was afflicted with illness in his body,
and Allah^-azwj will never Waste a recompense of the one with good
deeds’.

فَجَاءَ حَتَّى وَقَفَ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ
السَّلَامُ يَا أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ الْمُوحِشَةِ وَ الْمَحَالِّ الْمُقْفِرَةِ مِنَ
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ الْمُسْلِمَاتِ أَنْتُمْ
لَنَا سَلَفٌ وَ فَرَطٌ وَ نَحْنُ لَكُمْ تَبَعٌ وَ بِكُمْ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ
لَاحِقُونَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَ لَهُمْ وَ تَجَاوَزْ عَنَّا وَ عَنْهُمْ

He^-asws came until he^-asws
paused at them, then said: ‘Upon you all is the greetings, O people of the
lonely houses, the desolate places, from the believing men and the believing
women, and the Muslim men and the Muslim women. You are the past for us and the
missed, and we are following you all, joining up with you after a little while.
O Allah^-azwj! Forgive for us and them, and Overlook from us and
them’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ‏ الْأَرْضَ كِفاتاً أَحْياءً وَ أَمْواتاً الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ مِنْهَا
خَلْقَنَا وَ فِيهَا يُعِيدُنَا وَ عَلَيْهَا يَحْشُرُنَا طُوبَى لِمَنْ ذَكَرَ
الْمَعَادَ وَ عَمِلَ لِلْحِسَابِ وَ قَنِعَ بِالْكَفَافِ وَ رَضِيَ عَنِ اللَّهِ
بِذَلِكَ

Then he^-asws said: ‘The Praise is for
Allah^-azwj Who Made the earth like a receptacle [77:25] (For)
the living and the dead? [77:26]. The Praise is for Allah^-azwj
Who Made our creation to be from it, and in it He^-azwj will be
Returning us, and upon it we will be Resurrected. Beatitude is for the one who
remembers the Hereafter and works for the reckoning, and is content with the
sufficient, and is pleased from Allah^-azwj with that’.

ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ حَتَّى دَخَلَ سِكَّةَ الثَّوْرِيِّينَ
فَقَالَ خُشُّوا بَيْنَ هَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتِ‏.

Then he^-asws came until he^-asws
entered the markets of Al-Suwriyeyn. He^-asws said: ‘Go in between
these houses’’.^[5]

Conclusions:

In Shia Islam, we do not find
any precedent from the Holy Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws for multiple coffins
being buried in a single grave, even under exceptional circumstances, i.e.,
battles.

In the Ahadith of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws, we find that a grave should
not be any deeper than 1.6 meters and not raised above ground more than 10 cm,
nor should soil be added other than the soil extracted from the grave. 

The plastering of the grave is also disliked (see Ahadith
below).  Hence, there is little room to
build multilevel graves under any conditions.

Under the conditions of
compulsion, however, there is more leeway, e.g., eating of forbidden meat to
save a life, see for example:

https://hubeali.com/article/compulsion-and-coercion

Under the exceptional conditions
of compulsion, Allah^-azwj is the foremost in accepting the excuses:

قَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ
أَيْضاً سُئِلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ مَنْ جَعَلَ لِلَّهِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ شَيْئاً
فَبَلَغَ مَجْهُودَهُ فَلَا شَيْ‏ءَ عَلَيْهِ وَ كَانَ اللَّهُ أَعْذَرَ
لِعَبْدِهِ.

Abu
Baseer also said, ‘He^-asws was asked about that. He^-asws
said: ‘One who makes something for Allah^-azwj upon himself, so he
strives extensively, there is nothing upon him, and Allah^-azwj is
more Excusing for His^-azwj servant’.^[6]

The topics of death to grave, preparing for death and funeral
rituals and women and their presence during burial, have been covered in detail
elsewhere, https://hubeali.com/article/death-bed-to-grave

https://hubeali.com/article/death-preparation

https://hubeali.com/article/funeral-rituals-and-women-and-their-presence-in-a-graveyard

Here, we present some additional Ahadith related to the grave and
burial issues. Additional details on graves and burials may be found in Bihar
Al-Anwaar, V 79
(https://hubeali.com/online-books/online-english-books/bihar-al-anwaar/).

Renewal (extension and digging
deeper) of Graves is Forbidden:

 المحاسن عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ
أَبِي الْجَارُودِ عَنْ ابْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‏
مَنْ جَدَّدَ قَبْراً أَوْ مَثَّلَ مِثَالًا فَقَدْ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ‏.

(The book) ‘Al Mahasin’ – from his father,
from Ibn Sinan, from Abu Al Jaroud, from Ibn Nubata who said,

‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said:
‘One who renews (constructs further) a grave, or makes a resemblance, he has
exited from Al-Islam’’.^[7]

و الاختلاف في تصحيح
الكلمة« حدد» من التحديد، و« جدث» من الجدث، و« خدد» من الخد و التخديد، و أما
معنى قوله عليه السلام:« من مثل مثالا» فهو تمثيل المثال لآلهة المشركين، و هو
الصنم كما عرفت.

Notes – And the differing is in
correcting the word ‘Hadad’, from the making a boundary, and ‘Jadas’ from
making a tomb, and ‘Khadad’ from the furrowing and the grooving. And as for
meaning his^-asws words: ‘One who makes a resemblance’, it is the
sculptures representing gods of the Polytheists, and it is the idol, like what
is known.

و روى الصدوق في المعاني: 181،
عن ماجيلويه عن عمه عن البرقي عن النهيكى رفعه الى أبي عبد اللّه عليه السلام أنّه
قال: من مثل مثالا أو اقتنى كلبا فقد خرج من الإسلام، فقيل له: هلك إذا كثير من
الناس، فقال: ليس حيث ذهبتم، انما عنيت بقولى« من مثل مثالا» من نصب دينا غير دين
اللّه، و دعا الناس إليها، و بقولى:« من اقتنى كلبا»: مبغضا لنا أهل البيت، اقتناه
فأطعمه و سقاه، من فعل ذلك فقد خرج من الإسلام.

And it is reported by Al-Sadouq in ‘Al-Ma’any’
(page) 181 – from Majaylawiya, from his uncle, from Al-Barqy, from Al-Naheyki,
raising it to Abu Abdullah^-asws, may the greeting be upon him^‑asws
having said ‘One who makes a resemblance, or keeps a dog, he has exited from
Al-Islam’. It was said to him^-asws, ‘Then most of the people are
destroyed!’ He^-asws said: ‘It isn’t where you are going (with it).
But rather, I^-asws meant with my^-asws words, ‘The one who
makes a resemblance’, is one who installs a religion other than religion of
Allah^-azwj and calls the people to it, and with my^-asws
words, ‘One who owns a dog’, one hateful to us^-asws People^-asws
of the Household. Keeping it is feeding him and quenching him. One who does
that, so he has exited from Al-Islam.

 الْمَحَاسِنُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ
سُوَيْدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ جَرَّاحٍ الْمَدَائِنِيِّ عَنْ
أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: لَا تَبْنُوا عَلَى الْقُبُورِ وَ لَا
تُصَوِّرُوا سُقُوفَ الْبُيُوتِ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص كَرِهَ ذَلِكَ‏.

(The book) ‘Al Mahasin’ – from his father,
from Al Nazr Bin Suweyd, from Al Qasim Bin Suleyman, from Jarrah Al Madainy,
from;

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘Do
not build upon the graves nor draw pictures on ceilings of the houses, for
Rasool-Allah^-saww disliked that’’.^[8]

تحقيق وَ قَدْ رَوَى يُونُسُ بْنُ ظَبْيَانَ‏ عَنِ
الصَّادِقِ ع عَنْ أَبِيهِ ع قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنْ يُصَلَّى
عَلَى قَبْرٍ أَوْ يُعْقَدَ عَلَيْهِ أَوْ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ.

Research (Ahadeeth only) – And it has been reported by Yunus Bin
Zabyan, from Al-Sadiq^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws
having said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww prohibited from praying Salat at a
grave, or sitting upon it, or building upon it’’.

A Grave should not be deeper than
1.6 Meters

وَ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ‏
أَنَّهُ كَرِهَ أَنْ يُعَمَّقَ الْقَبْرُ فَوْقَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَذْرُعٍ وَ أَنْ
يُزَادَ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ غَيْرُ مَا خَرَجَ مِنْهُ‏.

And from Ali^-asws, may the
Salawaat of Allah^-azwj be upon him^-asws, he^-asws
disliked the grave to be deeper than three cubits[9], and to increase the soil upon it other
than what had come out from it.^[10]

وَ السُّنَّةُ أَنَّ الْقَبْرَ تُرْفَعُ
أَرْبَعَ أَصَابِعَ مُفَرَّجَةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ فَلَا
بَأْسَ وَ يَكُونُ مُسَطَّحاً لَا يَكُونُ مُسَنَّماً

And the Sunnah is that the grave should be
raised to four separated fingers from the ground, and if it were to be more,
there is no problem, and it should be flat, and not humped’.[11]

A Grave must not be Raised more than
Four Fingers (10 cm) above ground level and not Plastered:

مَعَانِي الْأَخْبَارِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ
هَارُونَ الزَّنْجَانِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَبِي
عُبَيْدٍ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ سَلَّامٍ بِإِسْنَادٍ مُتَّصِلٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص‏
أَنَّهُ نَهَى عَنْ تَقْصِيصِ الْقُبُورِ وَ هُوَ التَّجْصِيصُ وَ ذَاكَ أَنَّ
الْجِصَّ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْقَصَّةُ يُقَالُ مِنْهُ قَصَصْتُ الْقُبُورَ وَ
الْبُيُوتَ إِذَا جَصَصْتَهَا.

(The book) ‘Ma’any Al Akhbar’ – from
Muhammad Bin Haroun Al Zanjany, from Ali Bin Abdul Aziz, from Abu Ubeyd Al
Qasim Bin Sallam,

‘By a chain connected to the Prophet^-saww,
he^-saww prohibited from ‘Taqsees’ of the graves, and it is the
plastering, and that is because the plaster is called ‘Al-Qassa’. It is said,
the plaster of the graves and the houses are from it, when you were to plaster
these.^[12]

فَقَالَ اكْتُبْ هَذَا مَا أَوْصَى بِهِ
يَعْقُوبُ بَنِيهِ إِلَى أَنْ قَالَ وَ أَوْصَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ إِلَى
جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُكَفِّنَهُ فِي بُرْدِهِ الَّذِي كَانَ
يُصَلِّي فِيهِ الْجُمُعَةَ وَ أَنْ يُعَمِّمَهُ بِعِمَامَتِهِ وَ أَنْ يُرَبِّعَ
قَبْرَهُ وَ يَرْفَعَهُ أَرْبَعَةَ أَصَابِعَ وَ أَنْ يَحُلَّ عَنْهُ أَطْمَارَهُ
عِنْدَ دَفْنِهِ الْحَدِيثَ‏.

He^-asws said: ‘Write this what
Yaqoub^-as had bequeathed with to his^-as sons’ – up to he^-asws
said – ‘And Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali^-asws bequeaths to
Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws and instructs him^-asws
to enshroud him^-asws in his^-asws cloak which he^-asws
used to pray the Friday Salat in, and to turban him^-asws with his^-asws
turban, and to square his^-asws grave and raise it four fingers,
and loosen from him^-asws his^-asws old clothes during his^-asws
burial’ – the Hadeeth’’.^[13]

The Grave Place is Ordained and
Sunnah to Bury where one dies:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ
زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي مِنْهَالٍ عَنِ
الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام
) يَقُولُ إِنَّ النُّطْفَةَ إِذَا وَقَعَتْ فِي الرَّحِمِ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ
وَ جَلَّ مَلَكاً فَأَخَذَ مِنَ التُّرْبَةِ الَّتِي يُدْفَنُ فِيهَا فَمَاثَهَا
فِي النُّطْفَةِ فَلَا يَزَالُ قَلْبُهُ يَحِنُّ إِلَيْهَا حَتَّى يُدْفَنَ فِيهَا
.

A
number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Al Hajjal, from Ibn Bukeyr,
from Abu Minhal, from Al Haris Bin Al Mugheira who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘When the seed falls into
the womb, Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Sends an Angel who takes
from the soil in which he is to be buried, so he dissolves it in the seed. So,
his heart does not cease to yearn towards it until he is buried in it’.^[14]

الْعِلَلُ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ عَنِ
الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مَخْلَدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ
بَشِيرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْقَزْوِينِيِّ
قَالَ:
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع فَقُلْتُ لِأَيِّ عِلَّةٍ يُولَدُ الْإِنْسَانُ
هَاهُنَا وَ يَمُوتُ فِي مَوْضِعٍ آخَرَ

(The book) ‘Al Ilal’ – from Ali Bin Hatim, from Al
Qasim Bin Muhammad, from Ibrahim Bin Makhlad, from Muhammad Bin Bashir, from
Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Abu Abdullah Al Qazwiny who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’far^-asws. I
said, ‘For which reason does the human being get born over here and he dies in
another place?’

قَالَ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى
لَمَّا خَلَقَ خَلْقَهُ خَلَقَهُمْ مِنْ أَدِيمِ الْأَرْضِ فَمَرْجِعُ كُلِّ
إِنْسَانٍ إِلَى تُرْبَتِهِ‏.

He^-asws said: ‘Because when
Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Created His^-azwj
creatures, He^-azwj Created them from surface of the earth, therefore
every human being returns to his soil’’.^[15]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ
ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ
( عليه السلام ) قَالَ أَتَى الْعَبَّاسُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام )
فَقَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا أَنْ يَدْفِنُوا رَسُولَ
اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فِي بَقِيعِ الْمُصَلَّى وَ أَنْ يَؤُمَّهُمْ
رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَخَرَجَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) إِلَى النَّاسِ
فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) إِمَامٌ
حَيّاً وَ مَيِّتاً وَ قَالَ إِنِّي أُدْفَنُ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الَّتِي أُقْبَضُ
فِيهَا

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hammad, from Al Halby,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said:
‘Al-Abbas came over to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, so he said, ‘O Ali^-asws!
The people are gathering that they would be burying Rasool-Allah^-saww
in the spot of the Praying place, and that a man from them would be leading the
(funeral) Salat. So, Amir Al-Momineen^-asws
came out to the people and he^-asws said: ‘O you people! Rasool-Allah^-saww
is an Imam^-asws, be he^-saww alive or expired, and he^-saww
said: ‘I^-saww want to be buried in the spot in which I^-saww
would pass away’. 

ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلَى الْبَابِ فَصَلَّى
عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ النَّاسَ عَشَرَةً عَشَرَةً يُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ
يَخْرُجُونَ .

Then Imam Ali^-asws said: ‘(Come) at the door, so pray Salat upon him^-saww’. Then he^-asws
instructed the people, ten by ten to be praying Salat upon him^-saww. Then they went out’.^[16]

Burial of Imam Ali Reza^-asws
in the Vicinity of Haroon Ar-Rasheed^-la

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى
بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُسَافِرٍ وَ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ مُسَافِرٍ قَالَ لَمَّا
أَرَادَ هَارُونُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ
لِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) اذْهَبْ إِلَيْهِ وَ قُلْ لَهُ لَا
تَخْرُجْ غَداً فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ خَرَجْتَ غَداً هُزِمْتَ وَ قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُكَ
فَإِنْ سَأَلَكَ مِنْ أَيْنَ عَلِمْتَ هَذَا فَقُلْ رَأَيْتُ فِي الْمَنَامِ

Al
Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Musafir, and from Al
Washha, from Musafir who said,

‘When Al-Haroun Ibn Al-Musayyab intended to fight Muhammad Bin Ja’far,
Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws said to me: ‘Go to him and say to him,
‘Do not go out tomorrow, for you, if you do go out tomorrow, would be overcome
and your companions would be killed’. So if he asks you from where you have
come to know this, so say, ‘I saw it in the dream’.

قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ
فِدَاكَ لَا تَخْرُجْ غَداً فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ خَرَجْتَ هُزِمْتَ وَ قُتِلَ
أَصْحَابُكَ فَقَالَ لِي مِنْ أَيْنَ عَلِمْتَ هَذَا فَقُلْتُ رَأَيْتُ فِي
الْمَنَامِ فَقَالَ نَامَ الْعَبْدُ وَ لَمْ يَغْسِلِ اسْتَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ
فَانْهَزَمَ وَ قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُهُ

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I went over to him and said to him, ‘May I
be sacrificed for you! Do not go out tomorrow, for if you do go out, you would
be overcome and your companions would be killed’. So he said to me, ‘From where
did you come to know this?’ So I said, ‘I saw it in the dream’. So he said,
‘The slave sleeps and does not (even) wash his behind?’ Then he did go out, and
he was overcome and his companions were killed’.

قَالَ وَ حَدَّثَنِي مُسَافِرٌ قَالَ كُنْتُ
مَعَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) بِمِنًى فَمَرَّ يَحْيَى بْنُ
خَالِدٍ فَغَطَّى رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الْغُبَارِ فَقَالَ مَسَاكِينُ لَا يَدْرُونَ مَا
يَحُلُّ بِهِمْ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ هَذَا هَارُونُ
وَ أَنَا كَهَاتَيْنِ وَ ضَمَّ إِصْبَعَيْهِ

He (the narrator) said, ‘And Musafir narrated to me saying, ‘I was with
Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws at Mina, and Yahya Bin Khalid passed by,
and he had covered his head from the dust. So he^-asws said: ‘The
poor are not knowing what would be happening with them during this year’. Then
he^-asws said: ‘And even more strange than this is that Haroun and
I^-asws would be like this’, and he^-asws pressed his two
fingers together’.

قَالَ مُسَافِرٌ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا عَرَفْتُ
مَعْنَى حَدِيثِهِ حَتَّى دَفَنَّاهُ مَعَهُ

Musafir said, ‘So, by Allah^-azwj, I did not know the meaning
of his^-asws Hadeeth until Imam Al-Reza^-asws was buried
with (near to) him’.^[17]

It is from the Sunnah to leave
instructions regarding one’s Burial:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ
بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْأَعْلَى عَنْ
أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ أَبِي ( عليه السلام )
اسْتَوْدَعَنِي مَا هُنَاكَ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ قَالَ ادْعُ لِي
شُهُوداً فَدَعَوْتُ لَهُ أَرْبَعَةً مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فِيهِمْ نَافِعٌ مَوْلَى
عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus Bin Abdul Rahman, from Abdul
A’ala,

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘My^-asws father^-asws
entrusted me^-asws with whatever was there. So when the death
presented itself to him^-asws, he^-asws said: ‘Call
witnesses for me^-asws’. So I^-asws called four (people)
from the Qureysh for him^-asws, among them was Nafi’u a slave of
Abdullah Bin Umar.

فَقَالَ اكْتُبْ هَذَا مَا أَوْصَى بِهِ
يَعْقُوبُ بَنِيهِ يا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلا
تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَ أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ وَ أَوْصَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ
إِلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُكَفِّنَهُ فِي بُرْدِهِ الَّذِي
كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِيهِ الْجُمُعَةَ وَ أَنْ يُعَمِّمَهُ بِعِمَامَتِهِ وَ أَنْ
يُرَبِّعَ قَبْرَهُ وَ يَرْفَعَهُ أَرْبَعَ أَصَابِعَ وَ أَنْ يَحُلَّ عَنْهُ
أَطْمَارَهُ عِنْدَ دَفْنِهِ

So, he^-asws said: ‘Write! This is what Yaqoub^-as
bequeathed with to his^-as sons [2:132] O my sons! Surely Allah has Chosen for you
the Religion, therefore die not unless you are Muslims (submitters). And Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali^-asws
is bequeathing to Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws and
instructing him^-asws that he^-asws should enshroud him^-asws
in his^-asws cloak which he^-asws used to pray the Friday Salat in it, and that he^-asws
should turban him^-asws with a turban, and that he^-asws
should square his^-asws grave raising it to four fingers, and that he^-asws
should loosen his^-asws shroud during his^-asws burial.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلشُّهُودِ انْصَرِفُوا
رَحِمَكُمُ اللَّهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا أَبَتِ بَعْدَ مَا انْصَرَفُوا مَا كَانَ
فِي هَذَا بِأَنْ تُشْهِدَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ كَرِهْتُ أَنْ تُغْلَبَ
وَ أَنْ يُقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يُوصَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَكَ
الْحُجَّةُ .

Then he^-asws said to the
witnesses: ‘You can leave, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you all’. So
I said to him^-asws after they had left: ‘O father^-asws!
It wasn’t regarding this that you^-asws got them to witness upon’. So
he^-asws said: ‘O my^-asws son^-asws! I^-asws
disliked you^-asws to be overcome, and that it should be said, ‘He^-asws
did not bequeath to him^-asws’. So I^-asws wanted it to
become a proof for you^-asws’.^[18]

Hastening in the Burial

أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ
بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ النَّضْرِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه
وآله ) يَا مَعْشَرَ النَّاسِ لَا أُلْفِيَنَّ رَجُلًا مَاتَ لَهُ مَيِّتٌ
فَانْتَظَرَ بِهِ الصُّبْحَ وَ لَا رَجُلًا مَاتَ لَهُ مَيِّتٌ نَهَاراً
فَانْتَظَرَ بِهِ اللَّيْلَ لَا تَنْتَظِرُوا بِمَوْتَاكُمْ طُلُوعَ الشَّمْسِ وَ
لَا غُرُوبَهَا عَجِّلُوا بِهِمْ إِلَى مَضَاجِعِهِمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللَّهُ
فَقَالَ النَّاسُ وَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ .

Abu
Ali Al Ashary, from Muhammad Bin Salim, from Ahmad bin Al Nazar, from Amro Bin
Shimr, from Jabir,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said:
‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘O group of people! He should not delay, a
man from whom there is a deceased, so that he waits with him for the morning,
nor a man for whom there is a deceased by the day so he await with him for the
night; and do not wait with your dead ones for the emergence of the sun, nor
for its setting. Hasten with them to their sleeping places. May Allah^-azwj
have Mercy on you’. So the people said, ‘And you^-saww, O
Rasool-Allah^-saww, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you (as
well)’.^[19]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ
أَحْمَدَ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنِ الْيَعْقُوبِيِّ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ
عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُيَسِّرٍ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ عَنِ
السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ
اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) إِذَا مَاتَ الْمَيِّتُ أَوَّلَ النَّهَارِ فَلَا
يَقِيلُ إِلَّا فِي قَبْرِهِ .

Muhammad
Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad, from Al Abbas Bin Marouf, from Al Yaqouby,
from Musa Bin Isa, from Muhammad Bin Muyassar, from Haroun Bin Al Jahm, from Al
Sakuny,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said:
‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘When the dying one dies at the beginning
of the day, he should not snooze except in his grave’ (spend night in the grave
– so should be buried during the day).^[20]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ
أَبِي حَمَّادٍ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَائِذٍ عَنْ أَبِي خَدِيجَةَ عَنْ
أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ لَيْسَ مِنْ مَيِّتٍ يَمُوتُ وَ
يُتْرَكُ وَحْدَهُ إِلَّا لَعِبَ بِهِ الشَّيْطَانُ فِي جَوْفِهِ .

Ali
Bin Muhammad, from Salih Bin Abu Hammad, and Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from
Moalla Bin Muhammad, altogether from Al Washha, from Ahmad Bin A’iz, from Abu
Khadeeja,

Abu Abdullah^-asws says: ‘There is none from the deceased who
dies and he is left alone except that the Satan^-la would play with
him in his inside’.^[21]

NB: Burial may be delayed for those who
lose consciousness due to an accident, see Ahadith in the Appendix.

Turning the Face of the Deceased
towards Qiblah:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ
مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ
عَنْ ذَرِيحٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي حَدِيثٍ قَالَ: وَ إِذَا وَجَّهْتَ‏ الْمَيِّتَ‏ لِلْقِبْلَةِ فَاسْتَقْبِلْ بِوَجْهِهِ الْقِبْلَةَ لَا تَجْعَلْهُ مُعْتَرِضاً كَمَا
يَجْعَلُ النَّاسُ

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, with his chain of transmission, on the authority
of Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub, on the authority of al-Abbas ibn Maruf, on the
authority of Abdullah Ibn Al-Mughira, on the authority of Dharih

Imam Abu
Abdullah^-asws, through a chain of narrators that Imam^-asws said: Contrary to our foes, you should place the dead
body in the direction of Qiblah so that his face is towards Qiblah.^[22]

وَ عَنْهُ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ‏
أَنَّهُ شَهِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ جِنَازَةَ رَجُلٍ مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ
فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلُوهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ قَالَ أَضْجِعُوهُ فِي لَحْدِهِ عَلَى جَنْبِهِ
الْأَيْمَنِ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ وَ لَا تَكُبُّوهُ لِوَجْهِهِ وَ لَا
تُلْقُوهُ لِظَهْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلَّذِي وَلِيَهُ ضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى أَنْفِهِ
حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ اسْتِقْبَالُ الْقِبْلَةِ ثُمَّ قَالَ قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ
لَقِّنْهُ حُجَّتَهُ وَ صَعِّدْ رُوحَهُ وَ لَقِّهِ مِنْكَ رِضْوَاناً.

And from him^-asws, may the
Salawaat of Allah^-azwj be upon him^-asws: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww
attended a funeral of a man from the clan of Abdul Muttalib. When they
descended him into his grave, he^-saww said: ‘Lie him down in his
Lahad upon his right side facing the Qiblah, and do not lay him prone upon his
face nor cast him on his back!’^[23]

عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ سَيَابَةَ قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ أَنَا
حَاضِرٌ عَنْ رَجُلٍ قُتِلَ فَقُطِعَ رَأْسُهُ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ أَ
يُغَسَّلُ أَمْ يُفْعَلُ بِهِ مَا يُفْعَلُ بِالشَّهِيدِ

From
Al-‘Ala ibn Sayaba who said: Abu Abdullah^-asws was asked while I was
present about a man who was killed and his head was cut off in disobedience to
Allah^-azwj – should he be washed or should he be treated as a martyr
is treated?

فَقَالَ إِذَا قُتِلَ فِي مَعْصِيَتِهِ
يُغْسَلُ أَوَّلًا مِنْهُ الدَّمُ ثُمَّ يُصَبُّ عَلَيْهِ الْمَاءُ صَبّاً وَ لَا
يُدْلَكُ جَسَدُهُ وَ يُبْدَأُ بِالْيَدَيْنِ وَ الدُّبُرِ وَ يُرْبَطُ
جِرَاحَاتُهُ بِالْقُطْنِ وَ الْخُيُوطِ وَ إِذَا وُضِعَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُطْنُ
عُصِّبَ

Imam^-asws
said: When he is killed in his disobedience, first the blood should be washed
from him, then water should be poured over him without rubbing his body. Start
with the hands and back, and bind his wounds with cotton and threads. When
cotton is placed on him, it should be tied.

وَ كَذَلِكَ مَوْضِعُ الرَّأْسِ يَعْنِي
الرَّقَبَةَ وَ يُجْعَلُ لَهُ مِنَ الْقُطْنِ شَيْ‏ءٌ
كَثِيرٌ وَ يُذَرُّ عَلَيْهِ الْحَنُوطُ ثُمَّ يُوضَعُ الْقُطْنُ فَوْقَ
الرَّقَبَةِ وَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تُعَصِّبَهُ فَافْعَلْ

Similarly,
for the head area, meaning the neck, place a large amount of cotton on it and
sprinkle camphor on it, then place cotton above the neck, and if you can bind
it, do so.

قُلْتُ فَإِنْ كَانَ الرَّأْسُ قَدْ بَانَ مِنَ
الْجَسَدِ وَ هُوَ مَعَهُ كَيْفَ يُغَسَّلُ فَقَالَ يَغْسِلُ الرَّأْسَ إِذَا
غَسَلَ الْيَدَيْنِ وَ السُّفْلَةَ بُدِئَ بِالرَّأْسِ ثُمَّ بِالْجَسَدِ ثُمَّ
يُوضَعُ الْقُطْنُ فَوْقَ الرَّقَبَةِ وَ يُضَمُّ إِلَيْهِ الرَّأْسُ وَ يُجْعَلُ
فِي الْكَفَنِ

I
asked: If the head was separated from the body but is present with it, how
should it be washed? Imam^-asws said: Wash the head after washing the
hands and lower parts, starting with the head, then the body. Then, place
cotton above the neck and join the head to it and place it in the shroud.

وَ كَذَلِكَ إِذَا صِرْتَ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ
تَنَاوَلْتَهُ مَعَ الْجَسَدِ وَ أَدْخَلْتَهُ‏ اللَّحْدَ وَ وَجَّهْتَهُ‏ لِلْقِبْلَةِ.

And likewise, when you reach the grave,
take it with the body and place it in the tomb and direct it towards the Qiblah.[24]

Rewards of Digging (Preparing) a
Grave:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ
أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ
طَرِيفٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَنْ حَفَرَ لِمَيِّتٍ قَبْراً
كَانَ كَمَنْ بَوَّأَهُ بَيْتاً مُوَافِقاً إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ .

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Sayf Bin Umeyra, from
Sa’ad Bin Tareyf,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘The
one who digs a grave for a deceased would be like the one provides a compatible
house up to the Day of Judgement’.^[25]

– ثَوَابُ الْأَعْمَالِ، وَ أَعْلَامُ
الدِّينِ، بِإِسْنَادِهِمَا إِلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالا قَالَ
رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏ مَنِ احْتَفَرَ لِمُسْلِمٍ قَبْراً
مُحْتَسِباً حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّارِ وَ بَوَّأَهُ بَيْتاً فِي
الْجَنَّةِ وَ أَوْرَدَهُ حَوْضاً فِيهِ مِنَ الْأَبَارِيقِ عَدَدَ النُّجُومِ
عَرْضُهُ مَا بَيْنَ أُبُلَّةَ وَ صَنْعَاءَ.

(The book) ‘Sawaab Al Amaal’, and ‘A’lam Al
Deen, by their chains to Abu Hureyra and Ibn Abbas who both said,

‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘The
one who digs a grave for a Muslim anticipating (Rewards), Allah^‑azwj
will Prohibit him unto the Fire, and his abode will be a house in the Paradise,
and Make him arrive to a fountain wherein are pitchers the number of stars, and
it’s width is what is between Ubullah and Sana’a’’.^[26]

بيان الْأُبُلَّةُ اسم جبل بين مكة و المدينة
قرب ينبع.

Explanation – ‘Ubullah’ is a name of a mountain between Makkah and Al-Medina, near
Yanbu.

وَ مَنْ حَفَرَ قَبْراً لِمُسْلِمٍ بَنَى
اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ بَيْتاً فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَ مَنْ أَنْظَرَ مُعْسِراً
أَظَلَّهُ اللَّهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لَا ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُ.

(Rasool Allah^-saww
said in a lengthy Hadith): And the one who digs a grave for a Muslim, Allah^-azwj
would Build for him a house in the Paradise; and the one who respites a
bankrupt, Allah^-azwj would Shade him in His^-azwj Shade on
a Day there will be no shade except His^-azwj Shade.^[27]

The Recommended Days to Visit a
Cemetery:

 الكافي الْعِدَّةُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ
أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‏
عَاشَتْ فَاطِمَةُ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص خَمْسَةً وَ سَبْعِينَ يَوْماً لَمْ
تُرَ كَاشِرَةً وَ لَا ضَاحِكَةً تَأْتِي قُبُورَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي كُلِّ جُمْعَةٍ
مَرَّتَيْنِ الْإِثْنَيْنَ وَ الْخَمِيسَ فَتَقُولُ ع هَاهُنَا كَانَ رَسُولُ
اللَّهِ وَ هَاهُنَا كَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ.

(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – The number, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from
Al-Husayn Bin Saeed, from Al Nazr, from Hisham Bin Salim,

‘From
Abdullah^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘(Syeda) Fatima^-asws lived after Rasool-Allah^-saww for
seventy-five days. She^-asws was neither seen to have manifested her^-asws
teeth nor smiled. She^-asws used to go to the graves of the martyrs
twice during every week, Monday and Thursday. Syeda^-asws would say:
‘Over her was Rasool-Allah^-saww and over there were the
Polytheists’’.^[28]

How to Send Greetings to the
People of the Grave (when visiting a cemetery):

 إِخْتِيَارُ ابْنِ الْبَاقِي، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ
بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ ع قَالَ: مَرَّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع
بِالْمَقْبَرَةِ وَ يُرْوَى بِالْمَقَابِرِ فَقَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَا
أَهْلَ الْمَقْبَرَةِ وَ التُّرْبَةِ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْمَنَازِلَ بَعْدَكُمْ
قَدْ سُكِنَتْ وَ أَنَّ الْأَمْوَالَ بَعْدَكُمْ قَدْ قُسِمَتْ وَ أَنَّ الْأَزْوَاجَ
بَعْدَكُمْ قَدْ نُكِحَتْ فَهَذَا خَبَرُ مَا عِنْدَنَا فَمَا خَبَرُ مَا
عِنْدَكُمْ

(The book) ‘Ikhtiyar’ of Ibn Al-Baqi,

‘From Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws
having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws passed by the graveyard’ – (and
it is reported, some graves) – He^-asws said: ‘The greetings be unto
you all, O people of the graveyard and the soil! Know that after you the houses
have been settled in, and after you, the wealth has been distributed, and after
you, the wives have been married. This is the news of what is with us, so what
is the news with you?’

فَأَجَابَهُ هَاتِفٌ مِنَ الْمَقَابِرِ
نَسْمَعُ صَوْتَهُ وَ لَا نَرَى شَخْصَهُ عَلَيْكَ السَّلَامُ يَا أَمِيرَ
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ أَمَّا خَبَرُ مَا عِنْدَنَا
فَقَدْ وَجَدْنَا مَا وُعِدْنَاهُ وَ رَبِحْنَا مَا قَدَّمْنَاهُ وَ خَسِرْنَا مَا
خَلَّفْنَاهُ

A caller from the graves answered him^-asws,
we heard his voice and we could not see his person, ‘The greetings be to you^-asws,
O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and Mercy of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj
Blessings! As for news of what is with us, we have found what we had been
promised, and we profited with what we had sent ahead, and we incurred loss
what we had left behind!’

فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ أَ
سَمِعْتُمْ

He^-asws turned towards his^-asws
companions. He^-asws said: ‘Did you hear?’

قَالُوا نَعَمْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

They said, ‘Yes, Amir Al-Momineen^-asws’.

قَالَ فَ
تَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوى‏.

He^-asws said: ‘So, provide
(for yourselves), for the best provision is the piety, [2:197]’’.^[29]

Rewards of entering Graveyard and
Remembering Hereafter

عُدَّةُ الدَّاعِي، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ص قَالَ:
وَ مَنْ دَخَلَ الْمَقَابِرَ وَ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ يس خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ
يَوْمَئِذٍ وَ كَانَ لَهُ بِعَدَدِ مَنْ فِيهَا حَسَنَاتٌ.

(The book) ‘Uddat Al Daie’ –

‘From the Prophet^-saww having
said: ‘And the one who enters the graveyard and recites Surah Yaseen, Allah^-azwj
will Lighten (punishment) from them on that day, and for him would be good
deeds the number of the ones in it (the graveyard)’’.^[30]

دَعَوَاتُ الرَّاوَنْدِيِّ،
قِيلَ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع مَا شَأْنُكَ جَاوَرْتَ الْمَقْبَرَةَ فَقَالَ
إِنِّي أَجِدُهُمْ جِيرَانَ صِدْقٍ يَكُفُّونَ السَّيِّئَةَ وَ يُذَكِّرُونَ
الْآخِرَةَ

(The
book) ‘Dawaat’ of Al Rawandy –

‘It was said to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, ‘What is your^-asws
affair being in the vicinity of the graveyard?’ He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws
find them to be sincere neighbours. They refrain from evil deeds and are
reminding of the Hereafter’.

وَ قَالَ زَيْنُ الْعَابِدِينَ ع مَا أُصِيبَ
أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع بِمُصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا صَلَّى فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ أَلْفَ
رَكْعَةٍ وَ تَصَدَّقَ عَلَى سِتِّينَ مِسْكِيناً وَ صَامَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ‏.

And Zayn Al-Abideen^-asws said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws
was not afflicted with any difficulty except he^-asws prayed Salat
during that day and gave in charity to sixty poor ones and Fasted for three
days’’.^[31]

Reciting a Surah for the deceased
in a graveyard:

– أَقُولُ وَجَدْتُ فِي بَعْضِ مُؤَلَّفَاتِ
أَصْحَابِنَا نَاقِلًا عَنِ الْمُفِيدِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏
مَنْ قَرَأَ آيَةً مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فِي مَقْبَرَةٍ مِنْ مَقَابِرِ
الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ ثَوَابَ سَبْعِينَ نَبِيّاً وَ مَنْ تَرَحَّمَ
عَلَى أَهْلِ الْمَقَابِرِ نَجَا مِنَ النَّارِ وَ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَ هُوَ
يَضْحَكُ.

I say, ‘I found in one of the compilations
of our companions copying from Al Mufeed who said,

‘Rasool-Allah^-saww
said: ‘One who recited a Verse from the Book of Allah^-azwj in a
graveyard from graveyards of the Muslims, Allah^-azwj will Give him
Rewards of seventy Prophets^-as, and one who invokes mercy upon
people of the grave will attain salvation from the Fire and enter the Paradise
while he would be smiling’’.^[32]

وَ عَنِ الرِّضَا ع‏
مَنْ أَتَى قَبْرَ أَخِيهِ فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ وَ قَرَأَ إِنَّا
أَنْزَلْناهُ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ أَمِنَ مِنَ الْفَزَعِ الْأَكْبَرِ.

And from Al-Reza^-asws: ‘One who
comes to the grave of his brother and places his hand upon the grave, and
recites (Surah) Al Qadr seven times, he (deceased) would be safe from the
greatest panic’’.^[33]

وَ رُوِيَ‏
أَنَّ أَحْسَنَ مَا يُقَالُ فِي الْمَقَابِرِ إِذَا مَرَرْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ تَقِفَ
وَ تَقُولَ اللَّهُمَّ وَلِّهِمْ مَا تَوَلَّوْا وَ احْشُرْهُمْ مَعَ مَنْ
أَحَبُّوا.

And it is reported that the
most excellent of what can be said in the graveyard, when one passes by it, is
to paused and say, ‘O Allah^-azwj! Befriend them to what they had
befriended, and Gather them with the one they loved!’’^[34]

عُدَّةُ الدَّاعِي، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ص قَالَ:
وَ مَنْ دَخَلَ الْمَقَابِرَ وَ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ يس خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ
يَوْمَئِذٍ وَ كَانَ لَهُ بِعَدَدِ مَنْ فِيهَا حَسَنَاتٌ.

(The book) ‘Uddat Al Daie’ –

‘From the Prophet^-saww having said:
‘And the one who enters the graveyard and recites Surah Yaseen, Allah^-azwj
will Lighten (punishment) from them on that day, and for him would good deeds
the number of the ones in it (the graveyard)’’.[35]

Sprinkling water on a grave for 40
days:

قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ
قَالَ رَآنِي صَاحِبُ الْمَقْبَرَةِ وَ أَنَا عِنْدَ الْقَبْرِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ
فَقَالَ لِي مَنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ صَاحِبُ هَذَا الْقَبْرِ فَإِنَّ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ
عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى ع أَوْصَانِي بِهِ وَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَرُشَّ قَبْرَهُ
أَرْبَعِينَ شَهْراً أَوْ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ

He said, ‘It is narrated to
me by Muhammad Bin Al-Waleed. He said, ‘The manager of the graveyard saw me,
and I was by the grave after that. He said to me, ‘Who is man, the occupant of
this grave, for Abu Al-Hassan Ali^-asws Bin Musa^-as has
bequeathed to me with him and has instructed me to sprinkle (water) upon his
grave for forty days during every day’ (an extract).^[36]

وَ مِنْهُ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمَحَاسِنِ عَنْ
أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ
بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَلِكٍ عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ قَالَ:
كُنَّا مُحْدِقِينَ بِالنَّبِيِّ فِي مَقْبَرَةٍ فَوَقَفَ ثُمَّ مَرَّ ثُمَّ
وَقَفَ ثُمَّ مَرَّ فَقُلْتُ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَ أُمِّي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا
وُقُوفُكَ بَيْنَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقُبُورِ

And from him, from Abu Al Mahasin, from Abu
Abdullah, from Abdullah Bin Abdul Samad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Umar Bin
Al Rabie, from Abdullah Bin Muawiya, from Abdullah Bin Malik, from Sowban who
said,

‘We were staring at the Prophet^-saww
in a graveyard. He^-saww paused, then passed by, then paused, then
passed by. I said, ‘May by father and my mother be (sacrificed for) you^-saww,
O Rasool-Allah^-saww! What is your^-saww pausing between
these graves?’

فَبَكَى رَسُولُ اللَّهُ بُكَاءً شَدِيداً وَ
بَكَيْنَا فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ يَا ثَوْبَانُ هَؤُلَاءِ يُعَذَّبُونَ فِي
قُبُورِهِمْ سَمِعْتُ أَنِينَهُمْ فَرَحِمْتُهُمْ وَ دَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ أَنْ
يُخَفِّفَ عَنْهُمْ فَفَعَلَ فَلَوْ صَامُوا هَؤُلَاءِ أَيَّامَ رَجَبٍ وَ قَامُوا
فِيهَا مَا عُذِّبُوا فِي قُبُورِهِمْ

Rasool-Allah^-saww wept with
intense crying, and we cried. When he^-saww was free, he^-saww
said: ‘O Sowban! They are being punished in their graves. I^-saww
heard their groans, so I^-saww pitied them and supplicated to Allah^-azwj
to Lighten (the punishment) from them. He^-azwj Did so. Had they
fasted days of Rajab and stood in it they would not have been punished in their
graves!’

فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ- صِيَامُهُ وَ
قِيَامُهُ أَمَانٌ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ

I said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww!
Fasting it and standing it (for Salat) is security from punishment of the
grave?’

قَالَ نَعَمْ يَا ثَوْبَانُ وَ الَّذِي
بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيّاً مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ وَ لَا مُسْلِمَةٍ يَصُومُ
يَوْماً مِنْ رَجَبٍ وَ قَامَ لَيْلَةً يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى
إِلَّا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ عِبَادَةَ أَلْفِ سَنَةٍ صِيَامٍ نَهَارُهَا وَ
قِيَامٍ لَيْلُهَا

He^-saww said: ‘Yes, O Sowban! By
the One Who Sent me^-saww with the truth as a Prophet^-saww!
There is none from a Muslim fasting a day of Rajab and stands a night (for
Salat) intending the Face of Allah^-azwj the Exalted with that,
except Allah^-azwj will Write for him worship of a thousand years,
fasting its days and stand its night!

وَ كَأَنَّمَا حَجَّ أَلْفَ حَجَّةٍ وَ
اعْتَمَرَ أَلْفَ عُمْرَةٍ مِنْ مَالٍ حَلَالٍ وَ كَأَنَّمَا غَزَا أَلْفَ
غَزْوَةٍ وَ أَعْتَقَ أَلْفَ رَقَبَةٍ مِنْ وُلْدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَ كَأَنَّمَا
تَصَدَّقَ بِأَلْفِ دِينَارٍ وَ كَأَنَّمَا اشْتَرَى أُسَارَى أُمَّتِي
فَأَعْتَقَهُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ وَ كَأَنَّمَا أَشْبَعَ أَلْفَ جَائِعٍ وَ
آمَنَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَ هَوْلِ مُنْكَرٍ وَ نَكِيرٍ

And it would be as if he has performed a
thousand Hajj, and performed a thousand Umrah from Permissible wealth; and it
would be as if he has battled in a thousand military expeditions, and liberated
a thousand necks from the sons of Ismail^-as; and it would be as if
he has donated a thousand Dinars in charity; and it would be as if he had
bought captives of my^-saww community and freed them for the Face of
Allah^-azwj, and it would be as if he had satiated a thousand hungry
ones, and Allah^-azwj will Secure him from punishment of the grave
and horrors of Munkar and Nakeer’.

قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص هَذَا
الثَّوَابُ كُلُّهُ لِمَنْ صَامَ يَوْماً وَاحِداً أَوْ قَامَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ
شَهْرِ رَجَبٍ

It was said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww!
This is the Reward, all of it for the one fasts one day, or stands a night (for
Salat), from a month of Rajah?’

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص هَذَا لِمَنْ لَا
يُنْكِرُ قُدْرَةَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘This is
for one who does not deny the Power of Allah^-azwj Mighty and
Majestic!’

ثُمَّ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثَوَابُ
رَجَبٍ أَبْلَغُ أَمْ ثَوَابُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ

Then it was said: ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww!
Rewards of a month are more extensive or Rewards of a month of Ramazan?’

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لَيْسَ عَلَى
ثَوَابِ رَمَضَانَ قِيَاسٌ وَ لَكِنْ شَهْرُ رَجَبٍ شَهْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘There
is no comparison to Rewards of a month of Ramazan, but a month of Rajab is a
mighty month’.

فَقِيلَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى
قِيَامِهِ

It was said, ‘Supposing one is not able
upon standing it (for Salat)?’

قَالَ مَنْ صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ وَ
صَلَّى قَبْلَ الْوَتْرِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِمَا عَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ
أَرْجُو أَنْ لَا يُبْخَلَ عَلَيْهِ بِهَذَا الثَّوَابِ

He^-saww said: ‘One who prays Al
Isha the last Salat, and he prays two units Salat before Al Witr with what
Allah^-azwj has Taught him from the Quran, I^-saww hope
that He^-azwj will not be Stingy upon him with this Reward’.

قَالَ ثَوْبَانُ مُنْذُ سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ مَا
تَرَكْتُهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا.

Sowban said, ‘Since I heard that, I have
not neglected it except a little’’.^[37]

وَ عَنْهُ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ
عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ عَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ الْقَضْبَانِيِّ عَنْ
يَقْطِينٍ عَنِ الْمُسْلِيِّ قَالَ: كَانَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ إِذَا
دَخَلَ الْجَبَّانَةَ السَّلَامُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ.

And from him, by his chain, from Al Barqy,
from one of his companions, from Abbas Bin Aamir Al Qazbany, from Yaqteeni,
from Al Musly who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws
had said when he^-asws had entered the graveyard: ‘The greeting be
upon the people of Paradise’’.^[38]

Appendix: Additional Ahadith
related to the ritual in the graveyard

Some
Ahadith relevant to the cemetery issues are included below, additional Ahadith
may be found in Bihar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 79 (https://hubeali.com/online-books/online-english-books/bihar-al-anwaar/).

Sprinkling Water after Burial:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ
حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ
اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) إِذَا فَرَغْتَ مِنَ الْقَبْرِ فَانْضَحْهُ ثُمَّ ضَعْ
يَدَكَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ وَ تَغْمِزُ كَفَّكَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ النَّضْحِ .

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hammad Bin Isa, from Hareyz, from Zurara who
said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘When you are free from the grave
(burial), so sprinkle it with water, then place your hand by his head and press
your palm upon it after the sprinkling’.^[39]

بيان: لِرِوَايَةِ مُوسَى بْنِ أُكَيْلٍ‏ عَنْ
أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: السُّنَّةُ فِي رَشِّ الْمَاءِ عَلَى
الْقَبْرِ أَنْ تَسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةَ وَ تَبْدَأَ مِنْ عِنْدِ الرَّأْسِ إِلَى
عِنْدِ الرِّجْلِ ثُمَّ تَدُورَ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ مِنَ الْجَانِبِ الْآخَرِ ثُمَّ
تَرُشَّ عَلَى وَسَطِ الْقَبْرِ فَذَلِكَ السُّنَّةُ.

Explanation (Hadeeth) only – A report by Musa Bin Akeyl – from Abu
Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The Sunnah in sprinkling the water upon
the grave is that you should face the Qiblah and begin from by the head to the
leg, then rotate upon the grave from the other side, then sprinkle upon middle
of the grave. That is the Sunnah’’.

Bidding Farewell, after Burial, by
the close ones:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ بَعْضِ
أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ
قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الدَّلَّالُ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ
قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ مَا عَلَى أَهْلِ
الْمَيِّتِ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَدْرَءُوا عَنْ مَيِّتِهِمْ لِقَاءَ مُنْكَرٍ وَ
نَكِيرٍ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ

Muhammad
Bin Yahya, from one of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr,
from Ismail who said, ‘Abu Al Hassan Al Dallal narrated to me, from Yahya Bin
Abdullah who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘What is upon the family
of the deceased from you is that they should be ejecting from their deceased
the meeting of Munkar and Nakeer (two questioning Angels)’. I said, ‘How can
they do so?’

قَالَ إِذَا أُفْرِدَ الْمَيِّتُ
فَلْيَتَخَلَّفْ عِنْدَهُ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِهِ فَيَضَعُ فَمَهُ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ
ثُمَّ يُنَادِي بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ يَا فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ أَوْ يَا فُلَانَةَ
بِنْتَ فُلَانٍ هَلْ أَنْتَ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ الَّذِي فَارَقْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ
شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَنَّ
مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ سَيِّدُ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً
أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ سَيِّدُ الْوَصِيِّينَ وَ أَنَّ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ
مُحَمَّدٌ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) حَقٌّ وَ أَنَّ الْمَوْتَ حَقٌّ وَ أَنَّ
الْبَعْثَ حَقٌّ وَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْعَثُ مَنْ فِي الْقُبُورِ

He^-asws said: ‘When the deceased is alone (after the burial),
so let the closest one of the people to him remain behind, and he should place
his mouth by his head, then he should call out in a high voice, ‘O so and so,
son of so and so!’ Or, ‘O so and so daughter of so and so! Are you still upon
the Covenant which (you were upon) when you separated from us, from the
testimony that there is no God except for Allah^-azwj, alone, there
being no associates for Him^-azwj, and that Muhammad^-saww
is His^-azwj servant and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww,
chief of the Prophets^-as, and that Ali^-asws Amir Al
Momineen^-asws, chief of the successors^-as, and that
whatever Muhammad^-saww came with is truth, and that the death is
truth, and that the Resurrection is truth, and that Allah^-azwj would
be Resurrections the one who are in the graves’.

قَالَ فَيَقُولُ مُنْكَرٌ لِنَكِيرٍ
انْصَرِفْ بِنَا عَنْ هَذَا فَقَدْ لُقِّنَ حُجَّتَهُ .

He^-asws said: ‘So Munkar would be saying to Nakeer: ‘Let us
leave from this one, for he has been dictated his arguments’.^[40]

Spreading Soil over the Coffin:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ
بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ
قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) فِي جِنَازَةِ رَجُلٍ مِنْ
أَصْحَابِنَا فَلَمَّا أَنْ دَفَنُوهُ قَامَ ( عليه السلام ) إِلَى قَبْرِهِ
فَحَثَا عَلَيْهِ مِمَّا يَلِي رَأْسَهُ ثَلَاثاً بِكَفِّهِ ثُمَّ بَسَطَ كَفَّهُ
عَلَى الْقَبْرِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ جَافِ الْأَرْضَ عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ وَ
أَصْعِدْ إِلَيْكَ رُوحَهُ وَ لَقِّهِ مِنْكَ رِضْوَاناً وَ أَسْكِنْ قَبْرَهُ
مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ مَا تُغْنِيهِ بِهِ عَنْ رَحْمَةِ مَنْ سِوَاكَ ثُمَّ مَضَى .

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from his father, form one of his companions, from Al A’ala Bin
Razeyn, from Muhammad Bin Muslim who said,

‘I was with Abu Ja’far^-asws in a funeral of a man from our
companions. So when they buried him, he^-asws stood at his grave and
spread (soil) upon him, from what followed his head, three times with his^-asws
handful. Then he^-asws spread his^-asws palm upon the
grave, then said, ‘O Allah^-azwj! Expand the ground from both his
sides, and Ascend his soul to You^-azwj and let him Get Pleasure from
You^-asws, and Settle Your^-azwj Mercy in his grave what
would make him to be needless from a mercy besides Yours^-azwj’. Then
he^-asws went away’.^[41]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ
ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ
قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَطْرَحُ التُّرَابَ عَلَى
الْمَيِّتِ فَيُمْسِكُهُ سَاعَةً فِي يَدِهِ ثُمَّ يَطْرَحُهُ وَ لَا يَزِيدُ
عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَكُفٍّ قَالَ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ يَا عُمَرُ
كُنْتُ أَقُولُ إِيمَاناً بِكَ وَ تَصْدِيقاً بِبَعْثِكَ هَذَا مَا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ
وَ رَسُولُهُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ تَسْلِيماً هَكَذَا كَانَ يَفْعَلُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (
صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ بِهِ جَرَتِ السُّنَّةُ .

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Jameel Bin Darraj, from
Umar Bin Azina who said,

‘I saw Abu Abdullah^-asws spread the soil upon the decease. So
he^-asws withheld it for a while in his^-asws hand, then
spread it, and he^-asws did not increased upon three handfuls. So I
asked him^-asws about that, and he^-asws said: ‘O Umar! I^-asws
was saying: ‘I^-asws believe in You^-azwj, and ratify Your^-azwj
Resurrection. [33:22]
This is what Allah and His Rasool promised us, and Allah and His Rasool spoke
the truth up to His^-azwj
Words (and it only increased them in faith and)
submission’. This what Rasool-Allah^-saww used to do, and by
it has the Sunnah flowed’.^[42]

Close Relatives must not Spread
Soil over the Grave:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ
بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ
مَاتَ لِبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) وَلَدٌ فَحَضَرَ
أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فَلَمَّا أُلْحِدَ تَقَدَّمَ أَبُوهُ
فَطَرَحَ عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابَ فَأَخَذَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام )
بِكَفَّيْهِ وَ قَالَ لَا تَطْرَحْ عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابَ وَ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْهُ ذَا
رَحِمٍ فَلَا يَطْرَحْ عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله
عليه وآله ) نَهَى أَنْ يَطْرَحَ الْوَالِدُ أَوْ ذُو رَحِمٍ عَلَى مَيِّتِهِ
التُّرَابَ

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from Yaqoub Bin Yazeed, from Ali Bin Asbaat, from Ubeyd Bin Zurara
who said,

‘A son of one of the companions of Abu Abdullah^-asws died. So
Abu Abdullah^-asws attended (the funeral). So when he (the deceased)
was placed in the chasm (Lahad), he^-asws
spread soil upon him. Abu Abdullah^-asws grabbed with his palm and
said: ‘None should spread the soil upon him, one who was a close relative of
his, for Rasool-Allah^-saww forbade the parent, or one with womb
relationships, to spread soil upon the deceased’.

فَقُلْنَا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَ
تَنْهَانَا عَنْ هَذَا وَحْدَهُ فَقَالَ أَنْهَاكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ تَطْرَحُوا
التُّرَابَ عَلَى ذَوِي أَرْحَامِكُمْ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يُورِثُ الْقَسْوَةَ فِي
الْقَلْبِ وَ مَنْ قَسَا قَلْبُهُ بَعُدَ مِنْ رَبِّهِ .

So we said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Are
you^-asws forbidding us from this (deceased) alone?’ So he^-asws
said: ‘I^-asws am forbidding you all from spreading the soil upon
your near relatives, for that would inherit the hardness in the hearts, and the
one who is hard of heart is remote from his Lord^-azwj’.^[43]

Pebbles may be placed over the
grave but not soil from elsewhere:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ
النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام )
قَالَ لَا تُطَيِّنُوا الْقَبْرَ مِنْ غَيْرِ طِينِهِ .

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Nowfaly, from Al Sakuny,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Do not apply clay on the
grave from other than its own clay’.^[44]

حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ
مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ
( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَبْرُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مُحَصَّبٌ
حَصْبَاءَ حَمْرَاءَ .

Humeyd
Bin Ziyad, from Al Hassan Bin Muhammad, from someone else, from one of his
companions,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The grave of
Rasool-Allah^-saww was pebbly, of red gravel’.^[45]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ
زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ قَالَ لَمَّا رَجَعَ
أَبُو الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) مِنْ بَغْدَادَ وَ مَضَى إِلَى
الْمَدِينَةِ مَاتَتْ لَهُ ابْنَةٌ بِفَيْدَ فَدَفَنَهَا وَ أَمَرَ بَعْضَ
مَوَالِيهِ أَنْ يُجَصِّصَ قَبْرَهَا وَ يَكْتُبَ عَلَى لَوْحٍ اسْمَهَا وَ
يَجْعَلَهُ فِي الْقَبْرِ .

A
number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Yunus Bin
Yaqoub who said,

‘When Abu Al Hassan Musa^-asws returned from Baghdad and went
to Al Medina, and daughter of his^-asws died. So he^-asws
buried her and ordered one of his^-asws slaves that he should apply
clay on her grave and write her name upon a tombstone, and make it to be in her
grave’.^[46]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ
النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام )
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) نَهَى أَنْ يُزَادَ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ
تُرَابٌ لَمْ يُخْرَجْ مِنْهُ .

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Nowfaly, from Al Sakuny,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws that the Prophet^-saww
forbade to increase upon the grave, soil which did not come out from it’.^[47]

Offering Condolences near the
Grave after Burial:

أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ
بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ
لَيْسَ التَّعْزِيَةُ إِلَّا عِنْدَ الْقَبْرِ ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُونَ لَا يَحْدُثُ
فِي الْمَيِّتِ حَدَثٌ فَيَسْمَعُونَ الصَّوْتَ .

Abu
Ali Al Ashary, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbar, from Al hajjal, from Is’haq Bin
Ammar who said,

‘There are no condolences (to be offered) except by the grave. Then you
should be dispersing, in case an event were to occur regarding the deceased, so
you would be hearing the sound’.^[48]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ
بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي
عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ التَّعْزِيَةُ الْوَاجِبَةُ بَعْدَ
الدَّفْنِ .

A
number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from his father,
from one of his companions,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The offering of
condolences is the Obligation after the burial’.^[49]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ
أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام
) يُعَزِّي قَبْلَ الدَّفْنِ وَ بَعْدَهُ .

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from his father, and Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Fazl Bin
Shazaan, altogether from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hisham Bin Al Hakam who said,

‘I saw Musa^-asws comforting (the bereaved) before the burial
and after it’.^[50]

Delaying in Burial for those who
lose Consciousness

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ
بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْخَالِقِ أَخِي شِهَابِ
بْنِ عَبْدِ رَبِّهِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) خَمْسٌ
يُنْتَظَرُ بِهِمْ إِلَّا أَنْ يَتَغَيَّرُوا الْغَرِيقُ وَ الْمَصْعُوقُ وَ
الْمَبْطُونُ وَ الْمَهْدُومُ وَ الْمُدَخَّنُ .

Ali
Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus, from Ismail Bin Abdul Khaliq a
brother of Shihaab Bin Abd Rabbih who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘Five would be awaited with them
unless they alter – (the one who) drowned, and the ones struck by lightning,
and the one suffering from intestinal ailments, and the one crushed, and one
subjected to fumes’.^[51]

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ
عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ أَصَابَ النَّاسَ بِمَكَّةَ
سَنَةً مِنَ السِّنِينَ صَوَاعِقُ كَثِيرَةٌ مَاتَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ
فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ مُبْتَدِئاً مِنْ
غَيْرِ أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ يَنْبَغِي لِلْغَرِيقِ وَ الْمَصْعُوقِ أَنْ يُتَرَبَّصَ
بِهِ ثَلَاثاً لَا يُدْفَنُ إِلَّا أَنْ تَجِي‏ءَ مِنْهُ رِيحٌ تَدُلُّ عَلَى
مَوْتِهِ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَأَنَّكَ تُخْبِرُنِي أَنَّهُ قَدْ دُفِنَ
نَاسٌ كَثِيرٌ أَحْيَاءً فَقَالَ نَعَمْ يَا عَلِيُّ قَدْ دُفِنَ نَاسٌ كَثِيرٌ
أَحْيَاءً مَا مَاتُوا إِلَّا فِي قُبُورِهِمْ .

Ahmad
Bin Mihran, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Ali Bin Abu Hamza who said,

‘The people at Makkah were hit by a lot of lightning during a year from
the year. A lot of people died from that. So I went over to Abu Ibrahim^-asws
(7^th Imam^-asws), and he^-asws said initiating
from without me asking him^-asws: ‘It is befitting for the drowned
one and the one struck by lightning that they should be awaited with for three
(days) not being buried except if a smell comes out from him evidencing upon
his death’. I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! It is as if
you^-asws are informing me that a lot of the people have been buried
alive!’. So he^-asws said: ‘Yes, O Ali! A lot of people have been
buried alive. They did not die except inside their graves.^[52]

Installing a headstone at the
Grave:

– إِكْمَالُ الدِّينِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ
عَلِيٍّ مَاجِيلَوَيْهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ
الْخَيْرَانِيِّ عَنْ جَارِيَةٍ لِأَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ ع‏
أَنَّ أُمَّ الْمَهْدِيِّ ع مَاتَتْ فِي حَيَاةِ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ ع وَ عَلَى
قَبْرِهَا لَوْحٌ مَكْتُوبٌ عَلَيْهِ هَذَا قَبْرُ أُمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ.

(The book) ‘Ikmal Al Deen’ – from Muhammad
Bin Ali Majaylawiya, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Abu Ali Al Khayrani,

‘From a slave girl of Abu Muhammad^-asws,
‘Mother^-as of Al-Mahdi^-ajfj passed away during the
lifetime of Abu Muhammad^-asws, and upon her^-as grave was
a tablet. There was written in it, ‘This is the grave of mother^-as
of Muhammad^-ajfj’’.^[53]

Treading the Graves is not from a
Forbidden Act:

وَ قَدْ نَقَلَ الصَّدُوقُ فِي الْفَقِيهِ‏
عَنِ الْكَاظِمِ ع‏ إِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْمَقَابِرَ فَطَأِ
الْقُبُورَ فَمَنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِناً اسْتَرْوَحَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ وَ مَنْ كَانَ
مُنَافِقاً وَجَدَ أَلَمَهُ.

And it is transmitted by Al-Sadouq in
‘Al-Faqeeh’ – from Al-Kazim^-asws: ‘When you enter the graveyard,
tread the graves. The one who were to be a Momin will be comforted to that, and
the one who were a hypocrite will feel its pain’’.

وَ رَوَى الصَّدُوقُ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ
أَنَّهُ سَأَلَهُ ع عَنْ زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ وَ بِنَاءِ الْمَسَاجِدِ فِيهَا
فَقَالَ زِيَارَةُ الْقُبُورِ لَا بَأْسَ بِهَا وَ لَا يُبْنَى عِنْدَهَا
مَسَاجِدُ.

And it is reported by Al-Sadouq, from
Sama’at, he asked him^-asws about visiting the graves and building
the Masjids in it. He^-asws said: ‘Visiting the graves, there is no
problem with it, and do not build Masjids by it’’.

وَ عَنْهُ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ
اللَّهِ ص‏ لِكُلِّ بَيْتٍ بَابٌ وَ بَابُ الْقَبْرِ
مِمَّا يَلِي رِجْلَيِ الْمَيِّتِ فَمِنْهُ يَجِبُ أَنْ يُنْزَلَ وَ يُصْعَدَ
مِنْهُ‏.

And from him^-asws having said:
‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘For every house there is a door, and door
of the grave is from what follows the legs of the deceased. From it is
obligated that he descends, and ascends from it’’.^[54]

وَ قَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع‏
إِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْقَبْرَ فَاقْرَأْ أُمَّ الْكِتَابِ وَ الْمُعَوِّذَتَيْنِ وَ
آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِ‏.

And Al-Sadiq^-asws said: ‘When
you enter the grave, then recite Mother of the Book (Surah Al Fatiha), and ‘Al
Moauzateyn’, and ‘Ayat Al Kursi’’.^[55]

Visiting a Cemetery:

– دَعَوَاتُ الرَّاوَنْدِيِّ، قَالَ
الصَّادِقُ ع‏ إِذَا نَظَرْتَ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ فَقُلِ-
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا رَوْضَةً مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ وَ لَا تَجْعَلْهَا
حُفْرَةً مِنْ حُفَرِ النِّيرَانِ

(The book) ‘Dawat’ of Al Rawandy –

‘Al-Sadiq^-asws said: ‘When you
look at the grave, then say, ‘O Allah^-saww! Make it a garden from
the gardens of Paradise, and do not Make it a pit from pits of the fires!’

وَ قَالَ إِذَا تَنَاوَلْتَ الْمَيِّتَ
فَقُلْ- بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَ بِاللَّهِ وَ عَلَى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ اللَّهُمَّ
إِلَى رَحْمَتِكَ لَا إِلَى عَذَابِكَ

And he^-asws said: ‘When you take
the deceased, then say, ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj, and by Allah^-azwj,
and upon the religion of Rasool-Allah^-saww! O Allah^-azwj!
To Your^-azwj Mercy and not to Your^-azwj Punishment!’

ثُمَّ تَسُلُّ الْمَيِّتَ سَلًّا فَإِذَا
وَضَعْتَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ فَضَعْهُ عَلَى يَمِينِهِ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ وَ
حُلَّ عُقَدَ كَفَنِهِ وَ ضَعْ خَدَّهُ عَلَى التُّرَابِ وَ قُلْ- أَعُوذُ
بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ- بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ‏
وَ اقْرَأِ الْحَمْدَ وَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ وَ الْمُعَوِّذَتَيْنِ وَ آيَةَ
الْكُرْسِيِّ

Then slide the deceased a gentle sliding.
When you have placed him in his grave, place him upon his right side facing the
Qiblah, and loosen the knot of his shroud, and place his cheek upon the soil
and say, ‘I seek Refuge with Allah^-azwj from the Pelted Satan^-la!
In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful’, and recite
(Surah) Al Hamd, and (Surah) Al Tawheed, and ‘Al Moauzateyn’, and ‘Ayat
Al-Kursi’.

ثُمَّ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ يَا رَبِّ عَبْدُكَ وَ
ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ نَزَلَ بِكَ وَ أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْزُولٍ بِهِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ
كَانَ مُحْسِناً فَزِدْ فِي إِحْسَانِهِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ مُسِيئاً فَتَجَاوَزْ
عَنْهُ وَ أَلْحِقْهُ بِنَبِيِّهِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ صَالِحِ شِيعَتِهِ وَ اهْدِنَا
وَ إِيَّاهُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ اللَّهُمَّ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ

Then say, ‘O Allah^-azwj! O Lord^-azwj!
Your^-azwj servant and son of Your^-azwj servant, has
lodged with You^-azwj, and Your^-azwj are the best to be
lodging with. O Allah^-azwj! If he was a good doer, then Increase in
his goodness, and if he was an evil doer, then Overlook from him, and Join him
with his Prophet^-saww Muhammad^-saww, and righteous ones
of his^-saww Shias, and Guide us and him to the Straight Path! O
Allah^-azwj! Your^-azwj Pardon! Your^-azwj
Pardon!’

ثُمَّ تَضَعُ يَدَكَ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى
عَضُدِهِ الْأَيْسَرِ وَ تُحَرِّكُهُ تَحْرِيكاً شَدِيداً ثُمَّ تُدْنِي فَمَكَ
إِلَى أُذُنِهِ وَ تَقُولُ يَا فُلَانُ إِذَا سُئِلْتَ فَقُلِ اللَّهُ رَبِّي وَ
مُحَمَّدٌ نَبِيِّي وَ الْإِسْلَامُ دِينِي وَ الْقُرْآنُ كِتَابِي وَ عَلِيٌّ
إِمَامِي حَتَّى تَسُوقَ الْأَئِمَّةَ ع

Then place your left hand upon his left arm
and move him with severe movement, then take your mouth closer to his ear and
say, ‘O so and so! When you are asked, then say, ‘Allah^-azwj is my
Lord^-azwj, and Muhammad^-saww is my Prophet^-saww,
and Al-Islam is my religion, and the Quran is my Book, and Ali^-asws
is my Imam^-asws’, until you mention all the Imams^-asws.

ثُمَّ تَعَوَّدُ الْقَوْلَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ
تَقُولُ أَ فَهِمْتَ يَا فُلَانُ‏

Then repeat the word upon him. Then you
should say, ‘Do you understand, O so and so?’’

وَ قَالَ ع فَإِنَّهُ يُجِيبُ وَ يَقُولُ
نَعَمْ

And he^-asws said: ‘He will
answer and say, ‘Yes’.

ثُمَّ تَقُولُ ثَبَّتَكَ اللَّهُ بِالْقَوْلِ
الثَّابِتِ وَ هَدَاكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ عَرَّفَ اللَّهُ
بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ أَوْلِيَائِكَ فِي مُسْتَقَرٍّ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ

Then you should say, ‘May Allah^-azwj
Affirm you with the firm word and Guide you to the Straight Path! May Allah^-azwj
Acquaint between you and your friends in the Settlement of His^‑azwj
Mercy!’

ثُمَّ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ جَافِ الْأَرْضَ
عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ وَ اصْعَدْ بِرُوحِهِ إِلَيْكَ وَ لَقِّنْهُ مِنْكَ بُرْهَاناً
اللَّهُمَّ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ

Then you should say, ‘O Allah^-azwj!
Dry the earth on his sides and Ascent with his soul to You^‑azwj, and
Indoctrinate him with proofs from You^-azwj! O Allah^-azwj!
Your^-azwj Pardon! Your^‑azwj Pardon!’

ثُمَّ تَضَعُ الطِّينَ وَ اللَّبِنَ وَ إِذَا
وَضَعْتَ الطِّينَ وَ اللَّبِنَ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ صِلْ وَحْدَتَهُ وَ آنِسْ
وَحْشَتَهُ وَ آمِنْ رَوْعَتَهُ وَ أَسْكِنْ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ رَحْمَةً
تُغْنِيهِ بِهَا عَنْ رَحْمَةِ مَنْ سِوَاكَ فَإِنَّمَا رَحْمَتُكَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ

Then place the clay and the bricks. And
when you have placed the clay and the brick, you should say, ‘O Allah^-azwj!
Connect his loneliness, and Comfort his scaredness, and Settle to him from Your^-azwj
Mercy, such a Mercy he can be needless by it from mercy of the ones apart from
You^-azwj, for rather You^-azwj Mercy is for the unjust
ones!’

ثُمَّ تَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْقَبْرِ وَ تَقُولُ‏
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَ إِنَّا إِلَيْهِ راجِعُونَ‏
اللَّهُمَّ ارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي أَعْلَى عِلِّيِّينَ وَ اخْلُفْ عَلَى عَقِبِهِ
فِي الْغَابِرِينَ وَ عِنْدَكَ نَحْتَسِبُهُ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Then come out from the grave and say, ‘We
are for Allah^-azwj and are returning to Him^-azwj! O Allah^-azwj!
Raise his ranks in the high Illiyeen, and Replace upon his posterity in the
future, and in Your^-azwj Presence is his Reckoning, O Lord^-azwj
of the worlds!’

فَلَمَّا أَنْ دَفَنُوهُ تَضَعُ كَفَّكَ
عَلَى قَبْرِهِ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ وَ فَرِّجْ أَصَابِعَكَ وَ اغْمِزْ كَفَّكَ
عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ مَا تَنْضِحُ بِالْمَاءِ فَإِذَا انْصَرَفُوا فَضَعِ الْفَمَ
عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ وَ تُنَادِيهِ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتٍ يَا فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ هَلْ
أَنْتَ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ الَّذِي فَارَقْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا
إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً
أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِمَامُكَ وَ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ إِلَى
آخِرِهِمْ

When they bury him, place your palm upon
his grave by his head and open your fingers and grip your palm upon it after
having sprinkled with the water. When they leave, place the mouth by his head
and call out to him at the top of your voice, ‘O so and so, son of so and so!
Are you upon the Covenant which you had separated (from the world) upon, from
the testimony that there is no god except Allah^-azwj, and Muhammad^-saww
is Rasool-Allah^-saww, and Ali Amir Al-Momineen^-asws is
your Imam^-asws, and so is, so and so, and so and so’ – until your
come to the last of them^-asws.

فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ أَحَدُ
الْمَلَكَيْنِ لِصَاحِبِهِ قَدْ كُفِينَا الدُّخُولَ إِلَيْهِ فِي مَسْأَلَتِنَا
إِلَيْهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُلَقَّنُ فَيَنْصَرِفَانِ عَنْهُ وَ لَا يَدْخُلَانِ
إِلَيْهِ.

When that is done, one of the two Angels
will say to his companion, ‘We have been sufficed with the entering to see him
regarding our questioning to him, for he has been indoctrinated!’ So they both
leave from him and do not enter to see him’’.^[56]