The Funeral Prayer (Salat Al-Janazah)
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 26
وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ: «مَا عَلَى أَهْلِ اَلْمَيِّتِ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَدْرَءُوا عَنْ مَيِّتِهِمْ لِقَاءَ مُنْكَرٍ وَ نَكِيرٍ » فَقُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ نَصْنَعُ فَقَالَ «إِذَا أُفْرِدَ اَلْمَيِّتُ فَلْيَتَخَلَّفْ عِنْدَهُ أَوْلَى اَلنَّاسِ بِهِ فَيَضَعَ فَاهُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ ثُمَّ يُنَادِيَ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ: يَا فُلاَنَ بْنَ فُلاَنٍ أَوْ يَا فُلاَنَةَ بِنْتَ فُلاَنَةَ هَلْ أَنْتَ عَلَى اَلْعَهْدِ اَلَّذِي فَارَقْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اَللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ سَيِّدُ اَلنَّبِيِّينَ وَ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ سَيِّدُ اَلْوَصِيِّينَ وَ أَنَّ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ حَقٌّ وَ أَنَّ اَلْمَوْتَ حَقٌّ وَ اَلْبَعْثَ حَقٌّ «وَ أَنَّ اَلسّٰاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ لاٰ رَيْبَ فِيهٰا وَ أَنَّ اَللّٰهَ يَبْعَثُ مَنْ فِي اَلْقُبُورِ» فَإِذَا قَالَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ مُنْكَرٌ لِنَكِيرٍ اِنْصَرِفْ بِنَا عَنْ هَذَا فَقَدْ لُقِّنَ بِهَا حُجَّتَهُ.
Yahya ibn Abdullah narrates from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام: "There is no harm for the family of the deceased among you to help the deceased prepare for the encounter with Munkar and Nakir (the questioning angels).” I asked: “How should we do that?” Imam عليه السلام said: “When the deceased is placed in the grave, the closest person to them should remain by their side, place their mouth near the head of the deceased, and call out in a loud voice: "O’ [name of the deceased], child of [father’s name], are you still on the covenant upon which we left you—the testimony that there is no god but Allah سبحانه وتعالى, alone without partner, and that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم is His servant and Messenger, the Master of the Prophets; that Ali is The Commander of the Faithful, the Master of the Successors; that what Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم brought is the truth; that death is real, resurrection is real, and that the Hour is coming without a doubt, and that Allah سبحانه وتعالى will raise those who are in the graves?" If this is said: Munkar will turn to Nakir and say: “Let us leave, for he has been properly instructed (given Talqeen)."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh