The Chapter of Condolences and Grief During Calamities, Visiting Graves, Lamentation and Mourning Gatherings
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 27
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh
Book 1, Chapter 27
The Chapter of Condolences and Grief During Calamities, Visiting Graves, Lamentation and Mourning Gatherings
وَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يُصَلَّى عَنِ اَلْمَيِّتِ فَقَالَ «نَعَمْ حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيَكُونُ فِي ضِيقٍ فَيُوَسِّعُ اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ اَلضِّيقَ ثُمَّ يُؤْتَى فَيُقَالُ لَهُ خُفِّفَ عَنْكَ هَذَا اَلضِّيقُ بِصَلاَةِ فُلاَنٍ أَخِيكَ عَنْكَ» قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فَأُشْرِكُ بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ فِي رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَالَ «نَعَمْ» فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ «إِنَّ اَلْمَيِّتَ لَيَفْرَحُ بِالتَّرَحُّمِ عَلَيْهِ وَ اَلاِسْتِغْفَارِ لَهُ كَمَا يَفْرَحُ اَلْحَيُّ بِالْهَدِيَّةِ تُهْدَى إِلَيْهِ.
Omar ibn Yazid said: I asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام whether it is permissible to pray on behalf of a deceased person. Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes, even to the extent that if the deceased is in difficulty, Allah سبحانه وتعالى will alleviate that difficulty through the prayer of his brother for him. Then it is said to the deceased, 'Your difficulty has been eased by the prayer of such-and-such, your brother, on your behalf.'" I then asked: "Can I include two people in one set of two units of prayer?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes." He عليه السلام also said: "The deceased rejoices in mercy and forgiveness offered on his behalf just as the living person rejoices in a gift given to him."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 32