English
The following is quoted, yet briefly, from the book entitled Zad al-Ma’ad by ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, may Allah show him mercy, under the title: Chapter: the Deceased Prayer:
The performance of the ritual Deceased Prayer is obligatory upon every Muslim individual who knows about the death of somebody. If one Muslim performs this prayer, the other Muslims will be exempted from this obligatory duty. Unanimously agreed by all scholars, the Deceased Prayer is obligatory upon all mature Twelver Shi’ites. However, it is most famous and most acceptable that this prayer is obligatory upon even the immature who are more than six year old. Apparently, it is sufficiently acceptable to intend seeking nearness to Almighty Allah (rather than pronouncing the words of intention). To perform the Deceased Prayer for the dead bodies of the less than six month year old babies who have been born alive is deemed highly recommended by some scholars, but deemed heretic by some others. However, it is precautious to neglect performing this prayer for these babies.
According to the religious law, the foremost people to perform the Deceased Prayer are the nearest to the deceased people and who deserve the largest quantity of his/her inheritance. This is the most familiar law. Thus, a husband must precede others in performing the Deceased Prayer of his wife.
The performer of the Deceased Prayer must face the kiblah direction and stand to the right side of the head of the dead body, which must be laid down on the back.
Validity of the Deceased Prayer is not conditional upon ceremonial purity; therefore, it is valid for the ceremonially impure, the menstruating women, and those who have not performed the ritual ablution (wuzu’) to perform such prayers, although it is recommended for the performers of this prayer to have performed the ritual ablution. If water is not available, there is something prevents from using water, or there is not enough time to perform the ritual ablution, it is then highly recommended, according to traditions, to perform the dry ablution (i.e. tayammum). However, it is understood from the apparent meanings of some traditions that dry ablution should be used even if there is nothing prevents from performing the ritual ablution.
It is also traditional that the performer of the Deceased Prayer should stand in the middle of the dead body of a man and in front of the breast of the dead body of a woman. This is the most familiar rule. Besides, the performer of the Deceased Prayer should take off the shoes and must intend performing the Deceased Prayer. He must then repeat the takbir statement five times. It is also traditional that he raises his hands to the level of his ears while uttering these statements. Familiarly, he should say the following words after uttering the first takbir statement:
اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَّاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ
I bear witness that there is no god save Allah
وَ اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللهِ۔
and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah’s messenger.
These words should be advisably said after uttering the second takbir statement:
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ۔
O Allah, (please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad.
These words should be advisably said after uttering the third takbir statement:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ۔
O Allah, (please) forgive the believing men and women.
These words should be advisably said after uttering the fourth takbir statement:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِهٰذَا الْمَيِّتِ۔
O Allah, (please) forgive this dead person.
Then, the fifth takbir statement should be uttered, and thus the prayer has been accomplished utterly and acceptably.
As another method, it is familiarly better to say these words immediately after determining the intention of performing the Deceased Prayer:
اَللهُ اَكْبَرُ
(1) Allah is the Most Great.
اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَّاۤ اِلٰهَ اِللّٰهُ
I bear witness that there is no god save Allah,
وَحْدَهُ لَاشَرِيْكَ لَهُ
One and Only and having no associate,
وَ اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهُ
and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger;
اَرْسَلَهُ بِالْحَقِّ بَشِيْرًا وَّ نَذِيْرًا
He has sent him with the truth as conveyor of good tidiness and warner (against His chastisement)
بَيْنَ يَدَىِ السَّاعَةِ۔
before the coming of the Hour (of Resurrection).
After that, it is recommended to say these words:
اَللّٰهُ اَكْبَرُ
(2) Allah is the Most Great.
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
O Allah, (please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad,
وَّ بَارِكْ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
send benedictions upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad,
وَّارْحَمْ مُحَمَّدًا وَّ اٰلَ مُحَمَّدٍ
and show mercy to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad,
كَاَفْضَلِ مَا صَلَّيْتَ وَ بَارَكْتَ وَ تَرَحَّمْتَ
in the most favorable way You have sent blessings, benedictions, and mercy
عَلٰى اِبْرَهِيْمَ وَ اٰلِ اِبْرَهيْمَ
to Abraham and the Household of Abraham.
اِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ
Verily, You are praiseworthy and All-glorious.
وَ صَلِّ عَلٰى جَمِيْعِ الْاَنْبِيَاۤءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِيْنَ۔
And (please) send blessings upon all the prophets and messengers.
After that, it is recommended to say these words:
اَللهُ اَكْبَرُ
(3) Allah is the Most Great.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ
O Allah, (please) forgive the believing men and women
وَالْمُسْلِميْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ
and the Muslim men and women,
اَلْاَحْيَاۤءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْاَمْوَاتِ
both the alive and the dead.
تَابِعْ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ
(Please) combine between them and ns in bliss and happiness.
اِنَّكَ مُجِيْبُ الدَّعَوَاتِ
Verily, You are the responding to the prayers.
اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّشَيْئٍ قَدِيْرٌ۔
Verily, You have power over all things.
After that, it is recommended to say these words:
اَللّٰهُ اَكْبَرُ
(4) Allah is the Most Great.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنَّ هٰذَا عَبْدُكَ
O Allah, this is Your servant
وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ وَابْنُ اَمَتِكَ
and the son of Your servant and Your she-servant;
نَزَلَ بِكَ
he is now Your guest
وَ اَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْزُوْلٍ بِهِ
and You are the ever best of all those who receive guests.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنَّا لَا نَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ اِلَّا خَيْرًا
O Allah, we know about him nothing but goodness
وَ اَنْتَ اَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنَّا
while You know about him better than we do.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِنًا
O Allah, if he is good-doer,
فَزِدْ فِىْ اِحْسَانِهِ
then (pleas) grant him more good turns from You,
وَ اِنْ كَانَ مُسِيْئًا
and if he is wrongdoer,
فَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْهُ وَاغْفِرْ لَهُ
then (please) excuse and forgive him.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ عِنْدَكَ فِىْ اَعْلٰی عِلِّيِّيْنَ
O Allah, (please) place him with You in the highest point of the Highest Position,
وَاخْلُفْ عَلٰى اَهْلِهِ فِى الْغَابِرِيْنَ
make those of his family members who remained behind him to take his place,
وَارْحَمْهُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ
and have mercy on him with Your mercy.
يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ۔
O most merciful of all those who show mercy.
The performer of the Deceased Prayer should then say one more takbir statement and finish the prayer.
If the dead person is female, the following words should be said by the performer of the Deceased Prayer instead:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنَّ هٰذِہِ اَمَتُكَ
O Allah, this is Your she-servant
وَابْنَۃُ عَبْدِكَ وَابْنَۃُ اَمَتِكَ
and the daughter of Your servant and Your she-servant;
نَزَلْتَ بِكَ
she is now Your guest
وَ اَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْزُوْلٍ بِهِ
and You are the ever best of all those who receive guests.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنَّا لَا نَعْلَمُ مِنْهَا اِلَّا خَيْرًا
O Allah, we know about her nothing but goodness
وَ اَنْتَ اَعْلَمُ بِهَا مِنَّا
while You know about her better than we do.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنْ كَانَتْ مُحْسِنَۃً
O Allah, if she is good-doer,
فَزِدْ فِىْ اِحْسَانِهَا
then (please) grant her more good turns from You,
وَ اِنْ كَانَتْ مُسِيْئَۃً
and if she is wrongdoer,
فَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْهَا وَاغْفِرْ لَهَا
then (please) excuse and forgive her.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا عِنْدَكَ فِىْ اَعْلٰی عِلِّيِّيْنَ
O Allah, (please) place her with You in the highest point of the Highest Position,
وَاخْلُفْ عَلٰى اَهْلِهَا فِى الْغَابِرِيْنَ
make those of her family members who remained behind her to take her place,
وَارْحَمْهَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ
and have mercy on her with Your mercy.
يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ۔
O most merciful of all those who show mercy.
If the dead person is of those whom are deemed enfeebled, then the performer of the Deceased Prayer should say these words:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلَّذِيْنَ تَابُوْا
O Allah, (please) forgive those who have repented
وَ اتَّبَعُوْا سَبِيْلَكَ
and followed Your Path
وَ قِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيْمِ۔
and protect them against the chastisement of Hellfire.
If the dead person is an immature child, the performer of the Deceased Prayer should say these words:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لِاَبَوَيْهِ وَ لَنَا
O Allah, (please) make for his parents and for us
سَلَفًا وَ فَرَطًا وَ اَجْرًا۔
a progeny,a precedence, and a reward.