English
PROMPTING THE DEAD (TALQEEN)
With the exception of moribund condition, it is recommended to prompt the dead person on two occasions:
(1) when the body is placed in the grave; in this case, it is better to grasp the right shoulder of the dead with the right hand of the prompter and the left shoulder with the left hand. Then, the prompter should move the body and say the words to be prompted.
(2) after burying; the nearest relative of the dead person should sit to the side of the head, after all others leave, and prompt the dead in a loud voice. It is better to put the two palms on the grave and approach the mouth towards it. However, there is no objection if the nearest relative deputizes another person to prompt the dead person.
According to reported traditions, when a dead person is prompted these words, Munkar and Nakir (the two angels who interrogate the dead in the graves) will say, “This dead person has been prompted; therefore, there is no need to interrogate him. Let us leave.” Hence, they leave without interrogating the dead.
‘Allamah al-Majlisi, may Allah have mercy upon him, says: The all-comprehensive form of prompting the dead is as follows:
اِسْمَعْ اِفْهَمْ يَا۔۔۔بن۔۔۔
Listen! Understand! O (so and so) the son of (so and so)
هَلْ اَنْتَ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ الَّذِىْ فَارَقْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ
Are you still keeping the covenant on which you have departed us:
مِنْ شَهَادَةِ اَنْ لَّاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ
that you bear witness that there is no god save Allah,
وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ
One and Only and having no associate,
وَ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ
that Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his Household,
عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهُ
is his servant, messenger,
وَ سَيِّدُ النَّبِيِّيْنَ
the chief of the Prophets,
وَ خَاتَمُ الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ
and the seal of the Messengers,
وَ اَنَّ عَلِيًّا اَمِيْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ
that 'Ali is the commander of the faithful believers,
وَ سَيِّدُ الْوَصِيِّيْنَ
the chief of the Prophet’s successors,
وَ اِمامٌ افْتَرَضَ اللّٰهُ طَاعَتَهُ عَلَى الْعَالَمِيْنَ
and the Imam the obedience to whom has been made obligatory upon all people by Allah,
وَ اَنَّ الْحَسَنَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ
and that al-Hasan, al-Husayn,
وَ عَلِىَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنَِ
'Ali the son of al-Husayn,
وَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ
Muhammad the son of 'Ali,
وَ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ
Ja'far the son of Muhammad,
وَ مُوْسَىٰ بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ
Musa the son of Ja'far,
وَ عَلِىَّ بْنَ مُوْسىٰ
'Ali the son of Musa,
وَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ
Muhammad the son of 'Ali,
وَ عَلِىَّ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ
'Ali the son of Muhammad,
وَالْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِىٍّ
al-Hasan the son of 'Ali,
وَالقَاۤئِمَ الْحُجَّةَ الْمَهْدِىَّ
and the Rising, Argument, and well-guided Imam,
صَلَوَاتُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِمْ
may Allah’s blessings be upon them all,
اَئِمَّةُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ
are the leaders of the faithful believers,
وَ حُجَجُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ اَجْمَعِيْنَ
the arguments of Allah against all of the creatures,
وَ اَئِمَّتَكَ اَئِمَّةُ هُدًى اَبْرَارٌ
and your Imams; the immaculate leaders to true guidance.
يَا۔۔۔ بْنَ۔۔۔
O [so-and-so] the son of [so-and-so]
اِذا اَتاكَ الْمَلَكَانِ الْمُقَرَّبَانِ
When the two archangels come to you
رَسُوْلَيْنِ مِنْ عِنْدِاللّٰهِ تَبارَكَ وَ تَعَالٰى
as two messengers from Allah the All-blessed and All-exalted,
وَ سَئَلَاكَ عَنْ رَبِّكَ
and asked you about your lord,
وَ عَنْ نَبِيِّكَ وَ عَنْ دِيْنِكَ
your prophet, your religion,
وَ عَنْ كِتابِكَ وَ عَنْ قِبْلَتِكَ
your book, your direction,
وَ عَنْ اَئِمَّتِكَ فَلَا تَخَفْ
and your Imams, then do not be scared;
وَ قُلْ فِىْ جَوَابِهِمَا:
rather, you should, answering them, say,
اَللهُ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ رَبِّىْ
“Allah, Whose majesty is all-majestic, is my Lord,
وَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ نَبِيِّى
Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his Household, is my prophet,
وَالْاِسْلَامُ دِيْنِىْ
Islam is my religion,
وَ الْقُرْاٰنُ كِتَابِىْ
the Qur'an is my book,
وَالْكَعْبَۃُ قِبْلَتِىْ
the Ka'bah is my direction,
وَ اَمِيْرُالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عَلِىُّ بْنُ اَبِيْطَالِبٍ اِمَامِىْ
the Commander of the Faithful 'Ali the son of Abu-Talib is my Imam,
وَالْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْمُجْتَبٰى اِمَامِىْ
al-Hasan the son of 'Ali the well-chosen is my Imam,
وَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الشَّهِيْدُ بِكَرْبَلَاۤءَ اِمَامِىْ
al-Husayn the son of 'Ali the martyred in Karbala’ is my Imam,
وَ عَلِىُّ زَيْنُ الْعَابِدِيْنَ اِمَامِىْ
'Ali the adornment of the worshippers is my Imam,
وَ مُحَمَّدٌ بَاقِرُ عِلْمِ النَّبِيِّيْنَ اِمَامِىْ
Muhammad who split the knowledge of the Prophets is my Imam,
وَ جَعْفَرٌ الصَّادِقُ اِمَامِىْ
Ja'far the veracious is my Imam,
وَ مُوْسَىٰ الْكَاظِمُ اِمَامِىْ
Musa the suppressor of rage is my Imam,
وَ عَلِىٌّ الرِّضَا اِمَامِىْ
'Ali the amicable is my Imam,
وَ مُحَمَّدٌ الْجَوَادُ اِمَامِىْ
Muhammad the magnanimous is my Imam,
وَ عَلِىٌّ الْهَادِىْ اِمَامِىْ
'Ali the guide is my Imam,
وَ الْحَسَنُ الْعَسْكَرِىُّ اِمَامِىْ
al-Hasan the resident of 'Askar city is my Imam,
وَالْحُجَّةُ الْمُنْتَظَرُ اِمَامِىْ
and the Awaited argument-person is my Imam.
هٰؤُلَاۤءِ صَلَوَاتُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِمْ اَجْمَعِيْنَ اَئِمَّتِىْ
These, may Allah’s blessings be upon all of them, are my Imams,
وَ سَادَتِىْ وَقَادَتِىْ وَ شُفَعَاۤئِىْ
my chiefs, my leaders, and my interceders.
بِهِمْ اَتَوَلّٰى
I am loyal to them
وَ مِنْ اَعْدَاۤئِهِمْ اَتَبَرَّءُ
and I repudiate their enemies
فِى الدُّنْيَا وَالْاٰخِرَةِ،
in the world and the Hereafter.”
ثُمَّ اِعْلَمْ يَا۔۔۔ بْنَ۔۔۔
Be it known to you, O [so-and-so] the son of [so-and-so],
اَنَّ اللّٰهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالٰى نِعْمَ الرَّبُّ
that Allah the All-blessed and All-exalted is the most excellent Lord,
وَ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ نِعْمَ الرَّسُوْلُ
Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his Household, is the most excellent Messenger,
وَ اَنَّ اَمِيْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عَلِىَّ بْنَ اَبِىْ طَالِبٍ
the Commander of the Faithful 'Ali the son of Abu-Talib
وَ اَوْلَادَهُ الْاَئِمَّةَ الْاَحَدَ عَشَرَ نِعْمَ الْاَئِمَّةُ
and the eleven Imams who are his descendants are the most excellent Imams,
وَ اَنَّ مَا جَاۤءَ بِهِ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ حَقُّ
whatever has been conveyed by Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his Household, is true,
وَ اَنَّ الْمَوْتَ حَقُّ
death is true,
وَ سُؤَالَ مُنْكَرٍ وَ نَكِيْرٍ فِى الْقَبْرِ حَقُّ
the interrogation of Munkar and Naklr in the grave is true,
وَالْبَعْثَ حَقُّ
the raising from the dead is true,
وَالنُّشُوْرَ حَقُّ
the Resurrection is true,
وَ الصِّرَاطَ حَقُّ
the Discriminating Bridge is true,
وَالْمِيْزَانَ حَقُّ
the Scale is true,
وَ تَطَایُرَ الْكُتُبِ حَقُّ
the dispersion of the records is true,
وَالْجَنَّةَ حَقُّ
Paradise is true,
وَ النَّارَ حَقُّ
the Fire is true,
وَ اَنَّ السَّاعَةَ اٰتِيَةٌ لَارَيْبَ فِيْهَا
the Hour (of Resurrection) shall come; there is no doubt about it,
وَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ يَبْعَثُ مَنْ فِى الْقُبُوْرِ۔
and Allah shall resurrect those who are in graves.
Then, the prompter should ask:
اَفَهِمْتَ يَا…..
Did you understand, O (so and so)
According to a reported tradition, when a dead person is addressed these words, he answers, “Yes, I understand.”
The prompter should then say these words:
ثَبَّتَكَ اللّٰهُ بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ
May Allah confirm you with the sure word.
هَدَاكَ اللّٰهُ اِلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقيْمٍ
May Allah guide you to a straight path.
عَرَّفَ اللّٰهُ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ اَوْلِيَاۤئِكَ
May Allah introduce you to your leaders
فِىْ مُسْتَقَرٍّ مِنْ رَّحْمَتِهِ۔
in a resting-place of His mercy.
He may then add the following words:
اَللّٰهُمَّ جَافِ الْاَرْضَ عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ
O Allah, (please) take the earth away lest it touches his two sides,
وَاصْعَدْ بِرُوْحِهِ اِلَيْكَ
elevate his soul towards You,
وَلَقِّهِ مِنْكَ بُرْهَانًا
and make him find demonstration from You.
اَللّٰهُمَّ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ۔
O Allah, [I beseech for] Your pardon! [I beseech for] Your pardon!
Deliberately, I have chosen the word ‘pardon’ to be the sealing word of this book of mine, hoping trustfully that my Lord will include me, as well as all those who benefit from this book, with those whom He shall pardon, since sins have blackened my face.
The last of this book has been written down in the last Friday (19th) of the sacred month of Muharram, AH 1345 in the vicinity of our Imam and chief, the poisoned, the isolated, and the oppressed, Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, may the peace of the Ever-living and Self-subsisting Lord be upon him and upon his forefathers.
First and last, all praise be to Allah and may Allah bless Muhammad and his Household.
‘Abbas Muhammad Rida al-Qummi