Question

Upon a person’s death please tell me if the shahadah must be read as well as Surah Baqarah. Also does reading Quran, Yasin or du’as help the dead person?

 

Answer

1. When a person is in the throes of death, those present should recite the shahadah audibly, to remind this dying person to recite it. One should not directly address the dying person and ask him/her to recite the shahadah.

Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id Al-Khudary (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

Remind those among you who are dying to recite “Lailaha illallah…

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 916)

There are no specified number of times to recite the shahadah at this instance. When the dying person recites the shahadah, then those present should remain silent.

2. Reciting Surah Baqarah by the deceased:

Sayyiduna Al Lajlaj (radiyallahu ’anhu), a companion of Rasulullah (sallallahu ’alayhi wa sallam), had bequeathed his son that after he leaves this world, he should recite the beginning and end of Surah Al-Baqarah at the head side of his grave. Sayyiduna Al-Lajlaj (radiyallahu ’anhu) then mentioned that he heard this from Rasulullah (sallallahu ’alayhi wa sallam).

(Al Mu’jamul Kabir of Imam Tabarani; Hafiz Haythami has regarded the narrators of this tradition as reliable – refer Majma’uz Zawaid vol. 3, pg. 44)

This has also been recorded to be the practice of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘’Umar (radiyallahu ’anhu).

(As Sunanul Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi vol. 4, pg. 56).

This narration has been classified as sound (hasan) by ‘Allamah Nawawi and Hafiz ibn Hajar (rahimahumallah).

(Al Adhkar pg. 212 Hadith: 493; Al Futuhatur Rabbaniyyah vol. 3, pg. 194)

3. Sayyiduna Ma’qil ibn Yasar (radiyallahu ’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said: “Surah Yasin is the heart of the Qur’an. When anyone who intends the Akhirah recites it Allah will forgive him. Recite it upon your deceased.”

(Sunan Abi Dawud)

Imam Hakim has classified this tradition as sahih (authentic); Mustadrak Hakim vol. 1, pg. 565 – see Targhib vol. 2, pg. 376

Imam Ahmad has narrated in his Musnad from Safwan that, “The scholars use to say that when it is recited near the deceased, Allah creates ease for him/her.”

(See Tafsir ibn Kathir vol. 3, pg. 571)

4. For details on how to benefit the deceased with our deeds by “isalus thawab” click here.

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar