Salah (Prayer) for a Believer’s Dead Body, Takbir and Du’a

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about Salah (prayer) for a deceased. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must say five Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) in this Salah (prayer). After first Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) say, “I testify that only Allah deserves worship, He is one and has no partners and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause and to ’A’immah who provide right guidance and forgive us, our brothers who were believers before us and do not allow jealousy against the believers to enter our hearts. O Lord, You are compassionate and merciful. O Lord grant forgiveness to our living people, to those who have died of the male, female believing people, place kindness in our hearts, those of the virtuous ones among us and grant us guidance in the disputed matters of the issues of truth by Your permission; You guide, whomever You will, to the right path.” If the second Takbir is said (before you complete the above sayings), it is not harmful.You then say, “O Lord, this is Your servant, son of Your male and female servants. You know better than I about him do. He needs to receive mercy from You and You do not need him. O Lord forgive his sins, increase his good deeds, forgive him, have mercy upon him, lightup his grave, dictate to him his good argument, join him with his Holy prophet, do not deprive us of receiving rewards because of him and do not put us to trials after him.” Say this until you complete all five Takbir.’” (According to this Hadith there are five Takbir and after every Takbir there are the above recitations, which consist of the two testimonies, Salawat (O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause), prayer for the believers and prayer for the deceased).

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘In Salah (prayer) for a deceased say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description), then say, “O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause,” then say, “O Lord, this is Your servant the son of Your male and a female servant. I do not know about him except good but You know more about him than I know. O Lord if he is a person of good deeds, increase his good deeds, but if he is a person of bad deeds, forgive his sins, grant him mercy, make his grave spacious and make him of the friends of Muhammad, O Allah grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.” Then say the second Takbir (Allah is great beyond description). Then say, “O Lord, if he is a person of purity, purify him but if he is a sinner forgive him.” Then say the third Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) and say, “O Lord, do not deprive us of receiving rewards because of him and do not put us to trial after him.” Then say the fourth Takbir (Allah is great beyond description). Then say, “O Lord, write him (his name) with You among those of high status and replace him in his children whom he has left behind and make him of the friends of Muhammad, O Allah grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.” Then say the fifth Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) and end the Salah (prayer).’”

“I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about Takbir over a deceased person. He (the Imam) said, ‘There are five Takbir. In the first one say, “I testify that only Allah deserves worship, He is one and has no partners and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah, I pray to You to grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.” Then say, “O Lord, this person, shrouded in front of us, is your servant and the son of Your servant whose soul You have taken to Yourself, and he is in need for your mercy and You do not need his being punished. O Lord, if he is a person of good deeds, increase his good deeds; if he is a person of bad deeds, forgive his sins.” Then say the second Takbir and do the same after every Takbir.”

Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘In Salah (prayer) for a deceased say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) and the testimony and say, “We are from Allah and to Allah we return. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, Lord of death and life. O Allah, I pray to You to grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. O Allah I pray to You to grant Muhammad the best of rewards for his favors to his followers and for his preaching the message of his Lord.” Then say, “O Lord, this is Your servant, the son of Your male and a female servant. His forehead is in Your control. He has left this world, he is in need of Your mercy, and You do not need his being punished. O Lord, we do not know about him anything except good; but You know more about him than we know. O Lord, if he is a person of good deeds, increase his good deeds. If he is a person of bad deeds, forgive his sins, grant him mercy, forgive him through your mercy, join him with your Holy prophet, and keep him on the unchangeable word in the worldly life and in the hereafter. O Lord, make us to walk on the path of guidance and guide him and us to the right path. O Lord, grant (us) forgiveness, O Lord grant (us) forgiveness.” Then say the second Takbir. Repeat what you have said after every Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) until you say all five Takbir (Allah is great beyond description).’”

“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause. People raise their hands during the first Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) in Salah (prayer) for a deceased but not in the rest of Takbir and if should I raise my hand in the first Takbir only or in all Takbir. He (the Imam) said, ‘Raise your hand in all Takbir.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘In Salah (prayer) for a deceased say, ‘O Lord, You have created this soul and You have caused it to die. You know all of its secret and public matters. We have come to You to mediate before You in his favor, so accept our intercession. O Lord, entrust it with those whom it took as supreme power and raise it with those whom it loved.’”