Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

How to pray for the dead people, what special sural and dua to read etc

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

How to help deceased

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, 'When a person dies all his good deeds cease except for three:

1. a continuous act of charity (which the deceased did in his lifetime),
2. beneficial knowledge (which the deceased left behind),
3. and a righteous son (children) who prays for him'.''

Related by Muslim and Abu Dawood.

 

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, 'The righteous works that continue to benefit a believer after his death include the knowledge that he taught and spread among others, a righteous son (children) whom he leaves behind, or a copy of the Qur'an that he bequeaths to his inheritors, or a mosque that he builds, or a rest house that he builds for the wayfarers, or a canal of water that he digs for the benefit of others, or a charity that he gives out of his property during his life while he is sound of health. He will continue to receive reward for all these even after his death.'

Related by Ibn Maajah.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqmaan verse 33:

33      O mankind! Do your duty to your Lord and fear (the coming of) a Day when no father can avail aught for his son; nor a son can avail aught for his father!  Verily the Promise of Allah is True: let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiver (the Shaytaan) deceive you about Allah.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 44 Surah Dukhan verses 40-42:

40      Verily the Day of Sorting Out is the time appointed for all of them

41      The Day when no protector can avail his client in aught, and no help can they receive (from any quarter)

42      Except such as receive Allah's Mercy: for He is exalted in Might Most Merciful.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 82 Surah Infitaar verses 18-19:

18      Again what will explain to thee what the Day of Judgment is?

19      (It will be) the Day when no soul shall have power (to do) aught for another: for the Command that Day will be (wholly) with Allah.

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.294         Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Messenger of Allah (saws) stood up when the Verse: "And warn your tribe of near kindred..."  (26.214) was revealed and said, "O people of the Quraish people! Buy yourselves! I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him)! O Bani Abu Manaf! I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him)! O Abbas, the son of Abdul Muttalib (and uncle of the Prophet (saws))! I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him)! O Safiya, (the aunt of the Prophet (saws))! I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him)! O Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad! Ask what you wish from my property, but I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him)!"

 

In light of the above absolutely clear guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, there is none except Allah Subhanah Who Alone can help someone after their death….no father, no son, no wife, no Prophet, absolutely no one….except the Lord of the Worlds Alone.

 

Although there is no ‘one’ who can help their deceased loved ones after their death, there are some things which the survivors of the deceased may do which would definitely benefit the deceased after their death.

 

If the deceased are one’s parents, or guardians, or loved ones who inspired and strove and were instrumental in helping to guide them to the Straight Path and obedience of Allah, then every single good deed that the one who was taught by them does….. not only will that person (living) have their own reward for that deed, but the Lord Most Merciful will bestow upon the deceased an equal reward for that deed, without any diminish whatsoever in the reward of the one who does the deed.

 

Jarir ibn Abdallah reported: "The Prophet (saws) said: 'Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam will get its reward and the rewards for all those who follow these practices after him, without any loss to their reward.  And whoever introduces a bad practice in Islam will acquire its sin and the sins of all those who practice it, without any decrease in their sins."

 

Thus my beloved sister, it is not the performing of self-invented rites and rituals (qulls, fatihas, hutums, etc) or the recitations of some Verses or Surahs which help one’s deceased loved ones in aught, but what really helps them is the supplications their surviving loved ones makes for them….. and if the deceased was one who was instrumental in another’s guidance to the Right Path, then every single good deed that these survivors do, the deceased too shall have a reward of those deeds without any diminish in the reward of the one’s who does good deeds.

 

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws),   one can be assured of never ever being misled;   but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.  

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan