Condolences and the Obligations of the People of the Deceased

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Isma’il from Muhammad ibn ‘Adhafir from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that condolence is offered only near the grave. Thereafter people should disperse so that if something should happen to the deceased no one can hear the voice.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Sahl ibn Ziyad all from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Qummiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man who is paid for al-Hajj and he spends openhandedly, but still a certain amount remains with him; if he is required to return it to the payer. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it belongs to him.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Sa‘d ibn Sa‘d from Muhammad ibn al-Qasim ibn Fudayl who has said the following: “About the case of a man who marries a woman as a virgin but finds that she is not virgin; if it is permissible to live with her, abu al-Hassan has said, ‘At certain times it is torn because of riding or jumping.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that condolences should be offered to the people of the deceased after burial takes place.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn al-Hassan from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah from ‘Ammar ibn Musa al-Sabatiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is paid for performing al-Hajj for another person; if he can spend from such amount for other things. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he guarantees al-Hajj, dirhams belong to him with which he can do whatever he wants, but he owes al- Hajj.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from al-Hajjal from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar (in a maqtu’ manner) who has said the following: “He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said that condolences should be offered only near the grave. Thereafter people should return so that they cannot hear the voice if anything happens to the deceased.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following: “‘Umar ibn Yazid sent me to abu Ja’far al-Ahwal with a certain amount of dirham and asked me to tell him to perform al-Hajj with it if he wanted, or if he wanted to benefit in other ways, he can do so. He spent it for other things and did not perform al-Hajj . Certain persons of our people mentioned it to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he (the Imam) said, ‘You have found a faqih (knowledgeable in matters of Shari ‘ah) shaykh.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the necessary condolence should be offered after burial takes place.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following: “When Ismai‘1 ibn abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), died, abu ‘Abd Allah walked to the coffin (stretcher) barefoot and without a gown.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that people of the deceased should remove their gowns. This can serve as a sign to show that they are of the people of the deceased.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam, from Rifa‘ah al-Nakhkhas from a man who has said the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), offered condolences to a man because of the death of his son, saying, ‘Allah is better for your son than you are, and the reward from Allah is better for you than your son.’ When he (Imam) heard him crying loudly, he returned to him saying, ‘The Messenger of Allah died. Is this not enough lesson for you?’ He said, ‘He (my son) was drunk.’ The Imam said, ‘There are three things before him: The testimony, “No one deserves to be worshipped except Allah, the mercy and kindness of Allah and the intercession of the Messenger of Allah.” Either one of these will save him, if Allah so will.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

8. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Ishaq from Sa‘dan ibn Muslim from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that people of the deceased should not wear their gowns. They should wear only shirts so people can recognize them.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Isma’il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who has said the following: “I observed (Imam) Musa (a.s.), offer condolences before and after burial.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

10. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mehran who said: “Abu Ja’far, the second (a.s.), wrote to a man: You mentioned your affliction with the loss of your son ʿAlī, and you mentioned that he was the most beloved of your children to you. Likewise, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, only takes from the parent and others the purest of what they have to magnify the reward of the one afflicted by the calamity. May Allah magnify your reward, grant you the best of solace, and strengthen your heart, for He is capable. May Allah hasten for you a replacement, and I hope that Allah has already done so; if Allah wills, exalted be He.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.