Ghusl (bath) for Children and Salah (Prayer) for Them

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Musa from Zurarah from who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A miscarried child (fetus) after four months is given Ghusl (bath).’”

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that al-Hajj is performed during the designated months, which are the months of Shawwal, Dhu al-Qa’dah and Dhu al-Hajj ah. One who decides to perform al- Hajj, should allow his hair to grow as soon as he looks at the moon of the month of Dhu al-Qa’dah. One who decides to perform al-‘Umrah should allow his hair to grow for one month.”

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from ‘Abd Allah ibn Bukayr from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “About the case of a man who sends a proposal for marriage and he is absent. They give her in marriage to one who is absent and assign mahr (dower) but then news comes that he is dead after assigning mahr (dower). He (the Imam) said, If his earning is after his death she has no mahr (dower) or inheritance but if his earning is before his death then she deserves half of mahr (dower) and she inherits him.”’

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 Hammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Halabiy and Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about Salah (prayer) of a child. He (the Imam) said, ‘There is Salah (prayer) for him when he is able to understand it (Salah (prayer)).’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘When it becomes obligatory for him? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is when he is six years old and there is fasting on him when he is able to fast.’”

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

2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who wants to go for al-Hajj, if he can shave all of his head before seeing the new moon. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful before seeing the new moon. ‘“

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 ‘Umar ibn ’Udhaynah from Zurarah from who has said the following: “I saw a son of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), during the life time of abu Ja‘far (a.s.), called ‘Abd Allah Fatim moved in. I asked him about their Mawla’ next to him, ‘Who is he next to you?’ He replied, ‘He is my Mawla’ (servant or follower).’ The Mawla’, joking with him said, ‘I am not your Mawla’.’ He said, ‘That is worse for you.’ That boy was hurt and he died. (They carried) his body to al-Baqi’ cemetery in a basket. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), came out to join the funeral wearing a jubbah which was yellow, a yellow turban and a yellow shawl of khazz (a certain kind of fur). He (the Imam) walked to al-Baqi’ while leaning on me for support. People offered condolences for his grandchild. In al-Baqi’ abu Ja‘far (a.s.), moved forward and performed Salah (prayer) for the deceased boy with four Takbir. He then commanded to bury him. He (the Imam) then holding my hand moved away and then said, ‘Salah (prayer) was not performed for deceased children. ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), would command to bury them (children) without performing Salah (prayer). I performed Salah (prayer) only because of people of al-Madinah. I do not like their saying, ‘They do not perform Salah (prayer) for their children.’”

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

3. Ahmad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Sinan from abu Khalid from abu Hamzah who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘You must not shave, if you want to go for al-Hajj, in Dhu al-Qa’dah or in the month during which you want to perform al-‘Umrah.’”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Khalid and al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya ibn ‘Imran from ibn Muskan from Zurarah from who has said the following: “One of the sons of Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), died. He (the Imam) was informed of his death and he commanded for Ghusl (bath) and shroud. He (the Imam) walked in his funeral and performed Salah (prayer). A prayer mat was spread and he (the Imam) stood on it, then he (the Imam) stood on his grave until he was free, then moved away and I (the narrator) also moved away. I walked along with him (the Imam). He (the Imam) said that Salah (prayer) was not performed in such cases, but people did things and we also do like them. I (the narrator) then asked, ‘When Salah (prayer) is obligatory?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is necessary when he understands Salah (prayer) and he is six years old. I (the narrator) asked, ‘What do you say about children?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah was asked about them and he said that Allah knows best about what they have done.’”

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

4. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali from certain persons of our people from Sa‘id al-‘Araj who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A man who wants to go for al-Hajj must not remove any hair from his head or beard in the month of Dhu al-Qa’dah.’”

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

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn ’Isma‘il from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Zur’ah from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Awwal (a.s.), about a miscarried child whose body is complete if Ghusl (bath) is necessary as well as al-Lahad (a horizontal or vertical) ditch in the grave). He (the Imam) said, ‘All of such things are necessary.’”

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 ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Leave hairs untouched for al-Hajj when you see the new moon of Dhu al-Qa’dah, and one month before performing al-‘Umrah.”’

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

6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Mehran from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl who has said the following: “I once wrote to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), asking about what is done for a miscarried child. He (the Imam) wrote to me, ‘A miscarried child is buried with his blood in his place (right away).”’

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

7. ʿAlī ibn Ibrāhīm narrated from his father, from ʿAmrū ibn Saʿīd, from ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh, who said: I heard Abū al-Ḥasan Mūsā (AS) say, "When Ibrāhīm, the son of the Messenger of Allah (sw), passed away, three traditions were enacted concerning him. One of them was that when he died, the sun was eclipsed, and the people said, 'The sun is eclipsed due to the loss of the son of the Messenger of Allah.' So, the Messenger of Allah (sw) ascended the pulpit, praised Allah, and then said, 'O people! The sun and the moon are two signs from among the signs of Allah. They run by His command and are obedient to Him. They do not eclipse for the death or life of anyone. If they are eclipsed, or one of them is, then pray.' Then he descended from the pulpit, led the people in the prayer of the eclipse, and when he finished, he said, 'O ʿAlī, rise and prepare my son.' So, ʿAlī (AS) rose, washed Ibrāhīm, embalmed him, and shrouded him. Then he carried him out, and the Messenger of Allah (sw) proceeded with him until he reached his grave. The people said, 'The Messenger of Allah (sw) has forgotten to pray over Ibrāhīm because of the sorrow that has overtaken him.' So, he stood up and said, 'O people! Jibreel (AS) came to me with what you have said. You have claimed that I forgot to pray over my son because of the sorrow that overtook me. No, it is not as you thought. But the Subtle and All-Aware has obligated upon you five prayers, and He has made for your dead, from each prayer, a takbīr. He commanded me not to pray over anyone who did not offer the prayer.' Then he said, 'O ʿAlī, descend and place my son in the niche of the grave.' So, ʿAlī descended and placed Ibrāhīm in the niche of the grave. The people said, 'It is not appropriate for anyone to descend into the grave of his child since the Messenger of Allah (sw) did not do so.' The Messenger of Allah (sw) said to them, 'O people! It is not forbidden for you to descend into the graves of your children, but I fear that if one of you were to untie the shroud from his child, Satan might play with him, and he might be overtaken by such grief that it would nullify his reward.' Then he (sw) departed."

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

8. Ali has narrated from Ali ibn Shirah from Muhammad ibn Sulayman from Husayn al-Harshush from Hisham ibn Salim who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that people speak against us and do not accept our words, ‘there is no Salah (prayer) for a deceased child’; he has not performed any Salah (prayer). They say, ‘You say that there is no Salah (prayer) for those who have not performed any Salah (prayer).’ We say, ‘Yes that is true.’ They say, ‘Consider if a Christian or a Jew becomes a Muslim, then he dies within the same hour, then what is the answer?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Ask them to consider the case of this man, new Muslim, if he within the same hour falsely accuses a human being. What is his obligation because of his committing such sin? They will say that he is subject to punishment according to law. When they say this, then it is said to them, ‘If a child who has not performed any Salah (prayer) accuses a human being falsely, is he subjected to punishment according to law? They will say that he is not subject to any punishment. It then is said to them that you are right. Salah (prayer) is necessary for one who has performed Salah (prayer) and those who are subject to punishment according to law. Salah (prayer) is not necessary for one on whom Salah (prayer) is not obligatory or enduring punishment according to law.’”

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