The Obligations of the Neighbors toward the People of the Deceased and Mourning Ceremonies

لَمَّا قُتِلَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَاطِمَةَ ع أَنْ تَتَّخِذَ طَعَاماً- لِأَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ عُمَيْسٍ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَ تَأْتِيَهَا وَ نِسَاءَهَا فَتُقِيمَ عِنْدَهَا ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَجَرَتْ بِذَلِكَ السُّنَّةُ أَنْ يُصْنَعَ لِأَهْلِ الْمُصِيبَةِ طَعَامٌ ثَلَاثاً.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when Ja‘far ibn abu Talib was martyred, the Messenger of Allah instructed Fatimah, ‘Alayha al-Salam, to prepare food for Asma’ bint ‘Umays for three days and visit her with a group of her women everyday for three days. This formed the tradition to prepare food for the people of the

يُصْنَعُ لِأَهْلِ الْمَيِّتِ مَأْتَمٌ‌[1] ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ يَوْمَ مَاتَ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Mourning ceremony is organized for a deceased for three days, beginning from the day of his death.’”

يَنْبَغِي لِجِيرَانِ صَاحِبِ الْمُصِيبَةِ أَنْ يُطْعِمُوا الطَّعَامَ عَنْهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that neighbors of the people of a deceased should prepare food for them (people of the deceased) for three days.”

أَوْصَى أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع بِثَمَانِمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ لِمَأْتَمِهِ وَ كَانَ يَرَى ذَلِكَ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ لِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ اتَّخِذُوا لآِلِ جَعْفَرٍ طَعَاماً فَقَدْ شُغِلُوا.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), said in his will that eight hundred dirhams should be spent to organize a memorial service for his death. He considered it as part of the tradition; the Messenger of Allah had said, ‘Prepare food for the family of Ja‘far; they are preoccupied (with the death of Ja‘far).’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع إِنَّ امْرَأَتِي وَ امْرَأَةَ ابْنِ مَارِدٍ تَخْرُجَانِ فِي الْمَأْتَمِ فَأَنْهَاهُمَا فَتَقُولُ لِيَ امْرَأَتِي إِنْ كَانَ حَرَاماً فَانْهَنَا عَنْهُ حَتَّى نَتْرُكَهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ حَرَاماً فَلِأَيِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ تَمْنَعُنَاهُ فَإِذَا مَاتَ لَنَا مَيِّتٌ لَمْ يَجِئْنَا أَحَدٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع عَنِ الْحُقُوقِ تَسْأَلُنِي كَانَ أَبِي ع يَبْعَثُ أُمِّي وَ أُمَّ فَرْوَةَ تَقْض

“Once I said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘My wife and the wife of ibn Marid went to join a memorial service, and I tried to stop them but my wife said, “If it is unlawful then stop us so we desist, but if it is not unlawful then why should you stop us? If one of us will die no one will come to us.”’ Abu al-Hassan (a.s.),

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص‌ مُرُوا أَهَالِيَكُمْ بِالْقَوْلِ‌ الْحَسَنِ عِنْدَ مَوْتَاكُمْ فَإِنَّ فَاطِمَةَ س لَمَّا قُبِضَ أَبُوهَا ص أَسْعَدَتْهَا بَنَاتُ هَاشِمٍ فَقَالَتِ اتْرُكْنَ التَّعْدَادَ وَ عَلَيْكُنَّ بِالدُّعَاءِ[1].

6. Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Kufiy has narrated from ibn Jumhur from his father from Muhammad ibn Sinan from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar who has said the following: “He has also said that al-Asamm has narrated to us from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who has said the following: ‘’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.