Dead People Visit Their Families

إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَزُورُ أَهْلَهُ فَيَرَى مَا يُحِبُّ وَ يُسْتَرُ عَنْهُ مَا يَكْرَهُ وَ إِنَّ الْكَافِرَ لَيَزُورُ أَهْلَهُ فَيَرَى مَا يَكْرَهُ وَ يُسْتَرُ عَنْهُ مَا يُحِبُّ قَالَ وَ مِنْهُمْ‌[1] مَنْ يَزُورُ كُلَّ جُمْعَةٍ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَزُورُ عَلَى قَدْرِ عَمَلِهِ.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that a believing deceased person visits his family. He observes such matters that he loves and what he dislikes is kept hidden from him. A deceased unbeliever person also visits his family but observes what he dislikes and things that he loves are kept hidden from him. Certain ones of t

مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ وَ لَا كَافِرٍ إِلَّا وَ هُوَ يَأْتِي أَهْلَهُ عِنْدَ زَوَالِ الشَّمْسِ فَإِذَا رَأَى أَهْلَهُ يَعْمَلُونَ بِالصَّالِحَاتِ حَمِدَ اللَّهَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَ إِذَا رَأَى الْكَافِرُ أَهْلَهُ يَعْمَلُونَ بِالصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ حَسْرَةً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that every believing and unbeliever person visits his family everyday just after midday. If he finds his family performing good deeds, he praises and thanks Allah for this. When an unbeliever finds his family in good deeds, he laments and regrets (for his lost opportunities).”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْمَيِّتِ يَزُورُ أَهْلَهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقُلْتُ فِي كَمْ يَزُورُ قَالَ فِي الْجُمْعَةِ وَ فِي الشَّهْرِ وَ فِي السَّنَةِ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَنْزِلَتِهِ فَقُلْتُ فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ يَأْتِيهِمْ قَالَ فِي صُورَةِ طَائِرٍ لَطِيفٍ يَسْقُطُ عَلَى جُدُرِهِمْ وَ يُشْرِفُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِنْ رَآهُمْ بِخَيْرٍ فَرِحَ وَ إِنْ رَآهُمْ بِشَرٍّ وَ حَاجَةٍ حَزِنَ وَ اغْتَمَ‌[2].

“I (the narrator) asked abu al-Hassan al-Awwal (a.s.), about a deceased person’s visiting his family. He replied, ‘Yes, (this is a fact).’ I then asked, ‘How often do such visits take place?’ He replied, ‘In a Friday (week), in a month and in a year, depending upon his status.’ I then asked, ‘In what form does he visit

قُلْتُ لَهُ الْمُؤْمِنُ يَزُورُ أَهْلَهُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ يَسْتَأْذِنُ رَبَّهُ‌ فَيَأْذَنُ لَهُ فَيَبْعَثُ مَعَهُ مَلَكَيْنِ فَيَأْتِيهِمْ فِي بَعْضِ صُوَرِ الطَّيْرِ يَقَعُ فِي دَارِهِ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ يَسْمَعُ كَلَامَهُمْ.

"Does a deceased believing person visit his family?’". He replied, "Yes, he asks his Lord for permission; then by His permission with two angels he comes to his family in the form of some kind of a bird. He turns around his house and observes his family and hears whatever they say.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلِ ع يَزُورُ الْمُؤْمِنُ أَهْلَهُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقُلْتُ فِي كَمْ قَالَ عَلَى قَدْرِ فَضَائِلِهِمْ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَزُورُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَزُورُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمَيْنِ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَزُورُ فِي كُلِّ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ قَالَ ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ فِي مَجْرَى كَلَامِهِ أَنَّهُ يَقُولُ أَدْنَاهُمْ مَنْزِلَةً يَزُورُ كُلَّ جُمْعَةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ فِي أَيِّ سَاعَةٍ قَالَ عِنْدَ

“I asked abu al-Hassan al-Awwal (a.s.), ‘Does a believing deceased person visit his family?’ He replied, ‘Yes, he does.’ I then asked, ‘How often does he visit them?’ He replied, ‘It depends upon their merits. Certain ones among them visit every day, others visit every other day, and still others among them visit after