When a person dies, his loss is acutely felt by his family and close friends. The fact that they know nothing about what happens after death intensifies their desire to do anything that could make his passage into the hereafter easier and more comfortable. As Muslims, we believe that life does not end with death, although death means the end for the body. The spirit is gathered by the angels and is held by the Creator until the Day of Judgment when it begins its second life, either in heaven or in hell. Since man’s actions in this life determine his future abode, we try to help our departing loved ones to attain happiness in their future life. We pray for them and appeal to God to bestow His mercy on them. It is important, therefore, to learn what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did when a person died so that we follow his suit. It is from him that we receive guidance as to what pleases God and ensures His acceptance of our prayers.
Umm Salamah reports: “The Prophet entered the room where Abu Salamah was lying, and he found him dead, with his eyes widely open. He closed his eyes, then said: ‘When the soul is gathered, eyesight follows.’ When Abu Salamah’s people heard this, their cries were loud. The Prophet said: ‘Do not pray concerning yourselves unless you say what is good. The angels will second whatever you say in your prayers.’ He then prayed for the deceased saying: ‘My Lord! Grant forgiveness to Abu Salamah and raise his status among those who are rightly guided. Take good care of those whom he has left behind. Forgive us and him, Lord of all the worlds. Give him both expanse and light in his grave.’” (Related by Muslim and Abu Dawood.)
Abu Salamah, Abdullah ibn Abd Al-Asad, was one of the Prophet’s early companions and well loved by him. He had been among those who went to Abyssinia when the Prophet instructed his companions to leave Makkah, where they were suffering from religious persecution. He returned to Makkah after some time, but the Quraysh people were hard on him. When he realized that the people of Madinah began to accept Islam, he immigrated to Madinah. Indeed, he was the first of the Makkan Muslims to go there to settle, arriving in Madinah one year earlier than the other immigrants. He did not live long before he died in Madinah. The Prophet was in grief at his loss as Abu Salamah was a fine man, with good character and endearing personality. The Prophet’s prayer for him when he died gives us a clear idea of how close to the Prophet he was.
Indeed the Prophet was keen to pray for every one of his companions who died during his lifetime. He loved his companions, knowing that they were people of high caliber, ready to give any sacrifice they are called upon to make for their faith. Ibn Abbas reports that “the Prophet passed by a grave where the dead person was buried the previous night. He asked: ‘When was this one buried?’ They said: ‘Last night.’ He said: ‘Why did you not tell me?’ They said: ‘We buried him in the depth of the night, and we did not like to wake you up.’ The Prophet stood up and we, including myself, stood in lines behind him. He led us in performing the prayer for a deceased person, i.e. janasah prayer.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
This prayer should be performed before the deceased is buried, and it is normally led by one of his closest relatives. However, the Prophet teaches us in this instance that it could be performed more than once, upon people learning of the death of the person concerned. Indeed, it may be offered at a distant place, when people learn of someone’s death. Abu Hurayrah reports: “God’s messenger announced Negus’ death to his companions on the day he died. He took them to the praying place outside Madinah where they lined in rows and they performed the special prayer for a deceased person.” (Related by Malik, Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
This Hadith is important to us as we are now able to learn what happens to our friends and relatives living all over the world in no time. Should we learn of the death of a relative or a friend, we can perform this prayer, appealing to God to bestow His mercy on the deceased person and to take care of his family.
Since prayer is the best that we can do for a person who has died, people are keen to learn what to say in such a prayer. Awf ibn Malik reports: “The Prophet performed the special prayer for a deceased person and I memorized the following parts of what he said in his prayer: ‘My Lord! Grant him forgiveness and bestow Your mercy on him. Purify and pardon him; grant him a good abode and a wide entrance; wash him with water, snow and hale; purify him of sin as a white robe is kept free of stains; give him a place that is better than his home, and a family better than his own family and a wife better than his wife in this present life; give him a place in heaven and protect him from the torment in the grave and the punishment in hell.’ Indeed I felt so pleased for the dead person that I wished I was in his place.”
This is the main part of the prayer we say for a deceased person. We can add what we wish, but there is little that we ask God to grant to a dead person other than forgiveness of his sins, bestowing mercy on him and granting him admittance into heaven. What else does a dead person need? The Prophet’s prayer to grant the person a better home, family and wife than the ones he leaves behind should be taken in context. The dead person departs this life and if he is a good believer, he goes to heaven. It is in heaven that he will have a better home and a better family. Thus, the prayer is another form of the same request to place the deceased person among the inhabitants of heaven.
The Prophet often prayed for his companions who had died. Aishah, his wife, reports that whenever it was her turn for the Prophet to stay the night in her home, he would go toward the end of the night to Al-Baqee’, the Madinah graveyard. He would say: “Peace be to you all in this abode of believing people. You are about to have tomorrow what you have been promised. We shall catch up with you as God pleases. My Lord! Grant forgiveness to the dwellers of Baqee’ Al-Gharqad.” (Related by Muslim.)