Q. In an argument with friends, some people suggested that it is not right to praise dead people, or speak about their good qualities.
The reason they advance for this is that it could invite others who did not like the person being praised to speak ill of him. The course they advocated is that we confine ourselves to praying to God to bestow His mercy on the dead person mentioned. Please comment.
Javed
A. In Arab countries, people often quote the saying: “Speak of the good qualities of your dead.” This injunction, which fits perfectly with Islamic teachings, gives a complete answer to your argument. It is appropriate to speak well of a dead person, because this invites people to pray that God may bestow His mercy on him. It is not allowed to speak ill of the dead, because this is not only backbiting, but speaking ill of those who cannot defend themselves. This is contrary to all Islamic values. Needless to say, praying for mercy for a dead person is always encouraged, particularly for one’s parents.
