Selections from the book Manazil al-Akhirah written by Shaikh ‘Abbas Ibn Muhammad Ridha al-Qummi (May Allah raise his rank)

Those Actions Which Prove Beneficial During Death To Ease The Troubles And Tribulations

1. Reciting Surah Ya Sin, Surah as-Saffat and the following Du’a:

لا إله إلا الله الحليم الكريم، لا إله إلا الله العلي العظيم، سبحان الله رب السماوات السبع وما فيهن وما بينهن ورب العرش العظيم، والحمد لله رب العالمين

2. Shaikh Saduq narrates from Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) that he said, “Allah will save the person who fasts on the last day of the month of Rajab from the after effects of death”.

3. The fasting on the 24th of Rajab carries a great reward. One of its merits is that when the Angel of Death comes to remove the spirit, he will appear in the form of a handsome youth carrying a bowl of pure drink which he offers the one who is about to die. The dying person does so, and thus, leaves this world in peace.

4. The Holy Prophet (S) has stated that if a person recites a four Rak’at Salat on the 7th of Rajab, and in each Rak’at after Surah al-Fatiha, recites Surah at-Tawhid three times followed by Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas once, and after the Salat recites a Salawat on the Prophet and his family and the Tasbihat al-Arba’ ten times, that:

“Almighty Allah will offer him shelter under the Throne, and grant him the reward of a person who has fasted the entire month of Ramadhan and until the time he finishes the prayer, the Angels pray for his forgiveness. Allah will ease the pain of death on him and save him from the squeezing of the grave. He will not die until he sees his place in Paradise, and will be safe from the hardships of the Resurrection”.

5. Shaikh Kaf’ami quotes a narration from the Prophet of Allah (S) that he said that Allah will forgive 4000 major sins of the person who recites the following Du’a ten times daily. This person will also be protected from 100,000 calamities at the time of death, including the squeezing of the grave. He will also be protected from Satan and his army. Allah will pay off his debts and save him from troubles and anxieties.

أعددت لكل هول لا إله إلا الله، ولكل هم وغم ما شاء الله، ولكل نعمة الحمد لله، ولكل رخاء الشكر لله، ولكل أعجوبة سبحان الله، ولكل ذنب أستغفر الله، ولكل مصيبة إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، ولكل ضيق حسبي الله، ولكل قضاء وقدر توكلت على الله، ولكل عدو اعتصمت بالله، ولكل طاعة ومعصية لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله العلي العظيم.

6. The recitation of the following Du’a seventy times carries a great reward, the least of which is that one will be given glad tidings that he will enter Paradise.

يا أسمع السامعين يا أبصر الناظرين يا أسرع الحاسبين يا أحكم الحاكمين

Those Actions Which Prove Beneficial During Death

1. The best of deeds is to perform the Salat on time. It has been related that there is not a single person in the east or the west on whom the sight of the Angel of Death does not fall on at least five times a day at the time of Salat. When the time of death approaches, the Angel of Death recognizes him and helps him to recite the Shahadatain and shuns away Satan from him.

2. The recitation of Du’a Tamjid, Du’a number 11 of as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah al-Kamilah of Imam ‘Ali Ibn Husayn Zain al-’Abidin (‘a) is very beneficial so as to die on the right path and to be saved from turning away from it.

3. The following Du’a should be recited in the Qunut on Sundays during the month of Dhu al-Qa’dah:

ربنا لا تزغ قلوبنا بعد إذ هديتنا وهب لنا من لدنك رحمة إنك أنت الوهاب

4. One should always wear a Aqiq ring, preferably of red colour and it is better if the following line is engraved on it:

محمد نبي الله وعلي ولي الله

5. Surah al-Mu’minun should be recited every Friday.

6. The following Du’a should be read seven times after Salat al-Fajr and Maghrib.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله العلي العظيم

Those Actions Which Are Beneficial For Warding Off Fear In The Grave

1. One who recites the following Du’a 100 times daily will be saved from the anxiety in the grave:

لا إله إلا الله الملك الحق المبين

2. It has been narrated that one who fasts for 12 days in the Month of Sha’ban, Allah will send 70,000 Angels to his grave.

Those Actions Which Save One From The Squeezing Of The Grave

This event is so horrifying that it makes a person shiver with fright in this very world. Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) said, “O’ Servants of Allah! The state in the grave of a person whose sins are not forgiven is more horrifying than death itself. Fear it’s (grave’s) narrowness, it’s squeezing, and its imprisonment and its loneliness!

Verily the grave calls out daily, ‘I am the house of loneliness, terror and worms.’ The grave is like paradise for the good doer, while a dungeon of hell for the evil doer. Allah tells His enemies that He will send 99 serpents in their graves, which will tear their flesh and smash their bones and this punishment will continue until the day of Judgement. If one of the serpents were to exhale towards the earth, all plants and trees would be destroyed! O’ Servants of Allah! Your souls are tender, and your bodies delicate - you cannot confront any ordinary serpent of this world - how then will you face these ones?”

1. Al-Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) used to wake up in the middle of the night and call out in a loud voice, so that everyone in the house could hear him:

اللهم أعني على هول المطلع ووسع علي ضيق المضجع وارزقني خير ما قبل الموت وارزقني خير ما بعد الموت

2. One of his (‘a) supplication (Du’a) is also stated:

اللهم بارك لي في الموت، اللهم أعني على سكرات الموت اللهم أعني على غم القبر، اللهم أعني على ضيق القبر اللهم أعني على وحشة القبر اللهم زوجني من الحور العين

3. One who recites Surah an-Nisa every Friday, will remain safe from the squeezing of the grave.

4. Allah will save the person who recites Surah az-Zukhruf from the reptiles of the earth and the squeezing of the grave.

5. A person who recites Surah al-Qalam in the Wajib Salat or the Mustahab Salat will remain safe from the punishment in the grave.

6. If a person passes away between the time of sunset of Thursday and the sunset of Friday, Allah will exempt him from the punishment in the grave.

7. Salat al-Lail is another act that saves one from the squeezing in the grave, grants one immunity from the fire of hell, and increases one’s age and sustenance.

8. If a person recites Surah al-Takathur before going to bed, Allah will grant him freedom from the punishment of the grave.

9. Fasting four days in the month of Rajab or twelve days in the month of Sha’ban also has benefits for the deceased.

10. Reciting Surah al-Mulk on top of the grave is an act which saves the deceased from the punishment in the grave.

11. The Prophet of Islam (S) has said that when a person is being buried, the following Du’a should be recited three times, as this will protect the corpse from punishment in the grave until the Day of Judgement:

اللهم إني أسألك بحق محمد وآل محمد أن لا تعذب هذا الميت

12. The Holy Prophet (S) has said that if a person recites a two Rak’at Salat on Friday night in which after Surah al-Fatiha, Surah al-Zilzal is read 15 times, Allah will free him from the punishment of the grave and save him from the fear on the Day of Judgement.

13. To keep a bit of the dirt of the land of Karbala, from around the grave of Imam al-Husayn (‘a), in one’s kafan or to rub it on the sevens parts of prostration.

14. It has been narrated from Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a), that if forty people gather near the deceased and say:

اللهم إنا لا نعلم منه إلا خيرا ، وأنت أعلم به منا ، فاغفر له

Allah will safeguard the deceased from the punishment in the grave.

Those Actions Which Help One On The Day Of Judgement

1. It is related that if a person recites Surah Yusuf daily, during the day or night, he will be brought on the Day of Judgement in the likeness and beauty of Prophet Yusuf (‘a), and will be saved from the fear of the Day of Judgement.

2. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a), said that the person who recites Surah al-Dukhan in his optional Salat or Wajib Salat will remain safe from the fear of Qiyamah.

3. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) has said that a person who recites Surah al-Ahqaf in the day or night on Friday will be safe guarded from all fears of this world as well as the hereafter.

4. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) has said that a person who recites Surah al-’Asr in his optional Salat will arise in delight on the Day of Judgement. His face will be glowing, his eyes shining, and he will enter Paradise in this cheerful state.

5. The Holy Prophet of Islam (S) has said that if a person guards himself from sins of the lustful passions only for the sake and fear of Allah, then Allah will make the fire of hell forbidden upon him and keep him away from the fear of Qiyamah.

6. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) said that whoever suppresses his anger even after having the power to retaliate, Allah will fill his heart with faith and save him from the terror of Qiyamah.

7. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) has said that if a person helps his believing brother and frees him from his anxiety and fulfils his desires, Allah, will offer him seventy-two types of favours. One of them is that He will increase his sustenance in this world and seventy-one are that He will guard him against the terrors and hardships of Qiyamah.