539. Obligatory precaution dictates that a Muslim who is dying—one who is about to give his life—should be made to sleep on his back if possible, in a manner that the sole of his feet face the qiblah, be the Muslim a man or a woman, young or old. If for any reason it is not possible to make him sleep exactly in this manner, the recommended precaution is that they should act according to these instructions as closely as possible. Similarly, if it is not possible to make him lie down in any possible manner, the recommended precaution is to make him sit facing the qiblah. If this not be possible either, he should be made to sleep on his right or left side with his body facing the qiblah.
540. The obligatory precaution is that as long as the body has not been taken away, it should be laid facing the qiblah. Recommended precaution dictates that the same be done during ghusl. However, once the ghusls are completed, it is recommended to lay it in the same manner as it is laid for offering prayers on it.
541. Based on precaution, it is obligatory upon every Muslim to make a dying person face the qiblah (in the manner described above). If possible, he should seek permission from the dying person himself. If it is not possible, or if the permission of the dying person is not legally valid, based on precaution he should seek permission from the dying person’s guardian.
542. It is recommended to instruct the shahÁdatayn, the belief in the twelve Imams (Peace be upon them) and the rest of the doctrinal truths to a dying person in a manner that he understands. In fact, it is recommended to repeat the aforementioned beliefs to him until he dies. It is also recommended to instruct du‘Á al-faraj to the dying person.
543. It is recommended that the following supplication be instructed to a dying person in a manner that he understands:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الْكَثِيرَ مِنْ مَعَاصِيكَ وَ اقْبَلْ مِنِّي الْيَسِيرَ مِنْ طَاعَتِكْ
يَا مَنْ يَقْبَلُ الْيَسِيرَ وَ يَعْفُو عَنِ الْكَثِيرِ اقْبَلْ مِنِّي الْيَسِيرَ وَ اعْفُ عَنِّي الْكَثِيرَ
إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَفُوُّ الْغَفُوراللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي فَإِنَّكَ رَحِيم({^ O Allah, forgive me the much (that I have committed) of your sins,
And accept from me the little (that I have performed) of your obedience,
O the one who accepts the little and forgives the much,
Accept from me what is little and forgive me the much,
Surely you are the all-Excusing, the all-Forgiving.
O Allah have mercy on me, for surely you are all-Merciful.^})
Allahhummaghfir liyal kathira mim ma'asika waqbal minniyal yasira min ta'atika ya mayyaqbalul yasira wa ya'fu 'anil katheer, iqbal minniyal yasira wa'fu 'anniyal katheer. Innaka antal 'afuwwul ghafur. Allahummar hamni fa innaka Raheem.
544. If a dying person is experiencing the throes of death, it is recommended to place him in the area where he used to pray, provided it does not cause him discomfort.
545. It is recommended to recite the following selections from the Qur’an at the bedside of a dying person: YÁsin, al-ÑÁffÁt and al-AÎzÁb, Àyat al-KursÐ, and the last three verses of sÙrat al-Baqarah. In fact, one should recite whatever he can from the Qur’an for the dying person.
546. It is makrÙh (reprehensible) to leave a dying person alone, to place something over his stomach, to talk excessively or to cry in his presence, and to leave womenfolk alone with him. It is also makrÙh for someone in the state of janÁbah or Îayà to be in his presence.
539. Obligatory precaution dictates that a Muslim who is dying—one who is about to give his life—should be made to sleep on his back if possible, in a manner that the sole of his feet face the qiblah, be the Muslim a man or a woman, young or old. If for any reason it is not possible to make him sleep exactly in this manner, the recommended precaution is that they should act according to these instructions as closely as possible. Similarly, if it is not possible to make him lie down in any possible manner, the recommended precaution is to make him sit facing the qiblah. If this not be possible either, he should be made to sleep on his right or left side with his body facing the qiblah.
540. The obligatory precaution is that as long as the body has not been taken away, it should be laid facing the qiblah. Recommended precaution dictates that the same be done during ghusl. However, once the ghusls are completed, it is recommended to lay it in the same manner as it is laid for offering prayers on it.
541. Based on precaution, it is obligatory upon every Muslim to make a dying person face the qiblah (in the manner described above). If possible, he should seek permission from the dying person himself. If it is not possible, or if the permission of the dying person is not legally valid, based on precaution he should seek permission from the dying person’s guardian.
542. It is recommended to instruct the shahÁdatayn, the belief in the twelve Imams (Peace be upon them) and the rest of the doctrinal truths to a dying person in a manner that he understands. In fact, it is recommended to repeat the aforementioned beliefs to him until he dies. It is also recommended to instruct du‘Á al-faraj to the dying person.
543. It is recommended that the following supplication be instructed to a dying person in a manner that he understands:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الْكَثِيرَ مِنْ مَعَاصِيكَ وَ اقْبَلْ مِنِّي الْيَسِيرَ مِنْ طَاعَتِكْ
يَا مَنْ يَقْبَلُ الْيَسِيرَ وَ يَعْفُو عَنِ الْكَثِيرِ اقْبَلْ مِنِّي الْيَسِيرَ وَ اعْفُ عَنِّي الْكَثِيرَ
إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَفُوُّ الْغَفُوراللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي فَإِنَّكَ رَحِيم ({^O Allah, forgive me the much (that I have committed) of your sins,
And accept from me the little (that I have performed) of your obedience,
O the one who accepts the little and forgives the much,
Accept from me what is little and forgive me the much,
Surely you are the all-Excusing, the all-Forgiving.
O Allah have mercy on me, for surely you are all-Merciful.^})
Allahhummaghfir liyal kathira mim ma'asika waqbal minniyal yasira min ta'atika ya mayyaqbalul yasira wa ya'fu 'anil katheer, iqbal minniyal yasira wa'fu 'anniyal katheer. Innaka antal 'afuwwul ghafur. Allahummar hamni fa innaka Raheem.
544. If a dying person is experiencing the throes of death, it is recommended to place him in the area where he used to pray, provided it does not cause him discomfort.
545. It is recommended to recite the following selections from the Qur’an at the bedside of a dying person: YÁsin, al-ÑÁffÁt and al-AÎzÁb, Àyat al-KursÐ, and the last three verses of sÙrat al-Baqarah. In fact, one should recite whatever he can from the Qur’an for the dying person.
546. It is makrÙh (reprehensible) to leave a dying person alone, to place something over his stomach, to talk excessively or to cry in his presence, and to leave womenfolk alone with him. It is also makrÙh for someone in the state of janÁbah or Îayà to be in his presence.
