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617. The following things are recommended while offering the prayer for the dead:
1. The person offering the prayer should have performed wuÃÙ, ghusl or tayammum. The obligatory precaution is that he should only perform tayammum in the event that performing wuÃÙ or ghusl is not possible, or if he fears that by performing wudhu or ghusl he will not be able to attend the prayer.
2. If the deceased is a man, the Imam of the congregation, or the one offering the prayer individually, should stand at the center of the body’s height. If the deceased is a woman, he should stand in front of the body’s chest.
3. He should offer the prayer bare-footed.
4. When pronouncing the takbÐrs he should raise his hands.
5. The distance between him and the body should be so short, that if the wind were to blow, his clothes would touch the body.
6. The prayer should be offered in congregation.
7. The Imam of the congregation should pronounce the takbÐrs and the recitations loudly, whilst those reciting with him should pronounce it softly.
8. In congregational prayer, the person praying with the Imam should stand behind him, even if he is alone.
9. The person offering the prayer should supplicate abundantly for the deceased and for all the believers.
10. The prayer should be offered at a location that people frequent for offering prayers on the dead.
11. If a woman in the state of Îayà offers the prayers in congregation, she should stand alone in a separate row.

618. It is reprehensible (makrÙh) to offer the prayer for the dead in a mosque, except for masjid al-ÎarÁm, wherein it is not reprehensible.

619. The corpse should be buried in the ground in a manner that its odor does not reach the people, and scavenging animals are not able to exhume it. If there is a fear that these animals may exhume the body, the grave should be fortified with bricks or similar objects.

620. If burying the corpse in the ground is not possible, it should be placed in a vault or a coffin whereby the objectives of burial are realized.

621. The body should be laid in the grave on its right side, in a manner that its anterior faces the qiblah.

622. If a person dies at sea, one should wait until they reach land and then bury his body in the ground, as long as his body does not decay, and there is no problem in retaining his body on the ship. Otherwise, his body should be given ghusl, ÎunÙÔ and shrouded at sea. After offering the prayer on his body, it should be laid in a large container, and the lid of the container should be closed on it. Thereafter it should be thrown into the sea. The obligatory precaution is that as much as possible, the front of the body should face the qiblah.
If this is not possible, a heavy weight should be tied to its feet, and it should then be thrown into the sea. If possible, it should be thrown in an area where it does not get devoured immediately by sea predators.

623. If it is feared that an enemy may dig open the grave of a deceased, exhume his body, and sever his ears, nose or other limbs, then if possible, the body should be buried at sea as elaborated in the previous article.

624. The cost of burying the body at sea, or fortifying the grave of a deceased can be withdrawn from the actual estate of a deceased, in the event that doing so is necessary.

625. If a kÁfir woman passes away, along with the baby in her womb, and the father of the baby is a Muslim, then the woman should be made to lie on her left side, with her back facing the qiblah, so that the front of the child faces the qiblah. Based on obligatory precaution, the same will apply if the spirit has not yet entered its body.

626. It is not permissible to burry a Muslim in the cemetery of the kÁfirs, nor is it permissible to burry a kÁfir in a Muslim cemetery.

627. It is not permissible to burry a Muslim in an area that would be a sign of disrespect to him, like burying him in a landfill.

628. It is not permissible to burry a deceased on usurped land, or a land which has been dedicated for a purpose other than burial.

629. It is not permissible to burry a dead body in the grave of another body, if it amounts to infringing on another person’s right, or the exhumation of a grave that has not decomposed, or amounts to disrespecting the deceased. Otherwise, there is no problem in doing so provided the grave is old, and the first body has disintegrated or has been exhumed.

630. If the thing that was severed from a deceased is a part of his body, it must be buried with him. If it be his hair, nail or tooth, it should be buried with him based on obligatory precaution. As for the nail or tooth which separates from him during his lifetime, its burial is recommended.

631. If a person dies in a well, and it is not possible to retrieve his body, then the entrance of the well should be closed, and it should be considered his grave.

817. If a person forgets that an item is najis, and his body or clothing contacts it with wetness, and he prays in the state of forgetfulness (of the najÁsah), but remembers it again after the completion of his prayer, his prayer is valid.
However, if a person’s body makes a moist contact with an item, the najÁsah of which he has forgotten, and he proceeds to perform ghusl and offer prayers without having washed the najÁsah, both his ghusl and prayer will be invalid. The only exception is the case wherein performing ghusl causes his body to become ÔÁhir as well; for example, performing ghusl with mu‘taÒam water, the water which does not become najis upon contacting najÁsah, such as kurr or flowing water.
Similarly, if a person’s bodily parts of wuÃÙ make a moist contact with an item, the najÁsah of which he has forgotten, and he performs wuÃÙ’ and offers prayers prior to making that part ÔÁhir, both his wuÃÙ and prayer will be invalid. The only exception is the case wherein he performs wuÃÙ in such a manner that the parts of wuÃÙ become ÔÁhir as well, as in the case of performing wuÃÙ with mu‘taÒam water.

632. If a baby dies in the womb of its mother, and leaving it in the womb is dangerous for the mother, it should be delivered through the easiest possible manner. If one is forced to cut it into pieces, there is no problem in doing so. However, it should be delivered by her husband if he is skilled at it, or another woman who is skilled at it, if he is not. If such a woman is not available, a maÎram man who is skilled at it, or a skilled non-maÎram man if a maÎram is not available. If a skilled non-maÎram man cannot be located either, one who is not skilled at the task—determined by observing the aforementioned sequence—can deliver the baby.

633. If a mother dies and the baby in her womb is alive, even if there is no hope for the baby’s survival, one of the persons mentioned in the previous article—determined by observing the stipulated sequence—should make an incision in her stomach in an area which does not endanger the wellbeing of the baby. He should then deliver the baby from the womb and stitch it up in preparation for ghusl.

634. It is recommended that the depth of the grave be equal to the length of an average person, and that the deceased be buried in the nearest graveyard, unless the more distant graveyard is better due to a particular reason. For example, if righteous people have been buried in that graveyard, or if people frequent it to recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah.
It is also recommended to place the coffin on the ground a few yards away from the grave. It should be slowly carried towards the grave three times, each time placed on the ground and then lifted again. The fourth time it should be lowered into the grave. If the deceased is a man, when the body is placed on the ground for the third time, his head should be positioned at the lower end of the grave. The fourth time (the body is lifted), it should be lowered into the grave headfirst. If the deceased is a woman, the third time her body is placed on the ground, it should be placed next to the side of the grave which is towards the qiblah. Her body should be lowered into the grave sidewise, and a cloth should be spread over the grave while lowering the body.
It is also recommended to gently lift the body from the coffin and lower it into the grave, and to recite the supplications which have been prescribed prior to burying the body and whilst burying the body. Once the body has been placed in the niche within the grave, the knots in the shroud should be undone. His face should then be placed on the earth, and an earthen headrest be formed under his head. Some unbaked bricks or lumps of clay should be placed behind his body so that it does not turn onto its back. Then, just before covering the niche, someone should place his right hand on the deceased’s right shoulder, his left hand firmly on his left shoulder, and his mouth close to the deceased’s ear, and shake him vigorously, saying:
اسْمَعْ افْهَم يا فُلانَ بنَ فُلانٍ
Isma' ifham ya fulan ibn fulan.
Instead of the expression فُلانَ بن فُلانٍ, he should mention the name of the deceased and his father. For example, if his name is Muhammad, and the name of his father is Ali, he should repeat the following three times:
اسْمَعْ افْهَم يا مُحَمَّدَ بنَ عَلِيٍّ
Isma' ifham Ya Muhammad ibna Ali.
Thereafter he should address him, saying:
هَلْ اَنْتَ عَلىَ الْعَهْدِ الَّذِي فارَقْتَنا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ شَهادَةِ اَنْ لا اِلهَ اِلاَّ اللّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ اَنَّ مُحَمَّداً (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ سَيِّدُ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ خاتَمُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَ اَنَّ عَلِيّاً اَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ سَيِّدُ الْوَصِيِّينَ وَ اِمامٌ افْتَرَضَ اللّهُ طاعَتَهُ عَلىَ الْعالَمِينَ وَ اَنَّ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ وَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَليٍّ وَ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّد وَ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَر وَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى وَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُحَمَّد وَ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْقائِمَ الْحُجَّةَ الْمَهْدِيَّ صَلَواتُ اللّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَئِمَّةُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ حُجَجُ اللّهِ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ اَجْمَعِينَ وَ أَئِمَتُكَ أَئِمَّةُ هُدىً اَبْرارٌ يا فُلانَ بْنَ فُلان
Hal anta 'alal 'ahdil ladhi faraqtana 'alayhi min shahadati an la ilaha illal lahu wahdahu la sharika lah wa anna Muhammadan sallal lahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wasallam 'abduhu wa rasuluhu wa sayyidun nabiyyeena wa khatamul mursaleena wa anna 'Aliyyan amirul mu'minina wa sayyidul wasiyyeena wa imamu nif taradhallahu ta'atahu 'alal 'alamina wa annal Hasana wal Husayna wa 'Aliyyabnal Husayni wa Muhammad abna 'Aliyyin wa Ja'far abna Muhammadin wa Musabna Ja'farin wa 'Aliyyabna Musa wa Muhammad abna 'Aliyyin wa 'Aliyyabna Muhammadin wal Hasan abna 'Aliyyin wal Qa'imal hujjatal Mahdi salawatullahi 'alayhim aaimmatul mu'minina wa hujajullaahi 'alal khalqi ajma'eena wa a'immatuka a'immatu hudan abrarun ya fulan abna fulan.
Instead of the expression فُلانَ بْنَ فُلان (fulan abna fulan), he should mention the name of the deceased and his father.

He should then address him with the following:
اِذا اَتاكَ الْمَلَكانِ الْمُقَرَّبانِ رَسُولَيْنِ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّهِ تَبارَكَ وَ تَعالى وَ سَئَلاكَ عَنْ رَبِّكَ وَ عَنْ نَبِيِّكَ وَ عَنْ دِينِكَ وَ عَنْ كِتابِكَ وَ عَنْ قِبْلَتِكَ وَ عَنْ اَئِمَّتِكَ فَلا تَخَفْ وَ لا تَحْزَنْ وَ قُلْ فِي جَوابِهِما: اَللّهُ رَبِّي وَ مُحَمَّدٌ (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) نَبِيِّي وَ الاِْسْلامُ دِينِي وَ الْقُرآنُ كِتابِي وَ الْكَعْبَةُ قِبْلَتِي وَ اَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَبِى طالِب اِمامِي وَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْمُجْتَبى اِمامِي وَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الشَّهِيدُ بِكَرْبَلا اِمامِي وَ عَلِيٌّ زَيْنُ الْعابِدِينَ اِمامِي وَ مُحَمَّدٌ الْباقِرُ اِمامِي وَ جَعْفَرٌ الْصادِقُ اِمامِي وَ مُوسَى الْكاظِمُ اِمامِي وَ عَلِيٌّ الْرِضا اِمامِي وَ مُحَمَّدٌ الْجَوادُ اِمامِي وَ عَلِيٌ الْهادِي اِمامِي وَ الْحَسَنُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ اِمامِي وَ الْحُجَّةُ الْمُنْتَظَرُ اِمامِي هَؤُلاءِ صَلَواتُ اللّهِ عَليْهِمْ أَئِمَّتِي وَ سادَتِي وَ قادَتِي وَ شُفَعائِي بِهِمْ اَتَوَلّى وَ مِنْ اَعْدائِهِمْ اَتَبَرَّءُ فِي الدُّنْيا وَ الاْخِرَةِ ، ثُمَّ اعْلَمْ يا فُلانَ بْنَ فُلان
Idha ataakal malakaanil muqarrabaani rasulayni min 'indillahi tabaraka wa ta'ala wa sa alaka 'an Rabbika wa 'an Nabiyyika wa 'an dinika wa 'an Kitabika wa 'an Qiblatika wa 'an A'immatika fala takhaf wa la tahzan wa'qul fi jawabi hima, Allahu Rabbi wa Muhammadun sallal lahu 'alayhi wa aalihi nabiyyi wal Islamu dini wal Qur'anu kitabi wal Ka'batu qiblati wa Amirul mu'minina 'Aliyyubnu Abi Talib imami wal Hasanubnu 'Aliyyi nil Mujtaba imami wal Husaynubnu 'Aliyyi nish-shahidu bi-Karbala imami wa 'Aliyyun Zaynul 'Abidina imami wa Muhammadu nil Baqiru imami wa Ja'faru nis Sadiqu imami wa Musal Kadhimu imami wa 'Aliyyu-nir Ridha imami wa Muhammadu nil Jawadu imami wa 'Aliyyu nil Hadi imami wal Hasanul 'Askari imami wal Hujjatul Muntadhar imami ha ulaa'i salawatullahi 'alayhim aa'immati wa saadati wa qaadati wa shufa-aa'i bihim atawalla wa min a'daaihim atabarra'u fid dunya wal akhirati thumma 'alam ya fulan abna fulan.
Again, instead of the expression فُلانَ بْنَ فُلان (fulan abna fulan), he should mention the name of the deceased and his father.

Thereafter, he should say the following:
اَنَّ اللّهَ تَبارَكَ وَ تَعالى نِعْمَ الرَّبُّ وَ اَنَّ مُحَمَّداً (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) نِعْمَ الرَّسُولُ وَ اَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ اَبِي طالِب وَ اَوْلادَهُ الْمَعْصُومِينَ الاَْئِمَّةَ الاِْثْني عَشَرَ نِعْمَ الاَْئِمَّةُ وَ اَنَّ ما جاءَ به مُحَمَّدٌ (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)حَقٌّ وَ اَنَّ الْمَوْتَ حَقٌّ وَ سُؤالَ مُنْكَر وَ نَكِير فِي الْقَبْرِ حَقٌّ وَ الْبَعْثَ حَقٌّ وَ النُّشُورَ حَقٌّ وَ الْصِّراطَ حَقٌّ وَ الْمِيزانَ حَقٌّ وَ تَطايُرَ الْكُتُبِ حَقٌّ وَ اَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ حَقٌّ وَ النّارَ حَقٌّ وَ اَنَّ السّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ لا رَيْبَ فِيها وَ اَنَّ اللّهَ يَبْعَثُ مَنْ فِي الْقُبُورِ
Annal laha tabaraka wa ta'ala ni'mar-Rabbu wa anna Muhammadan sallal lahu 'alayhi wa aalihi ni'mar Rasulu wa anna 'Aliyyabna Abi Talibiw wa awladahul ma'suminal aa'immatal ithna 'ashara ni'mal aa'imma wa anna ma ja'a bihi Muhammadun sallal lahu 'alayhi wa aalihi haqqun wa annal mawta haqqun wa suwala munkarin wa nakirin fil qabri haqqun wal ba'tha haqqun wan nushura haqqun wassiraata haqqun wal mizaana haqqun wa tataayural kutubi haqqun wa annal jannata haqqun wan-naara haqqun wa annas saa'ata aa'tiyatul la rayba feeha wa annallaaha yab'athu man fil qubur.
He should then ask him:
اَفَهِمْتَ يافُلانُ
Afahimta ya fulan.
Have you understood, O so and so!

He should replace the expression فُلانُ (fulan) with the name of the deceased. This should be followed with the following statements:
ثَبَّتَكَ اللّهُ بِالْقَوْلِ الثابِتِ وَ هَداكَ اللّهُ اِلى صِراط مُسْتَقِيم عَرَّفَ اللّهُ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ أَوْلِيائِكَ فِي مُسْتَقَرٍّ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ
اَللّهُمَّ جافِ الاَْرْضَ عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ وَ اصْعَدْ بِرُوحِهِ اِلَيْكَ وَ لَقِّهِ مِنْكَ بُرْهاناً
اَللّهُمَّ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ
Thabbata kallaahu bil qawlith thabiti wa hadakallaahu ila siratim mustaqeemin 'arrafallaahu baynaka wa bayna awliya'ika fi mustaqarrim min rahmatihi
Allahumma jaafil ardha 'an jambayhi was'ad biruhihi ilayka wa laqqihi minka burhanan. Allahumma 'afwaka 'afwaka

635. It is recommended that the person placing the body in the grave be in the state of ÔahÁrah, barefooted, and bareheaded. He should exit the grave from the lower end, and after exiting the grave, he should recite the following:
اِنّا لِلّهِ وَ اِنّا اِلَيْهِ راجِعُونَ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ ، اَللّهُمَّ ارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي اَعْلى عِلِّيِينَ وَ اخْلُفْ عَلى عَقِبِهِ فِي الْغابِرِيْنَ (وَ عِنْدَكَ نَحْتَسِبُهُ) يا رَبَّ الْعالَمِينَ
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'oona wal-hamdulillahi rabbil 'aalameen. Allahummarfa' darajatahu fi aa'la illiyeena wakhluf 'ala 'aqibihi fil ghabireen (wa 'indaka nahtasibuhu) ya Rabbal 'alameen.
It is recommended that those who are present at the burial, other than the relatives of the deceased, should pour sand over the grave using the back of their hands. If the deceased is a woman, the person who is maÎram to her should lay her in the grave. If a maÎram is not present, her relatives should place her in the grave.

636. It is recommended to form the grave in the shape of a square or a rectangle, and its height be equivalent to four fingers. A sign should also be placed over it so that it is not mistaken for another person’s grave. Water should also be sprinkled over the grave, and after doing so, those who are present should place their hands over the grave, with their fingers parted, and thrust them into the earth. They should recited the blessed sÙrah of al-Qadr seven times, and seek forgiveness for the deceased. They should also recite the supplications that have been recommended, such as the following supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ جَافِ الْأَرْضَ عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ وَ أَصْعِدْ) صَعِّد( رُوحَهُ إِلَى أَرْوَاحِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي عِلِّيِّينَ وَ أَلْحِقْهُ بِالصَّالِحِين
Allahumma jaafil ardha 'an jam bayhi was'ad (saa'id) roohahu ila arwaahil momineena fi illiyeena wa alhiqhu bissaliheen.

637. After the departure of those who have taken part in the burial ceremonies, it is recommended for the guardian of the deceased, or a person who has been granted permission by the guardian, to instruct the prescribed supplications to the deceased.

638. It is recommended to console the bereaved family after the burial. However, if a significant period has elapsed, and consoling them would bring back memories of the loss, it is better to refrain from doing so. It is also recommended to send food to the household of the deceased for three days, and it is makrÙh to join them for meals.

639. It is recommended for a person to be patient at the death of a close one, especially the death of one’s own children. Whenever he remembers the deceased, he should say:
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَ إِنَّا إِلَيْهِ راجِعُون
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihir raji'oon.
He should also recite Qur’an for the (sake of the) deceased, and construct the grave in a firm manner‏, so that it is not ruined within a short period. He should also seek his needs from Allah by the grave of his parents.

640. It is not permissible to scratch one’s face or body, or to hit oneself while grieving for the loss of a beloved, if it entails significant harm. If it does not, obligatory precaution dictates that one should still refrain from doing so.

641. It is not permissible to tear apart one’s collar while grieving for the death of a beloved, other than one’s father or brother. However, while grieving for the loss of one’s father or brother, it is permissible.

642. If a woman scratches her face while grieving for a beloved, causing it to bleed, or pulls out her hair, the recommended precaution is that she should free a slave, or give food to ten needy people, or provide them with clothing. The same will apply if a man tears apart his collar while grieving for the loss of his wife or children.

643. The recommended precaution is that one should not raise his voice too much while weeping for a deceased.

818. If a person only has one set of clothing, and both his body and clothes become najis, and the water in his possession is solely sufficient to make one of them ÔÁhir, based on precaution, he must make his body ÔÁhir and pray with najis clothing except in the following two cases:
a. If the najÁsah of the body is less than that of the clothing.
b. If one washing is required to make the body ÔÁhir, whilst two washings are required to make the clothing ÔÁhir.
In the above cases, rendering the clothes ÔÁhir takes precedence.

644. It is recommended to recite two rak‘ah of ÒalÁt al-waÎshah on the first night after the burial of the deceased. The manner of offering this prayer is that a person should recite Áyat al-kursÐ once after sÙrat al-fÁtiÎah in the first rak‘ah, and in the second rak‘ah he should recite surat al-qadr ten times after al-fÁtiÎah. After the salÁm of the prayer, he should recite:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ ابْعَثْ ثَوَابَهَا إِلَى قَبْرِ فُلَان
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa Aali Muhammadin, wab'ath thawaabaha ila qabri fulan.
Instead of the expression فُلَان (fulan) he should mention the name of the deceased.