Are the Following Words of Remembrance (Adhkar) Permissible to Be Placed under the Shroud of a Deceased?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Is the following report in Imam Tirmidhi’s Nawadir ul Usul considered authentic and advisable to follow:
The one who writes this supplication on a piece of paper and places it on the chest of the deceased under the shroud (i.e., the deceased) will not be punished in the grave, nor will Munkar and Nakir be seen:
La ilaha illAllahu wAllahu Akbar
La ilaha illAllahu wahdahu la sharika lahu
La ilaha illAllahu lahul mulku wa la hul hamdu
La ilaha illAllahu wa la hawla wala quwwata illa billa hil aliyyil adhim.
Answer
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the permissibility of placing the above. Some, like Hakim Tirmidhi (Allah have mercy on him), allow it, while others, like Ibn al-Salah (Allah have mercy on him, do not.
It has been reported by Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) that whoever says the following words اللَّهُمَّ فاطر السَّمَوَات وَالْأَرْض عَالم الْغَيْب وَالشَّهَادَة الرَّحْمَن الرَّحِيم إِنِّي أَعهد إِلَيْك فِي هَذِه الْحَيَاة الدُّنْيَا أَنَّك أَنْت الله لَا إِلَه إِلَّا أَنْت وَحدك لَا شريك لَك وَأَن مُحَمَّدًا عَبدك وَرَسُولك فَلَا تَكِلنِي إِلَى نَفسِي فَإنَّك أَن تَكِلنِي إِلَى نَفسِي تقربني من الشَّرّ وَتُبَاعِدنِي من الْخَيْر وَإِنِّي لَا أَثِق إِلَّا بِرَحْمَتك فَاجْعَلْ رحمتك لي عهدا عنْدك تُؤَدِّيه إِلَيّ يَوْم الْقِيَامَة إِنَّك لَا تخلف الميعاد after the salam of the prayer, an angel writes it down on a paper and is sealed with a seal, then given to me on the day of judgment. When the servant is resurrected from his grave, an angel will come with a paper calling out, where are the people of the covenant so it will be given to them.
Ta’us reports that he requested these words to be written, which were written down for him on his shroud.
[Mawsu’a al-Tafsir al-Mathur; Ibn ʿAbidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
May Allah Most High make us all who fulfill the promises and covenants we need to, Amin.
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[Mawlana]Ilyas Patel
