1. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims
  2. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

123 Questions

What is the evidence from our sources that supports the idea of Esaal-e-Sawab of actions done for benefit of the souls of the deceased?
Amina Inloes

Here are a few narrations on this topic:

Imam al-Sadiq (A) said, “The things which enter a person’s grave are ritual prayer, fasting, hajj, charity, good deeds, supplication, and its reward is written for those who do them and for the deceased.” (Man la yahduruhu al-faqih)

Imam al-Sadiq (A) said, “Whoever of the Muslims does a good deed for a deceased person, God will double his reward and benefit through it the deceased” (Bihar al-Anwar citing Uddat al-Da’i)

It is related that a man came to the Prophet (S) and asked, “My mother has died. Will it benefit her if I give charity on her behalf?” He said, “Yes.” (Musnad Ahmad)

Apart from Wahhabis who object to this because they see everything as bid'ah, it is hard to see the objection to this since if one is doing something good in the hopes that it would benefit the deceased, at least one is doing something good and beneficial. 

Maybe some people might object because some things are done for esaal-e-sawab which are not overly beneficial in the present time, for instance, printing Qur'ans and distributing them in an area where Qur'ans are easily accessible. This would have been very beneficial in earlier centuries but today because printing is cheap, it often is not the most beneficial thing to do even if it is meaningful, or sometimes things could even be wasteful. So it is good to think about what is most beneficial, and I am sure the deceased appreciate being remembered in a good way!
How did Prophet Musa (as) die?
Zaid Alsalami

Bismihi ta'ala

According to our traditions, there are different views as to how long Prophet Musa (a.s.) lived for. The ages mentioned have been 120, 126, 240, 250 years. Regarding where he is buried, there is no precise information that we have. One view says he is buried close to Bayt al-Maqdas. One view also mentions that his burial site is on Mount Nebo, in Jordan. 

As for how he departed this world, it was generally of natural causes, but the story of how he passed is also interesting. 

It is said that the Angel of death, 'Isra'il had a conversation with Prophet Moses (a.s.), asking him permission to take his soul, and the Prophet entered into a dialogue with the Angel, and his soul was not taken. 

A while later, Prophet Moses (a.s.) was walking in the desert, and he saw a person digging a grave, and offered to help. After helping, the person asked Prophet Moses (a.s.) to lie in the grave to see if it fits, and he did so. When Prophet Moses (a.s.) lied in the grave, he was granted a vision of seeing his place in heaven, and then realised this person was 'Isra'il, and it was now time for him to depart this world, in the very grave that he dug for himself. 

This is how the story goes, as one narration says, and for the details please refer to this site:

https://www.imamreza.net/old/eng/imamreza.php?id=10038

With prayers for your success.
Did Prophet Muhammad (saw) die a natural death or was he poisoned? If the latter, who gave him the poison?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

The authentic evidence proves that Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his Holy Progeny) did not die a natural death but he was killed by poison. The evidence is in Sunni and Shia books. In the Sunni books there is an authentic narration from Abdullah ibn Mas'ood.

This narration is mentioned in the Musnad of Ahmad bin Hanbal in which Abdullah ibn Mas'ood said that I don't mind or in fact I am ready to take oath and repeat it nine times that the prophet was killed rather than taking oath one time that he was not killed.

Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal volume 1 page 408

Our prominent Ulamah have mentioned many authentic hadith that the Prophet was poisoned. Among them is:

·        Sheikh Al Mufid in his book Al-Muqni'ah page 456

·        Sheikh Al Toosi in his book Al Tahdhib vol 2 page 6

·        Al Fattal Al Nisaburi in his book Al Rawdat page 71 

·        Al Allamah Al Hilli in his book Al Tahrir vol 2 page 118

·        Al Shahid Al Awal in his book Al-Durus vol 2 page 6

·        Allamah Al Majlisi in his book Mir'at Al Uqol  vol 5 page 174

Ibne-Abil Hadeed Al Moathazalee a well known non-Shia scholar mentioned in his book Sharh Nahj Al-Balagha that the Prophet was poisoned and that he passed away as a Shahid (martyr) vol 10 page 221.

There is a narration from Imam Jaffer as Sadiq (as) that Imam Hassan (as) told his family members "I will die by poison as the Prophet Mohammad (saw) was poisoned."

Al-Khara'ij wal-Jara'ih vol 1 page 241

Among the Sunni scholars Al Hakim Al Nishapuri is very well known who compiled the famous book Al-Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain he narrated from Al Sha'bi "by Allah the Prophet was poisoned."

It is not the death but it is the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his Holy Progeny).

Wassalam.
Can I pray Salatul Walidain for my parents who are alive or is it to be prayed only for deceased parents?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

Yes, you can pray Salatul Walidain (Prayers for the Parents) and gift the reward of it to your living parents. Gifting the reward can be to the living as well as to the dead.

Wassalam.