Consoling the Bereaved (Ta’ziyah)

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By Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

The Prophet (upon whom be Allah’s blessings and peace) said, “Muslims, in their mutual affection and mercy for one another, are like a single body; if one part is afflicted, the rest of the body also feels the pain….” (Reported by al-Bukhari, Muslim, etc.)

One of the essential duties of brotherhood in Islam is to show care and concern for those who are suffering pain. Death is an occasion where relatives and friends should come together to console and comfort the bereaved family. The purpose of consolation is to help them overcome their grief and to ease their burden during this occasion. The Prophet (upon whom be Allah’s blessings and peace) also recommended that friends and relatives should relieve the family of the burden of cooking for a brief period.

One must use appropriate words while consoling the bereaved family. The following is a brief du’a which is insightful.

[mp3:http://www.areweprepared.ca/audio/Invocation for bereaved.mp3]

(i) ‘Inna lillaahi maa ‘akhatha, wa lahu maa ‘a’taa, wa kullu shay’in ‘indahu bi’ajalin musamman . . . faltasbir waltahtasib .

Surely , Allah takes what is His , and what He gives is His , and to all things He has appointed a time … so have patience and be rewarded. (Bukhari)

(ii) also good to say: ‘A’dhamallaahu ‘ajraka, wa ‘ahsana ‘azaa’aka wa ghafara limayyitika.

May Allah magnify your reward, and make perfect your bereavement, and forgive your departed. (An-Nawwawi)

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