The Will and What it Must Consist of

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘A person who does not make a proper will at the time of his death suffers from lack of kindness and proper understanding.’ It was then asked, ‘O messenger of Allah, what kind of will should a dying person make?’ The Messenger of Allah replied, ‘When one is about to die and people gather around him he should say: “O Allah, the Inventor of the heavens and earth, who has the knowledge of the unseen and the present matters, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O Allah, I entrust You, in this world, with my testimony, ‘I testify that no one beside You (O Allah), who is One and has no partners, deserve to be worshipped. I also testify that Muhammad is your servant and Messenger. I testify that Paradise is true, Hellfire is true, Resurrection is true, that Accountability of everyone, on the Day of Judgment, is true, and Measurement and Balance are true. I testify that Religion is as You have described, that Islam is as You have established and the Word is as You have spoken, that the Quran is as You have sent down and that You are Allah, the manifest truth. I pray to Allah to compensate Muhammad (a.s.), with the best of compensations and welcome Muhammad and his family with the (promised) peace. O Allah, You are my means and resource at the time of my living in distress, and You are my companion at the time of my suffering hardships. You are the Benefactor of bounties I have enjoyed. You are my Lord and the Lord of my ancestors. Do not ever leave me to myself; not even for a blinking of an eye, for if You leave me to myself for a blinking of an eye, I become closer to wickedness and move away from goodness. Comfort me in the grave against my fear and make this an open covenant in my favor on the day when I will come into Your presence.’” Thereafter he should make his will about the matters that he may need. Such a will is based on the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, in the Chapter of the Holy Quran where Mary is mentioned. “No one will possess any intercession (Shafa‘ah) except those who have entrusted the Beneficent to bear witness to their testimony.’” “It is a right upon every Muslim to memorize this will and testimony and teach it. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah taught me this will.’ The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘ Jibril taught me this will.’”

“Once a Mawla’ of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), accompanied me (on a journey) and complained of illness for several days. Then it seemed as if he had no illness but very shortly, he died. I took his luggage to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and informed him (the Imam) that he complained for several days, then he seemed as if he had no illness at all, but shortly thereafter he died. He (the Imam) said, ‘That was the comfort of death. No one dies before, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, returns his ears, eyes and reason for making a will, regardless of whether he makes use of that opportunity or not.’”

“Once, a man said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I once travelled to Makkah and my travel mate, who was a friend, on the way became ill very seriously and I looked after him. He began to feel very well and I thought he is fine. On the day that he died, he became extremely well but on the same day, he died.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘To anyone who is about to die, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, returns his hearing, seeing and reasoning abilities so that he can make a will, regardless of whether he makes a will or not. It is the comfort that is called the comfort of death and that is the right of every Muslim.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the will. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a right on every Muslim.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Making a will is a right that requires compliance. The Messenger of Allah (a.s.), made a will, thus it is proper for a Muslim to make a will.’”