Blessings of Isal-e-Sawab
As long as a person lives in this world his parents, siblings, spouse, friends and relatives etc., are with him; they are always with him in every trouble and hard times and try to relieve his sorrow and stress. If he is ill, they inquire after his health, but when the same person is buried in the narrow and dark grave, neither his parents, nor his siblings, nor family members and friends and relatives are with him, but rather he is alone in the grave. So the deceased person knows better whatever happens to him after he is buried in the grave.
It is stated in Ayah 10 of Surah Al-Hashr, part 28:
وَ ا لَّذِیۡنَ جَآ ءُ وۡ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ہِمۡ یَقُوۡ لُوۡنَ رَبَّنَا اغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَ لِاِ خۡوَا نِنَا الَّذِیۡنَ سَبَقُوۡنَا بِالۡاِیۡمَانِ
Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: And those who came after them make the plea: O our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith.
Talking about the reality of the grave in a blessed Hadees, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said, اَلْقَبْرُ رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ، اَوْ حُفْرَةٌ مِنْ حُفَرِ النَّار Undoubtedly the grave is either a garden from the gardens of Paradise or a ditch from the ditches of Hell.
(Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 4, pp. 208, Hadees 2468)
Now we do not know about the one who is buried in the grave. We do not know whether the grave has become a garden of Paradise for him or مَـعَـاذَ الـلّٰـه عَـزَّوَجَـلَّ it has become a ditch of Hell for him, but having the enthusiasm and passion for doing good to a Muslim, we should form the habit of conveying Sawab [reward] to him. Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا has narrated that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم instructed: A horned ram should be brought that walks in darkness, sits in darkness and sees in darkness (i.e. its feet should be dark, belly should be dark and eyes should be dark.) When it was presented to be sacrificed, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Aaishah, bring me a knife and sharpen it on a stone.’ Then the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم took the knife and slaughtered the ram after making it lie down. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then said: Ya Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Accept it on behalf of Muhammad (صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم) his family and his Ummah.
(Sahih Muslim, pp. 837, Hadees 1967-19)
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Na’eemi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would often sacrifice a goat on behalf of Sayyidatuna Khadijah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا and would distribute its meat to her friends for conveying reward to her. Few rulings have been learnt from this blessed Hadees: (1) It is permissible to do Qurbani on behalf of a deceased person. (2) It is a Sunnah to convey the Sawab [reward] of Sadaqah and charity to a deceased person. (3) It is better to give the food [that is attributed to the deceased person] to his friends and dear ones. It gives the deceased person double pleasure—one for getting the reward; secondly, for the help that is provided to his friends and dear ones.
(Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 8, pp. 496)
When the mother of Sayyiduna Sa’d Bin ‘Ubadah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ passed away, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی عَـنْـهُ came to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and humbly asked, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! My mother has passed away in my absence. If I give something in Sadaqah on behalf of her, will it benefit her?’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘Yes.’ The companion رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ humbly said, ‘Then I make you a witness that I give my garden in Sadaqah on her behalf.’
(Sahih Bukhari, vol. 2, pp. 241, Hadees 2762)
It has been stated in another narration: Sayyiduna Sa’d رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ humbly asked the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! My mother has passed away, so which Sadaqah will be better for her? The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied: Water. So, Sayyiduna Sa’d رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ got a well dug and said: هَذِهِ لِاُمِّ سَعْدٍیہ This well is for (the Isal-e-Sawab of) Sa’d’s mother.
(Sunan Abu Dawood, vol. 2, pp. 180, Hadees 1681)
It has been learnt that it is not necessary for Isal-e-Sawab to give cauldrons in charity, get every type of food prepared and invite people in a proper way, but the food we eat daily can also be used for making Isal-e-Sawab to the Muslims after reciting Fatihah, etc., on it, even Isal-e-Sawab can also be made to the deceased through water, as water is a great source of continuous reward.
Remember! It is also a form of Isal-e-Sawab to make Du’a of forgiveness and mercy for the deceased. ‘Allamah Zafaruddin Bihari رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: Isal-e-Sawab has four methods: (1) Du’a of forgiveness (2) Du’a of mercy (3) Funeral Salah (4) To stay at the grave and make Du’a.
(Daur-e-Sahabah mayn Isal-e-Sawab ki Mukhtalif Suratayn, pp. 45)
The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: No Sadaqah has more reward than water.
(Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 3, pp. 221, Hadees 3378)
It is better for every Muslim to convey the reward of every righteous deed that he performs, to all preceding and succeeding, deceased and alive, male and female believers (i.e. from Sayyiduna Aadam عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّنَا وَعَـلَـيْهِ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّلَام until the Day of Judgement). The reward will be conveyed to all of them and the one conveying the reward will get the reward equivalent to all of them.
(Fatawa Razawiyyah – referenced, vol. 9, pp. 617)
It is common practice in our society to send gifts to each other on different occasions to strengthen friendship or relationship further. When the gift we send to our relative or friend, he becomes happy by seeing it, irrespective of its price. He then also sends us a gift in return and expresses his love for us. But as this relative or friend of us passes away, we stop sending him gifts. However, if we want we can send him better gifts in the form of Isal-e-Sawab to make him happy. Of course! Our Isal-e-Sawab becomes gifts for the deceased and they feel extremely happy after receiving it.
The Isal-e-Sawab [reward] made by the living is presented to the deceased in the forms of gifts. Sayyiduna Bashshaar Bin Ghalib رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: I used to make lots of Du’as for Sayyidatuna Raabi’ah Basriyyah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا. One night, I saw her in the dream saying: O Bashshaar! Your gifts are delivered to me after being covered with silken kerchiefs in the trays of Noor. When the living make Du’a for the dead, it happens to them; they are put in the trays of Noor after being accepted, then after being covered with silken kerchiefs they are presented to the deceased for whom the Du’a was made and it is said: So-and-so has sent you this gift.
(At-Tazkirah lil-Qurtubi, pp. 86)
سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه عَزَّوَجَلَّ! How Benevolent Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is! He not only blesses His bondman with gifts and favours in the world, but He عَزَّوَجَلَّ also blesses him with the treasure of peace and satisfaction after his death by virtue of the Du’as and Isal-e-Sawab made by the living.
It has also been learnt that the Beloved Rasoolصَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also feels very pleased with those who make Isal-e-Sawab; he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also blesses them with good news.
Remember! It is apparently a little deed to make Isal-e-Sawab to the deceased, but it carries lots of blessings. Unfortunately, now we have become so much busy with worldly activities that we do not have time to make Isal-e-Sawab to our dead ones neither do we have time to visit their graves and do Fatihah Khuwani. How regretful it is that we perform worldly tasks easily, but consider the deed, which carries great benefit for us and for our deceased, either difficult or give no importance to it. For instance, if someone has time, he does not know the method of making Isal-e-Sawab. He looks for an Imam, Muazzin or any other religious [Islamic] person for making Isal-e-Sawab.
It is absolutely permissible to convey the reward of every virtuous act that you have performed to your deceased. It is the Sunnah of blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم to give food for Isal-e-Sawab. It is the best Sadaqah to arrange water for Isal-e-Sawab. Isal-e Sawab is presented to the deceased after being kept on the trays of Noor covered with silken kerchiefs. Isal-e-Sawab brings about comfort and peace to the deceased. Isal-e-Sawab is the means of attaining salvation from the torment of the grave.
May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ enable us to convey as much reward as possible to our dead ones!
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِه وَسَلَّم
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
