A person is even able to perform a general two Rak’at Salat...

A person is even able to perform a general two Rak’at Salat with the intention that he is offering the prayer as a gift to the Imam. The recommended Hajj or ‘Umrah Tawaf of the Ka’bah Giving Sadaqah Recitation of the Qur`an Sacrificing an animal Paying back the debts of a true believer Performing the visitation (Ziyarat) of the graves of the Messenger of Allah and the other Infallibles (as) and their righteous companions.

In addition, one can also visit the graves of other true believers from either far or near with the intention that the reward is to be given to the Imam. Freeing a captive, and in this day and age, freeing a prisoner by paying his debts, for example. Just as has been mentioned, performing actions by proxy in relation to the obligatory actions such as the five daily prayers is not permissible, except in certain circumstances such as in the performance of the Hajj.

A person once asked Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq (as): “A person performs the Hajj on behalf of another person – how much of a reward and recompense is he given?” The Imam replied: لِلَّذِي يَحُجُّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَجْرُ وَ ثَوَابُ عَشْرِ حِجَجٍ “For a person who performs the Hajj on behalf of another person there is a reward and recompense equal to the performance of ten Hajj.”[^2] In another tradition, Imam Ja’far b.

Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) said: لَوْ أَشْرَكْتَ أَلْفاً فِي حَجَّتِكَ لَكَانَ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ حَجَّةٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تَنْقُصَ حَجَّتُـُكَ شَيْئاً “If you were to make a thousand people partners in the reward for your Hajj, then for each and every one of them, there will be a reward for performing one Hajj, with no reduction in the reward of your Hajj!”[^3] Imam Musa b.

Ja’far al-Kadhim (as) said: فَإِذَا أَتَيْتَ قَبْرَ النَّبِــيِّ  فَقَضَيْتَ مَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْكَ، فَصَلِّ رَكْعَتَينِ ثُمَّ قِفْ عِنْدَ رَأْسِ النَّبِـيِّ  ثُمَّ قُلْ: أَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا نَبِـيَّ اللٌّهِ مِنْ أَبِي وَ أُمِّي وَ زَوْجَتِـي وَ وُلْدِي وَ جَمِيعِ حَامَّــتِـي وَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ أَهْلِ بَلَدِي، حُرِّهِمْ وَ عَبْدِهِمْ، وَ أَبْيَضِهِمْ وَ أَسْوَدِهِمْ فَلاَ تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَقُولَ لِلرَّجُلِ: إِنِّـي أَقْرَأْتُ رَسُولَ اللٌّهِ عَنْكَ السَّلاَمَ إِلاَّ كُنْتَ صَادِقاً “When you come to the grave of the Prophet (saws), and after performing that which is obligatory upon you (the Ziyarat rites) then perform a two rak’at Salat.

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