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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Jurisprudence Made Easy Dialogue on writing a will My father started today’s session with a hadith from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq, “Leaving a will is a (religious) duty; the Prophet (s.a.w.) had done so, and so should Muslims”. * Yet, some people do not write wills under the false impression and pessimism that their death has drawn nigh. - Making a will is a commendable act (mustahab); it is widely believed to prolong life.

Conversely, leaving out the making of a will is makrouh and not a good thing to do. After all, isn’t death inevitable? * Yes, and rightly so. Allah, the Exalted says in His Holy Book, “Every soul shall taste of death …” (3/185). - If this was the case, why should any one of us try to evade the inevitable? We have to be practical and get ready for that which will befall us all, whether we lived a long or a short life. * How should I go about making a will?

●It is mustahab you start your will with the du’a (supplication, or invocation) that the Prophet (s.a.w.) taught Imam Ali (a.s.). * What does it say? - My father stood up, went to his library and came back with a book entitled “Al-Wasaa’il”. He read out the text of the supplication. I was writing what he dictated to me. It reads thus: ”O Lord! Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Only Source of knowledge of the unseen and the seen, the All-compassionate, the All-merciful. O Lord!

I bear witness that there is no god but You, that You have no associates, and that Mohammad is your servant and messenger. That paradise, hell, resurrection, reckoning, destiny, and justice are true. That religion is as You described, Islam as You made plain, the word as You narrated, The Qur’an as You stated. That You are God - The Glaring Truth. May Allah reward Mohammad with the best recompense. May He bless Mohammad and his Progeny and grant them peace. O Lord!

You are my refuge at times of fear, my ally at times of trouble, and the Giver of my boon. My God and the God of my ancestors! Do not make me rely on my soul, for if You do, it will tempt me to incline to that which is evil, and allure me to abandon that which is good. Make my loneliness in the grave friendlier. And make me a pledge that I return to You with the best outcome”. After this introduction, the person can state his will. * What are the matters that could be included in a will?

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