Answered by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed
What is the ruling for reciting the chapter of Ya Sin for a dead person? Some people have said that is wrong, because it is based on hadiths that were fabricated.
Our imams and others have said that the recitation of Koran at someone’s death is recommended, especially the chapter of Ya Sin. The majority of the scholars of Ahl al-Sunna agree that the recital of Koran at someone’s death does benefit them, whether it is the chapter of Ya Sin or any other, for all of it contains blessings and benefit. Actually, the recitation of Ya Sin has been specifically commanded in what has been narrated by Imam Ahmad and al-Nasai’ and Ibn Majah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Read Ya Sin for your dead.”
Daraqutni and Ibn Qattan determined this hadith to be weak. But Abu Dawud also narrated this hadith and did not consider it weak, his rule being that what he narrates and does not consider weak, he considers well authenticated. And Ibn Hibban rigorously authenticated this hadith. And al-Hafiz Suyuti considered it well authenticated in his al-Jami al-Saghir.
And al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, when discussing this hadith in al-Talkhis al-Habir, mentioned that Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Musnad, “Abul-Mughira informed us that Safwan informed us that the scholars used to say: If it, meaning Ya Sin, is read for the dying, his [death] will be lightened by it.”
This is proof that reciting Ya Sin for the dead was well known amongst the Salaf (righteous predecessors) from what has been transmitted from Imam Ahmad and he is sufficient as Imam in transmitting. This is also proof that Imam Ahmad himself approved acting upon this hadith, because he transmitted it from the scholars, and did not reject it, for had he not approved it, he would have said so and would not have been quiet about it. And this will be emphasized later on.
After relaying what Imam Ahmad said, al-Hafiz [Ibn Hajar] went on to say, “The author of al-Firdaus attributed this hadith to a chain of transmission from Marwan ibn Salim, from Safwan ibn Amr, from Shuraih, from Abu Darda’, from Abu Dharr, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, There is not a person who dies and Ya Sin is read for him, but that Allah makes it easy upon him.’ And Abu al-Sheikh in Fada’il al-Quran has transmitted another variant of this hadith from Abu Dharr alone.”
Thus, it can be seen from all of this that the hadith of reading Ya Sin for the dead has an irrefutable basis, even if it is weak, as some of the abovementioned have said, who were, in turn, contradicted by others mentioned. And the weak hadith can be applied in matters of virtue, according to the consensus of the scholars. Imam Nawawi mentions this in the preface to al-Adhkar. And the scholars have acted upon this hadith, amongst them Imam Ahmad, as mentioned by the Imam of the Hanbalis in fiqh, Imam Ibn Qudama, in his book al-Mughni, which is their greatest book. His text reads, “Ahmad said: And they recite for the person dying; so he will be relieved by the recitation. Let Ya Sin be recited. And he commanded the recitation of al-Fatiha.”
I said: So you see how he [Ahmad] recommended reciting Ya Sin and even added to it the recitation of al-Fatiha, even though nothing has been mentioned specifically about reciting al-Fatiha for the dying. However, Imam Ahmad recommended it and commanded it, and this is proof that this matter is broad and cannot be refuted. And this is corroborated by what has been transmitted from al-Nawawi that: Some of the Tabi’in (first generation after the Sahaba) recommended reciting Surat al-Ra’d for the dying.
Then Ibn Qudama said, “And Said narrated that Faraj ibn Fadala said that Asad ibn Wada’ah said: When Ghadif ibn Harith was dying, his brothers came to him. He said: Is there any amongst you who will read Surat Ya Sin? A man from amongst the people said: yes. He said: read and read slowly; and listen to him. So he read slowly and made the people listen to him, and when he reached So glory to Him in Whose hands is the dominion of all things, and to Him will ye be all brought back,’ his soul departed. Asad ibn Wada’ah said: Whosoever of you goes to the dying, and death is severe for him, let him read Surat Ya Sin so that death will be lightened for him.”
And Imam Nawawi has said in his al-Majmu’: “It is recommended to read Surat Ya Sin for the dying, as has been told to us by our companions. And some of the Tabi’in also recommended Surat al-Ra’d.”
And the conclusion is that the expert Imams from the hadith scholars and the jurisprudents are agreed that reciting Ya Sin and other chapters from the Koran for the dying is recommended. And the one who rejects this is wrong and ignorant of the way of the Salaf and the Imams who are considered for the explanation of laws. And Allah guides to what is right.
All that is left is for me to point out that the scholars have differed in the meaning of the dead’ in the hadith “Read Ya Sin for your dead.” Ibn Hibban said in his Sahih: the meaning of this is whoever is on the verge of death; it is not recited over the person who has already died. But al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar mentioned in al-Talkhis al-Habir that Imam al-Hafiz al-Tabari refuted that; meaning, he said that the definition of the dead’ in the hadith is what is obvious, and that is the person who has departed life.
Amjad Rasheed
[Translated by Sr. Zaynab Ansari]