He said: "There is no Muslim servant who dies, for whom two of his closest neighbors bear witness to his good, but that Allah the Exalted says: 'I have accepted the testimony of My servants regarding what they know, and I have forgiven him what I know.'" Narrated by Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad (12). In another wording, from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—that he said: "There is no Muslim who dies, and two of his closest neighbors stand and say: 'O Allah, we know nothing but good,' but that Allah the Exalted says: 'I have accepted their testimony for My servant, and I have forgiven him what they do not know.'" Extracted by al-Lalaka'i (13).

Section: If the deceased is a child, he shall replace the request for forgiveness with: "O Allah, make him a forerunner (14) for his parents, and a treasure, a precursor, and a reward. O Allah, make heavy their scales through him, and increase their rewards through him. O Allah, place him in the care of Ibrahim, and join him with the righteous predecessors of the believers. Protect him through Your mercy from the punishment of Hell, and exchange for him a home better than his home, and family better than his family. O Allah, forgive our predecessors, our forerunners, and those who preceded us in faith." And the like. Whatever one supplicates with, from what we have mentioned or similar to it, suffices, for there is nothing specific [that is binding] in this regard.

361 - Issue; He said: (And he performs the fourth takbir, and pauses for a little while.)

The apparent meaning of the words of al-Khiraqi is that he does not supplicate for anything after the fourth takbir. A group of his companions transmitted this from Ahmad. He said: "I know nothing in this regard; because if there were a legislated supplication for it, it would have been transmitted." It is narrated from Ahmad that he does supplicate, and then performs the taslim; because it is a standing position in a prayer, so it contains legislated dhikr (remembrance), like that which is before the fourth takbir. Ibn Abi Musa and Abu al-Khattab said: He should say: {Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire} (1). It is also said that he should say: "O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward, and do not lead us astray after him." This disagreement pertains to its recommendability; there is no disagreement in the school that it is not obligatory, and that pausing for a little while after the takbir is legislated. Al-Jawzajani narrated, with his chain of narration from Zayd ibn Arqam, that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—used to perform four takbirs, then say whatever Allah willed, then leave (2). Al-Jawzajani said: "I used to think that (3) this pause was so that the last of the rows would perform the takbir, for if the Imam performed the takbir and then the taslim, I feared that his taslim would be before the last of the rows performed the takbir. If it is like this, then Allah the Almighty is the Grantor of success in it. If it is otherwise, then I am free before Allah the Almighty from interpreting something regarding the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—that he did not intend, or that he intended otherwise."

362 - Issue; He said: (And he raises his hands in every takbir)

The scholars have reached a consensus that the one praying over the deceased raises his hands in the first takbir he performs. Ibn Umar used to raise his hands in every takbir. This was also the view of Salim, Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, 'Ata', Qays ibn Abi Hazim, al-Zuhri, Ishaq, Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Awza'i, and al-Shafi'i. Malik, al-Thawri, and Abu Hanifa said: He does not raise his hands except in the first; because every takbir is the place of a rak'ah, and hands are not raised in all rak'ahs. As for our evidence, it is what was narrated from Ibn Umar, who said: The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—used to raise his hands in every takbir (1).