Hiring for prayers

1610. After the death of a person, another person can be engaged to offer, on payment of wages, those prayers and other acts of worship, which the dead person did not offer during his lifetime. And it is also in order if a person offers the services without taking payment for it.

1611. A person can accept engagement to offer some Mustahab acts like Ziyarat, shrine of the prophet (As) or Imams(s), on behalf of the living persons. Also he can perform some Mustahab acts, and dedicate their Thawab to living or dead persons.

1613. At the time for making Niyyat, the hired person must specify the dead person, but it is not necessary that he should know his/her name. Hence, it is enough if he intends: “I am offering prayers for the person on whose behalf I am hired.”

1614. The hired person should act with the Niyyat that he is acting to discharge the obligation of the dead person. It will not be enough if he performs and dedicates its Thawab to the dead person.

1615. One who hires a person, should be satisfied that the hired person will perform the act for which he is hired.

1616. If it transpires that the person hired for offering prayers for a dead person has not performed it, or has performed incorrectly, another person should be hired for the purpose.

1617. If a person doubts whether or not hired person has performed the act, and in spite of the hired person’s assurance, he is not satisfied, he is not satisfied, he must hire another person. But if he doubts whether or not the hired person has performed it correctly, he should presume that it has been correct.

1618. A person who has some excuse for example, if he offers prayers with Tayammum or in a sitting position should never be hired for offering prayers for a dead person, even if the prayers of the dead person may have become Qadha that way.

1619. A man can be hired on behalf of a woman, and a woman can be hired on behalf of a man, and in matter of offering prayers loudly or silently, the hired person should act according to his/her own obligation.

1620. Observing order is not obligatory for the Qadha prayers of a dead person, except in the case of prayers whose performance is prescribed in an order, like, Zuhr and Asr prayers of one day.

1621. If it is not agreed with the hired person about the extent of Mustahab acts, he/she may perform them according to nrman limit.

1622. If several persons are hired to offer the Qadha prayers of a dead person, if the order of those Qadha prayers is known, they should be performed in their order. For example, it is agreed with one person to offer Qadha prayers of Fajr and Zuhr, and another person to offer Zuhr till night. Also, the prayer of each time should be made clear. For example, the may agree that Fajr prayer should be offered first or Zuhr or Asr prayers. And also it should be agreed to start daily prayers each time from the very beginning.

1623. If, a hired person agrees to offer the prayers of a dead person within one year, but he dies before the year ends, another person should be hired to offer those prayers they think or know that are left out, as an obligatory precaution.

1624. If a person hired for offering the prayers of a dead person, dies before offering all the prayers, and if he had taken wages for all the prayers, if the hirer has placed a condition that he would offer all the prayers himself, the proportionate amount of wages for the remaining prayers. Will be paid to heirs of Mayyit. For example if half of prayers remains, half of the wage should be paid to heir of Mayyit. And if it was not agreed that the hired person would offer all the prayers himself, then the heirs of the deceased should pay from his estate, and engage another person to complete the task. And if there is nothing in the estate, it is not obligatory upon the heirs, but it is better to do it.

1625. If the hired person dies before offering all the Qadha prayers of the dead, and if he himself had some Qadha of his own, if there is any residue from his estate after according to the above rule, someone should be hired to perform all his Qadha if he has Willed, and his heirs give permission. And if they do not permit, his one-third (Thuluth) should be spent for the Qadha prayers.