However, the scholars regarded this supplication as commendable.

His statement, “O Allah, make him a treasure for his parents”: a treasure here means something stored up; the verbal noun is used in the sense of a passive participle—that is, something stored up for his parents, to which they may turn in time of need.

His statement, “and a forerunner”: a forerunner is one who goes ahead before others. Here a question arises: how can we say that he is a forerunner for his parents if they died before him?

It may be said: he is their forerunner in the Hereafter, preceding them so that they may receive his reward.

His statement, “and a reward”: that is, make him a reward for them. This is clear when they are alive, because they will suffer his loss; if they suffer this loss and bear the calamity patiently, he becomes a reward for them. But if they have died, this is not apparent. Perhaps, however, the jurists mentioned this on the basis of what usually occurs.

His statement, “an intercessor”: an intercessor is one who intercedes, just as “all-hearing” means one who hears.

An intercessor is one who mediates for another in bringing about a benefit or warding off a harm. He is called an intercessor because he makes the one for whom intercession is sought into two after he had been one; by joining his voice to that person’s voice, he becomes an intercessor for him.