in his presence seven times, ‘I ask Allah the Magnificent, Lord of the Magnificent Throne, to cure you,’ Allah will surely restore him to health.”1

It is narrated in the two Sahīh collections that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) visited a sick person, he would supplicate for him, saying, ‘O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the affliction and grant healing; You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing—a healing that leaves no illness behind.’”2

There are also Muslims whom death has taken and whose lives have ended. Each is confined in his grave, held in pledge for his deeds and recompensed for what his own hands sent forth. He therefore needs his Muslim brothers to pray that Allah will pardon his failings, forgive his lapses, and overlook his sins. Allah Most High says: “And those who came after them say, ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and leave no rancor in our hearts toward those who believe. Our Lord, You are truly Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.’” 3

Shaykh Abd al-Rahmān ibn Sa'dī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “This encompasses all believers. They benefit one another and pray for one another because of their shared faith, which establishes the bond of brotherhood among believers. Among the fruits of this brotherhood are that they pray for one another and love one another. For this reason, in this supplication Allah mentions the removal of rancor from the heart, whether little or much. When rancor is absent, its opposite is established: love among believers, mutual loyalty, sincere goodwill, and other such rights owed to believers…”4.