Zad al-ma'ad (book)

Zad al-ma'ad

Bibliographical Information
Author	Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi
Original title	زاد المَعاد
Language	Farsi
Subject	Supplications and Ziyarah and recommended practices
Publisher	Jelve Kamal

Zād al-maʿād (Provisions for the Hereafter) (Arabic: زاد المَعاد) written in Farsi by Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (al-'Allama al-Majlisi) in 1107/1695-6, which is about a number of religious practices which are recommended. He authored this book in the last years of his life. It is about supplications (du'a), ziyarah and recommended religious practices throughout the year, besides it explains several shari'a rules briefly. Zad al-ma'ad was the main book on supplications for people before Mafatih al-Jinan became common.

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya also has written a book with similar title, Zad al-Ma'ad fi huda khayr al-'ibad, on jurisprudence and sira (conduct) of the Prophet Muhammad (s).

The Author

Main article: Al-'Allama al-Majlisi

Muhammad Baqir b. Muhammad Taqi b. al-Maqsud Ali al-Majlisi known as Allama Majlisi or the Second Majlisi was among the most famous Muslim scholars in jurisprudence and hadith. He was also among the most influential government officials of Shi'a in Safavid era and the author of Bihar al-Anwar which is a hadith collection.

He was an expert in different Islamic sciences such as Tafsir, hadith, jurisprudence, Usul, history, Rijal and diraya, philosophy, logic, mathematics, literature, geography, medicine, astronomy and occult sciences.

Allama Majlisi wrote many different books, including Bihar al-Anwar, Mir'at al-'uqul, Haqq al-Yaqin, Zad al-ma'ad, Tuhfat al-Za'ir, 'Ayn al-Hayat, Hayat al-Qulub, Jala' al-'Uyun and Hilyat al-Muttaqin.

Purpose of Writing

Muhammad Baqir Majlisi mentioned the purposes of this book in a short summary of his book:

" Because numerous supplications and religious practices have been narrated from the fourteen Infallibles and also I have collected most of them in Bihar al-Anwar, then after considering the busy life of people, I made an effort to collect only the reliable and authentic supplications and religious practices so that ordinary people could benefit from them."

He has dedicated this book to Sultan Husayn Safavi.

Structure of the Book

Zad al-ma'ad is organized into 14 chapters with an epilogue. The first nine chapters are about supplications and religious practices in 12 lunar months, which at first gave an introduction on the religious virtues of each month followed by the supplications, ziyara and religious practices of each day and night of every month. In the tenth chapter, the supplications which are common in all the months are stated. In the eleventh chapter, ziyarah of the fourteen infallibles are stated, which were not mentioned in the last chapters. The thirteenth chapter is about the religious practices on dead people and funeral ceremony. And lastly the fourteenth chapter gives a summary on the rules of khums, zakat and i'tikaf (a period of retreat). And finally the epilogue is about kaffara (expiation). Here is a detailed list of contents:

• The first chapter: The virtues of Rajab

• The second chapter: The virtues and religious practices of Sha'ban

• The third chapter: The virtues of Ramadan

• The fourth chapter: The religious practices of Shawwal and Dhu l-Qa'da

• The fifth chapter: The virtues of Dhu l-Hijja

• The sixth chapter: The religious practices of Muharram

• The seventh chapter: The religious practices of Safar

• The eighth chapter: The religious practices of Rabi' I

• The ninth chapter: The religious practices of Rabi' II, Jumada I and Jumada II

• The tenth chapter: The common religious practices of every month

• The eleventh chapter: Ziyarah of Prophet Muhammad (s) and Imams (a)

• The twelfth chapter: On prayers

• The thirteenth chapter: On death and funeral

• The fourteenth chapter: On Khums, Zakat and I'tikaf

• Ending part: Kaffara (expiation)

Translation and Publications

Zad al-ma'ad became hugely popular and was published many times in different countries. Prior to Mafatih al-Jinan, Zad al-ma'ad was the common book of supplications among people.

The supplications of Zad al-ma'ad were translated to Farsi by Sayyid Hasan Musawi.

The book has been translated to Arabic and published in Lebanon.