What is the authenticity of the hadith: “Recite Surah Yasin over your dead”?

The questioner : ... What is the authenticity of the hadith, the meaning of which is: Recite Surah Yasin over your dead?

The Shaykh : This is a hadith that is not authentic, and it has three defects according to the hadith scholars: the unknown narrator, the missing link, and another unknown narrator. Even if it were authentic, it would mean the same as the authentic hadith: This is an authentic hadith narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih. The scholars’ intended meaning of “your dead” here is those who are on the verge of death, i.e., those who are about to die. If this first hadith were authentic, its understanding and interpretation would be based on the second authentic hadith: , And this meaning is very beautiful. Why? Because it is possible that this person on the verge of death, if he is taught the word of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) or hears some verses from the Noble Qur’an, it might be the cause of his guidance, even if it is in the last moment of his life. As reported in Sahih al-Bukhari from the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had a Jewish boy who served him. This boy fell ill, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visited him and found him in the sickness of death”. He said to him: The boy’s Jewish father was present. Without a doubt, because of his service to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and although he was a Jew, he certainly benefited from his light (peace and blessings be upon him) and his character, so his heart was open to receiving such a good word. But his father was above him, and he did not want to upset his father, hoping perhaps for life afterwards. So he raised his eyes to his father, as if consulting him: “What is your opinion about what Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said?” The father said to him: “Obey Muhammad.” This indicates to us and confirms that the Jews did not disbelieve in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) except out of stubbornness. And as Allah the Exalted said in the Noble Qur’an: But what does it mean that this Jew said to his son, “Obey Abu al-Qasim”? It means that he knew that Abu al-Qasim was on the right path and in the correct. So when he said to him, “Obey Abu al-Qasim,” the boy said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.” And that was his last word, and he died. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So this teaching of the word of tawhid may be beneficial. But if the dead person has already died, he becomes like this piece of wood. Teach this piece of wood, read over it the recitations night and day, he will not benefit from it at all, and the dead person is like this. And therefore the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So, your first hadith: We need to weigh it against the previous authentic, established hadith from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), or otherwise not. The answer, after studying its chain of narration by the hadith scholars, is that it is not authentic.