The ruling on performing a Qur'an recitation cycle (khatmah) and dedicating its reward to the deceased, and the ruling on reciting al-Fatihah for the deceased

The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. A listener sent a message saying: His name is 'Awad Suwailim from the Arab Republic of Egypt, and he was working in Jordan when he sent the message. He says: I ask the Honorable Shaykh about supplicating for the deceased, because in every prayer I supplicate for my deceased father and recite al-Fatihah for him in every prayer, and I supplicate for him, saying: "O Lord, forgive him and have mercy on him" three times. And before his death, he entrusted me with the responsibility of performing a khatmah for him. He passed away on the first day of the month of Rajab, and every year in this month I send word to the family to perform it annually with the presence of the reciters of the village and its surrounding areas, reciting the Noble Qur'an without a loudspeaker. Please provide information on this annual practice: is it a bid'ah (religious innovation) or is it permissible? May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh:
As for your supplication for your father, this is a prescribed matter, and may Allah reward you with good. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: Noah, peace be upon him, said: Seeking forgiveness for one's parents, and for the believers after seeking forgiveness for oneself, and supplicating for them after supplicating for oneself, this is a prescribed matter, and it contains much good, and praise be to Allah.
As for reciting al-Fatihah, it is a bid'ah (religious innovation). A person does not recite it for himself, nor does he recite it for another; because there is no evidence (dalil) regarding its recitation that it is recited for the deceased, or recited for reward and merit. Rather, it is recited in the prayer; its recitation is a pillar of the pillars of the prayer, and the prayer is not valid without it. It is the greatest of the surahs in the Book of Allah, but there is no report that it is recited for the deceased, or for reward, or for the souls of the dead. All of this is from bid'ah (religious innovations). The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: What is recited for the deceased is the Verse of the Throne, Surah al-Ikhlas, and the two Mu'awwidhat (chapters of protection). This is what is recited for the deceased and for protection from Satan, and it is also recited for ruqyah (healing by Qur'anic recitation). Yes, al-Fatihah is recited for ruqyah, and it is the best of what is used for ruqyah, the best of what is used for the patient. So it is a ruqyah recited over the patient; a person recites it over himself, and recites it over another, and seeks healing with it from illness. So it is a great ruqyah.
As for performing a khatmah for the deceased, this is a bid'ah (religious innovation); there is no evidence (dalil) for it, neither from the Book nor from the Sunnah. Performing the khatmah, gathering the reciters, and spending money on all of this is not permissible. And what you should do is give in charity this money that you spend on this khatmah and gathering the reciters; give it in charity to the needy with the intention that its reward is for your father.
And charity on behalf of the deceased is prescribed (mashru'), and it has reward and merit if Allah the Exalted and Glorious accepts it. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And when Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): "Does my deceased mother benefit from charity?" He said to him: "Give charity on behalf of your mother." This is what benefits the deceased. As for performing the khatmah and gathering the reciters, this is an innovated act in which there is no reward, but rather there is sin upon the one who does it, if he does it while knowing that it is not prescribed (mashru'). And the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): is rejected. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. What did he call the annual practice, Shaykh Salih?

The Shaykh:
Arranging it by the year, or by the week, yes, or by the month, this requires evidence (dalil). But give charity for your deceased in any opportunity that becomes easy, or any need that arises, not restricted to a week, or a month, or a year. And supplicate for him likewise in any opportunity that occurs for you. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.