What is the ruling on dedicating the reward of righteous deeds to a deceased person?

Question : A woman asks: I came from Riyadh to perform 'Umrah, and I intended to perform 'Umrah, as I had previously performed 'Umrah. At the beginning of the tawaf, it occurred to me to dedicate the reward of this 'Umrah to my deceased father, who had not previously performed 'Umrah. What is the ruling on dedicating 'Umrah to a deceased person? What is the ruling for one who intends to dedicate it before starting the tawaf, and not from the area of ihram? What is the ruling on dedicating the reward of charity of food, drink, and money to a deceased person?

Answer : Yes. The scholars have mentioned that the person who wants to dedicate the reward to the deceased has two options. The first option is to intend from the beginning of the deed that this deed is for so-and-so, and this is clear. Among the evidence for this is the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So if a person responds to the call (talbiyah) for the pilgrimage on behalf of someone from the very beginning, it is clear that this is permissible. The second option is that after the deed is completed, or during the deed, he says: "O Allah, make the reward of this deed for so-and-so." Some people object to this second option. They say that if the reward is established by the deed, it is established for the doer, and the doer does not have the right to transfer the reward to the one for whom he intended it, unlike the one who intended from the beginning that the deed is for the deceased, for that is permissible. However, after this, we say that it is better for a person not to dedicate the reward of his deeds to others, neither at the beginning nor at the end. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not guide his Ummah to do so. Rather, he said: This means he prays for him, asking Allah for his forgiveness, asking Allah for His mercy for him, and similar supplications. As for worshipping Allah with the intention that it is for this deceased person, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not guide to that. You, O person, will be in need of deeds at a time when you are unable to do them, so leave the deeds for yourself and ask for forgiveness and mercy for your deceased one. This is the best, and it is what the righteous Salaf used to do. Nevertheless, if a person gives charity and intends it for a relative, or prays and intends it for a relative, there is no harm, but on the condition that the prayer or charity is not obligatory. If it is obligatory, then the person must intend it for himself.