The Method of Discharge When a Man Dies with Obligatory Rights Owed to Allah in His Estate
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Fatwa No. ( 16007 )
Q: What do the true scholars say regarding the issue of the method of discharge when a man dies with obligatory rights owed to Allah in his estate? This is prevalent in our country. After they finish the funeral prayer, they sit in a circle and place money on the Qur'an, saying: "All the rights owed to Allah the Exalted that were obligatory in the estate of this deceased, whether obligatory acts, vows, or expiations, some of which he performed and some of which he missed, and he is now unable to perform these rights." After this, one of them takes the Qur'an with the money, then another takes it, and so on until the last one. They believe that the money will increase, and then they divide the money among the people. Please clarify the issue with the evidence from the Shari'ah, and whether it is established from the best of the generations or not?
A: The method of discharging the rights owed to Allah the Exalted by the deceased, such as prayers, vows, and expiations, in the manner described in the question is a religious innovation and an invented method with no basis in the Shari'ah. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 1718a, and in another wording: Sahih Muslim 1718b. The fundamental principle in the Shari'ah is that a Muslim does not worship his Lord except with what Allah has prescribed in His Book or the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Thus, acts of worship are based on specific texts, and it is not permissible for anyone to introduce something for which there is no explicit Shari'ah text. The Shari'ah method for expiating sins is sincere repentance from the living, charity and seeking forgiveness, increasing in prescribed acts of worship, returning injustices to their owners and seeking their forgiveness as much as possible, and so on. It is prescribed for the deceased: charity, seeking forgiveness from Allah for him, making du'a for him, and discharging the rights owed to Allah that he left behind; such as zakah, expiations, and fasting Ramadan if he delayed making up his fasts without an excuse, and performing Hajj if he was able to do so before his death but was lenient and did not perform it, and the like. Or rights owed to people; such as debts and trusts, and the like. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: What do the true scholars say regarding the issue of the method of discharge when a man dies with obligatory rights owed to Allah in his estate? This is prevalent in our country. After they finish the funeral prayer, they sit in a circle and place money on the Qur'an, saying: "All the rights owed to Allah the Exalted that were obligatory in the estate of this deceased, whether obligatory acts, vows, or expiations, some of which he performed and some of which he missed, and he is now unable to perform these rights." After this, one of them takes the Qur'an with the money, then another takes it, and so on until the last one. They believe that the money will increase, and then they divide the money among the people. Please clarify the issue with the evidence from the Shari'ah, and whether it is established from the best of the generations or not?
A: The method of discharging the rights owed to Allah the Exalted by the deceased, such as prayers, vows, and expiations, in the manner described in the question is a religious innovation and an invented method with no basis in the Shari'ah. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.