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﴿ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

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The ruling on holding feasts, setting up tents, and using light bulbs in the event of a death

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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, it has become apparent among the people that when someone dies, they do six things. First, they bring chairs. Then, they bring light bulbs. Then, they slaughter animals every night. And on the third night, the deceased is said to perform what is called "cutting the enemies," and the general public is invited to him. We ask for guidance and advice regarding this. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
These practices have no basis in Islam; they are burdens
for which Allah has not sent down any authorityمَّا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ
[Al-A'raf 7:71]
, and shackles around the necks of the poor and the bereaved
for which Allah has not sent down any authorityمَّا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ
[Al-A'raf 7:71]
. Yes, condolence is prescribed, and that is to find the bereaved person or go to his home and offer your condolences, saying, "May Allah improve your consolation, mend your loss, and forgive your deceased." You sit with him as long as you wish, then you leave without setting up tents. That is, if you find him in the mosque, in the street, in his shop, in his farm, or sitting in his home, you go to him; there is no contradiction in that. However, setting up tents, holding feasts, and the like, along with lighting lanterns, is not permissible. It may be part of eulogizing or excessive grief. Jarir ibn 'Abd Allah, the noble Companion (may Allah be pleased with him), said, "We used to consider gathering at the home of the deceased and preparing food to be wailing." Gathering at the home of the deceased means setting up tents, arranging chairs, holding gatherings, and preparing food for feasts; this is part of the forbidden wailing in Islam because it is excessive grief over the deceased. This is not permissible. It is obligatory for Muslims to abandon these customs. Condolences are easy, praise be to Allah. You console your brother on any occasion and in any place where you find him, without burdens, without food, without lanterns, without tents, and without specific days. All these burdens are
for which Allah has not sent down any authorityمَّا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ
[Al-A'raf 7:71]
.
And does this benefit the living or the deceased? This does not benefit anything. Rather, it is a spending of money, a burden on the bereaved, and a fatigue for the poor. So this action is not permissible.
Source حكم بعض الأمور في العزاء — alfawzan.live

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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