Is it sufficient to offer condolences via the telephone?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
May Allah reward you with good. This questioner from al-Bahah says: A thousand times, Honorable Shaykh, when is traveling to offer condolences obligatory, and is the telephone sufficient for condolences?
Answer:
Offering condolences is according to one’s ability. It is a recommended practice (sunnah) and is according to one’s ability. If he is able to go to the bereaved and offer his condolences, whether he is in the town, or if he meets him in the mosque, on the street, in the store, or at the work office, he offers his condolences. But if he is far from the town, he is content with a telephone call, a letter, or other means that convey the condolences to the bereaved. In any case, it is a recommended practice (sunnah), not obligatory. Yes.
May Allah reward you with good. This questioner from al-Bahah says: A thousand times, Honorable Shaykh, when is traveling to offer condolences obligatory, and is the telephone sufficient for condolences?
Answer:
Offering condolences is according to one’s ability. It is a recommended practice (sunnah) and is according to one’s ability. If he is able to go to the bereaved and offer his condolences, whether he is in the town, or if he meets him in the mosque, on the street, in the store, or at the work office, he offers his condolences. But if he is far from the town, he is content with a telephone call, a letter, or other means that convey the condolences to the bereaved. In any case, it is a recommended practice (sunnah), not obligatory. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 6523- هل يكفي التعزية عن طريق الهاتف؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.