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﴿ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

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They burden themselves with food and money for those who recite the Qur'an over the deceased; what is the ruling on that?

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Question:
Some people, when one of them dies, bring someone to recite the Qur'an over their dead. On the third day, they burden themselves with a lot of food and pay amounts to the one who recites the Qur'an. Is this correct?

Answer:
This is not correct, and it is an idea that does not benefit the deceased in any way. The obligatory duty toward the deceased is to implement the Sunnah by hastening to pay off his debts, executing his bequests, and hastening to prepare him, hastening to wash him and shroud him, praying over him, and burying him. This is what is prescribed regarding the deceased. Likewise, if one wants to benefit him with something, let him give charity on his behalf to the needy, make du'a for him, and seek forgiveness for him. This is what is prescribed. One also performs Hajj on his behalf and makes up for him, especially if he had the obligation of Hajj or a vow of Hajj or 'Umrah, in which case that is settled for him from his estate. If he had no estate and someone settled it for him voluntarily, that is a good deed. This is what benefits the deceased, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (for the deceased).إذا مات ابن آدم انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث صدقة جارية أو علم ينتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعو له
Riyad as-Salihin 1383
. Likewise, if one slaughters a sacrifice for him, if he slaughters the udhiyah and intends its reward for him, whether he slaughters a separate udhiyah for him or shares it with himself and his family, this is also a good deed, and there is reward and recompense from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), because it is a Sunnah and a ritual, and it benefits the poor and needy, provides for the household, and is gratitude to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), benefiting both the living and the dead. As for hiring reciters and preparing food and cooking food after death, these are religious innovations (bid'ah) for which Allah has not sent down any authority. Jarir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We used to consider gathering at the house of the deceased and preparing food to be from the innovations, and from wailing. We used to consider gathering at the house of the deceased and preparing food to be from wailing." Meaning, in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
It benefits the deceased. And if the costs of these procedures are taken from the estate, that is injustice to the heirs. And if the deceased had debts and his debts were paid off and these procedures were carried out, that is injustice to the deceased as well, and injustice to the creditors. So the result is that this is an action that is not permissible under any circumstances, meaning
Source قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، يكلفون أنفسهم بالطعام والمبالغ لمن يقرأ القرآن على الميت، ما حكم ذلك؟ الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com

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

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