A Gift of the Reward of Voluntary Acts for the Deceased
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Honorable Shaykh, a questioner asks: Does the reward and merit reach the deceased if a living person gifts him the reward and merit of the Duha prayer, or the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib), or standing in night prayer and the Witr prayer, or voluntary fasting, or reciting the Qur'an, or the remembrance of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?
Answer:
There is no evidence for any of this, so the reward of prayer is not gifted, nor is the reward of reciting the Qur'an, because there is no evidence for it. The default is that the deed belongs to its doer. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Najm 53:39] This is the default. What is excepted from this default is what has evidence for it regarding acting on behalf of others in acts of worship: acting on behalf of others in Hajj, acting on behalf of others in 'Umrah, and acting on behalf of others in charity. Evidence has come for these, and their reward reaches the deceased.
As for anything other than these, it is held in abeyance and intention does not apply to it. However, whoever wants to benefit the deceased should make du'a for him, give charity on his behalf, make du'a for him, give charity on his behalf, seek forgiveness for him, and send blessings upon him, or perform Hajj or 'Umrah on his behalf. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
Honorable Shaykh, a questioner asks: Does the reward and merit reach the deceased if a living person gifts him the reward and merit of the Duha prayer, or the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib), or standing in night prayer and the Witr prayer, or voluntary fasting, or reciting the Qur'an, or the remembrance of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?
Answer:
There is no evidence for any of this, so the reward of prayer is not gifted, nor is the reward of reciting the Qur'an, because there is no evidence for it. The default is that the deed belongs to its doer. Allah the Exalted said:
And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰAs for anything other than these, it is held in abeyance and intention does not apply to it. However, whoever wants to benefit the deceased should make du'a for him, give charity on his behalf, make du'a for him, give charity on his behalf, seek forgiveness for him, and send blessings upon him, or perform Hajj or 'Umrah on his behalf. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
Source
75-اللقاء الأسبوعي مع الشيخ صالح الفوزان - 28 — archive.org (47:13)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.