Is it permissible to recite al-Fatihah for the dead, and does it reach them?
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The questioner : Is it permissible to recite al-Fatihah for the dead? And does it reach them? Please inform us, may Allah guide you.
The Shaykh : Regarding reciting al-Fatihah for the dead, I do not know of any text from the Sunnah concerning it. Therefore, it is not recited, because the default ruling for acts of worship is prohibition and restriction until evidence establishes them and confirms that they are part of the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The evidence for this is that Allah rebuked those who introduced into the religion of Allah what Allah has not authorized, and He said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:21] It is also established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sahih Muslim 1718b If it is rejected, it is invalid and futile, and Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is exalted from being approached by such means.
As for hiring a reciter to read the Qur'an so that its reward goes to the deceased, it is forbidden. It is not valid to take a fee for reciting the Qur'an. Whoever takes a fee for reciting the Qur'an is sinful and receives no reward, because the Qur'an is an act of worship, and it is not permissible for an act of worship to be a means to something of this world. Allah the Exalted said:[Hud 11:15-16] If this reciter is sinful, he has no reward. If he has no reward, then nothing from his recitation reaches the deceased, because the reaching of the reward to the deceased is a consequence of its validity for this reciter, and this reciter has no reward. Therefore, nothing of the reward reaches the deceased. Consequently, hiring these reciters is a sin, a disobedience, a waste of money, and a waste of time.
My advice to my brothers who have been afflicted with this is to abandon it, repent to Allah the Exalted from it, and replace it with what the texts indicate regarding supplication for the deceased. It is established in the authentic hadith narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1631 If a person wants to benefit his deceased with something, let him increase his supplication for him, especially at times when supplication is answered, such as the last part of the night, during prostration, and between the adhan and the iqamah. Whoever follows the Shari'ah of Allah and rejects innovations in the religion of Allah attains much good.
The Shaykh : Regarding reciting al-Fatihah for the dead, I do not know of any text from the Sunnah concerning it. Therefore, it is not recited, because the default ruling for acts of worship is prohibition and restriction until evidence establishes them and confirms that they are part of the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The evidence for this is that Allah rebuked those who introduced into the religion of Allah what Allah has not authorized, and He said:
Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُHe 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 ردAs for hiring a reciter to read the Qur'an so that its reward goes to the deceased, it is forbidden. It is not valid to take a fee for reciting the Qur'an. Whoever takes a fee for reciting the Qur'an is sinful and receives no reward, because the Qur'an is an act of worship, and it is not permissible for an act of worship to be a means to something of this world. Allah the Exalted said:
(15) Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. (16) Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.
مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لا يُبْخَسُونَ * أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ إِلَّا النَّارُ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا فِيهَا وَبَاطِلٌ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَMy advice to my brothers who have been afflicted with this is to abandon it, repent to Allah the Exalted from it, and replace it with what the texts indicate regarding supplication for the deceased. It is established in the authentic hadith narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: