The Ruling on Bestowing the Reward of Good Deeds upon the Living

Question:
This questioner, Muhammad, says: Honorable Shaykh, is it permissible for a person to perform a good deed to draw near to Allah the Exalted, and then convey the reward of that deed to someone else among his living brothers?

Answer:
Yes, it is permissible to bestow the reward in cases where there is evidence for it, for the living and for the dead. It is permissible to give charity on behalf of his brother, whether he is alive or dead. It is permissible to perform Hajj or 'Umrah on behalf of his brother as a voluntary act if he is dead. As for the living person, one does not perform voluntary Hajj on his behalf; rather, one performs the obligatory Hajj on his behalf if he is unable to perform it due to old age or a chronic illness.