Cursing and insulting the dead
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Praying on behalf of the deceased
Question: I pray two rak'ahs every night after 'Isha', and I dedicate their reward to my late father and mother. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah in your view regarding this? Please inform us, and may you be rewarded.
Answer: As for being dutiful to one's parents while they are alive and after their death, this is required of the Muslim, and it is among the best of deeds. However, praying on behalf of the deceased is not done. Rather, what you should do for your two deceased parents is to give charity on their behalf, make du'a' for them, and seek forgiveness for them. If you pray, you should make du'a' for yourself, for your parents, and for the Muslims, and seek forgiveness for them and ask for mercy for them.This is what is prescribed, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Riyad as-Salihin 1383 Therefore, what you should do with your two deceased parents is to make du'a' for them, give charity on their behalf, and perform Hajj on their behalf if possible. These are all deeds whose reward reaches them, if Allah wills. As for prayer, no one prays on behalf of another; because prayer is a physical act, and representation does not apply to it.
[Cursing and insulting the dead]
Question: What is the ruling on cursing and insulting the dead? Does that harm them or have an effect on them?
Answer: The prohibition against cursing the dead has been transmitted, because they have entered into what they did. It is not permissible to curse the dead except if mentioning them leads to a legitimate Shari'ah benefit, such as if the deceased was one of the scholars of misguidance, or if he has negative effects. In that case, it is obligatory to alert the Muslims to his effects and his misguidance so that they may beware of that.
As for mentioning him merely as backbiting, and merely cursing him with no benefit behind it, it is not permissible.
Question: I pray two rak'ahs every night after 'Isha', and I dedicate their reward to my late father and mother. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah in your view regarding this? Please inform us, and may you be rewarded.
Answer: As for being dutiful to one's parents while they are alive and after their death, this is required of the Muslim, and it is among the best of deeds. However, praying on behalf of the deceased is not done. Rather, what you should do for your two deceased parents is to give charity on their behalf, make du'a' for them, and seek forgiveness for them. If you pray, you should make du'a' for yourself, for your parents, and for the Muslims, and seek forgiveness for them and ask for mercy for them.This is what is prescribed, as he (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[Cursing and insulting the dead]
Question: What is the ruling on cursing and insulting the dead? Does that harm them or have an effect on them?
Answer: The prohibition against cursing the dead has been transmitted, because they have entered into what they did. It is not permissible to curse the dead except if mentioning them leads to a legitimate Shari'ah benefit, such as if the deceased was one of the scholars of misguidance, or if he has negative effects. In that case, it is obligatory to alert the Muslims to his effects and his misguidance so that they may beware of that.
As for mentioning him merely as backbiting, and merely cursing him with no benefit behind it, it is not permissible.