What reaches the deceased from the living in terms of righteous deeds?
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The questioner : What reaches the deceased from the living: you could have raised this topic before, but I read about it recently and became confused by the multitude of opinions.
The Shaykh : Good, tell me what led you to this confusion?
The questioner : I mean, what reaches the deceased from acts of worship like supplication, the Qur'an, prayer, zakah, fasting, and charity, and so on, and from whom—whether from their children, their relatives, or the people in general? The opinions on this topic were very numerous.
The Shaykh : I dealt with this issue in the book *Rulings on Funerals*, I think you know it, and then I summarized it in a part of about a quarter of the original. Yes, regarding the parents, whatever the child does, the parents benefit from it, considering that they are the cause of this good. And as Allah the Exalted said:[An-Najm 53:36-39]. And it came in the authentic hadith: . So from the Prophetic text we derive the aforementioned result, which is that all righteous deeds that come from the child, their reward reaches the parent. As for other people, it does not reach them... [Al-Hashr 59:10], ربنا اغفر لي ولولدي ، وللمؤمنين يوم يقوم الحساب Our Lord, forgive me and my children, and the believers on the Day the Reckoning stands.. So this supplication includes all the believers. As for righteous deeds, only their owner benefits from them, with the condition of acceptance, or whoever was the cause of this righteous deed, meaning what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned in the authentic hadith: إذا مات الإنسان When a person dies.. And in another narration: ابن آدم انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث ، صدقة جارية أو علم ينتفع به ، أو ولد صالح يدعو له 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 himRiyad as-Salihin 1383. The point of the hadith is the middle section: أو علم ينتفع به or knowledge (by which people) benefitSahih Muslim 1631. For example, a man passed away and left behind students who spread knowledge. As long as these students spread knowledge, the reward of this spreading reaches this deceased scholar in his grave, because he was the cause of this knowledge. Or, for example, he wrote a book and people benefit from it after his death, because this is among his effects. And Allah the Exalted said: ونكتب ما قدموا وآثارهم and record what they have put forth and what they left behind[Ya-Sin 36:12]. This is the rule: the parents receive the reward of the child's work.
The questioner : Is it required in this that one says, "I have gifted this to my parents"?
The Shaykh : It is not required, but there is some detail here. Some things reach them automatically, but it is better if the child wants to benefit his parents, or his father, while they are in their graves, to specify them with the intention. For example, he says, "This charity is for my father," or "This Hajj, this 'Umrah is for my father or my mother." But if he does not do that, it still reaches them. However, what reaches them by the first method, with the intention, is better.
The questioner : Performing 'Umrah and Hajj on behalf of the parents.
The Shaykh : At any time, just as if he performed 'Umrah for himself.
The questioner : I do not know that the Companions performed 'Umrah on behalf of their fathers, like Ibn 'Umar, for example. I did not know that he performed 'Umrah for his father or something of that sort. Do you have anything of this?
The Shaykh : No, I have no knowledge of this, but this...?
The questioner : ...for their fathers... Many of the Companions must have done it.
The Shaykh : The Companions, may Allah bless you, this is said when there is no Shari'ah evidence for the permissibility of this act. But if there is Shari'ah evidence, we do not need to be told whether the Companions did it. For example, إذا سمعتم المؤذن ، فقولوا مثلما يقول ثم صلوا عليّ ، ثم سلوا الله إلي الوسيلة when you hear the mu'adhdhin repeat what he says, invoke a blessing on me,Sunan Abi Dawud 523Sahih (Al-Albani). Did you know that Ibn 'Umar asked Allah for the Intercession? I say I do not know, but...
The questioner : I say I do not know, but I say it is an analogy with a difference?
The Shaykh : It is not an analogy, may Allah bless you. This is an example of my previous statement. What did I say? I said if there is Shari'ah evidence for the legitimacy of something, we do not ask for an example from the deeds of the Salaf. And this is...
The questioner : As you mentioned with the verse وأن ليس للإنسان إلا ما سعى And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives[An-Najm 53:39], and the child is from the effort of his father. So without speaking, the effort reaches. As for the issue of charity, it is specified in the hadith of Sa'd: هذا عن أم سعد ... This is from Umm Sa'd.... So I said charity is specified and mentioned, and supplication is specified and mentioned. As for Hajj and 'Umrah, I do not know except if he did not perform Hajj, he performs it for him; if he did not perform 'Umrah, he performs it for him. As for Hajj and 'Umrah, we do not know that a person performed Hajj for his father who had already performed Hajj in his lifetime.
The Shaykh : But what is the obstacle? What is the difference? First, what is the obstacle, and second, what is the difference between charity and Hajj?
The questioner : Charity is explicitly mentioned, and the act... there is no specification, but in charity it was specified...
The Shaykh : But mentioning something does not negate what else, meaning this is not a text from the Lawgiver that we should stop at. This is an incident that occurred: a man was asked, "Do I give charity on behalf of my mother?" and she had passed away, so he said, "Give charity on her behalf." This does not prevent anything else, such as Hajj or 'Umrah or any other act of worship.
The questioner : Is there not in the Sunnah that a woman performed Hajj on behalf of her mother? Is that not so?
The Shaykh : Yes, there is, but perhaps he means voluntary. As for the woman from Khath'am: حجي عن أبيك Perform Hajj on behalf of your father..
The questioner : But this... the Mذهب of Labayk on behalf of Shubrumah... this mentioned, "I performed Hajj for your father." What is in my mind regarding Hajj and 'Umrah for parents who have already performed Hajj and 'Umrah is that one does not perform Hajj or 'Umrah for them. That is what is in my mind.
The Shaykh : But what is the evidence for this thing that is in your mind?
The questioner : ...which I mentioned, which you refuted, that first we did not know that Ibn 'Umar or any of the Companions... in his mention of the righteous deed in some of the deeds.
The Shaykh : The hadith of Shubrumah that you mentioned, what does it indicate?
The questioner : It indicates that one person performed Hajj on behalf of Shubrumah and intended the Hajj for him.
The Shaykh : Obligatory or voluntary?
The questioner : In the hadith of Shubrumah, we do not know if it was obligatory or voluntary?
The Shaykh : If we do not know, what do we benefit from the hadith of Shubrumah in that case?
The questioner : That he may have left a bequest. Is it permissible for anyone to perform Hajj without a bequest, for example? I, for example, perform Hajj for my cousin or my maternal cousin?
The Shaykh : No, this is not permissible.
The questioner : ...my grandfather...
The Shaykh : Then you will reach our father Adam and Eve...
The questioner : The hadith of Shubrumah that you mentioned, in that only the parents reach the deceased.
The Shaykh : No, because these hadiths that remain are not explicit in the issue. They are not interpreted in light of the general rules. This is Shubrumah, the one for whom Hajj was performed. Either he left a bequest, or he was the father of the one for whom Hajj was performed. You have to answer with the possibilities that align and are consistent with the rules.
The questioner : But in the text of the hadith, here a brother or a relative is possible.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is in the hadith, but here there is a very precise discussion. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "From Shubrumah," it came in the narration: أخ لي أو قريب لي ، أخ لي أو قريب لي A brother of mine or a relative of mine, a brother of mine or a relative of mine.. This cannot be the answer of the man to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is impossible, because if you asked me, "Who is this?" and I said to you, "This is my brother or a relative of mine," would you be satisfied with this answer? Is it proper for me to present this answer, and I am an ordinary person? How much more so a Companion asking the Messenger, "Who is this whom you say: لبيك اللهم عن شبرمة Here I am, O Allah, on behalf of Shubrumah."? The answer to the Messenger is an error by the narrator. The narrator who narrated the hadith, from below the Companion or below him, is the one who was confused, so he narrated this which he could narrate, but nothing is taken from it. And in reality, I traced, or rather, I was fortunate to come upon some explicit narrations in a very rare narration that said: أبي My father. in the manuscripts that are still not printed. So the intention in the answer is to interpret the hadith in a way that is consistent with the rules. If it is said, even if we do not find this narration, this must be his father or one who left a bequest for him.
The questioner : It is possible that he performed Hajj for a person who left a bequest, even if there was kinship between them.
The Shaykh : Yes, but on the condition that the one who left the bequest was unable to perform Hajj.
The questioner : Unable to perform Hajj?
The Shaykh : Yes, so the matter is addressed by bequeathing someone to perform Hajj for him.
The questioner : Meaning, even if there was no kinship between them.
The Shaykh : Oh God.
The questioner : ...says Allahu Akbar and does not wait to stand.
The Shaykh : No, when he stands up immediately, he does not wait until he is fully standing.
The Shaykh : Good, tell me what led you to this confusion?
The questioner : I mean, what reaches the deceased from acts of worship like supplication, the Qur'an, prayer, zakah, fasting, and charity, and so on, and from whom—whether from their children, their relatives, or the people in general? The opinions on this topic were very numerous.
The Shaykh : I dealt with this issue in the book *Rulings on Funerals*, I think you know it, and then I summarized it in a part of about a quarter of the original. Yes, regarding the parents, whatever the child does, the parents benefit from it, considering that they are the cause of this good. And as Allah the Exalted said:
(36) Or has he not been informed of what was in the scriptures of Moses (37) And [of] Abraham, who fulfilled [his obligations] - (38) That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another (39) And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
أم لم ينبأ بما في صحف موسى وإبراهيم الذي وفى ، أن لا تزر وازرة وزرى أخرى ، وأن ليس للإنسان إلا ما سعىThe best earnings are the earnings of a man from the work of his hand, and your children are from your earnings.
أفضل الكسب كسب الرجل من عمل يده، وأن أولادكم من كسبكمOur Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith
ربنا اغفر لنا ولإخواننا الذين سبقونا بالإيمانThe questioner : Is it required in this that one says, "I have gifted this to my parents"?
The Shaykh : It is not required, but there is some detail here. Some things reach them automatically, but it is better if the child wants to benefit his parents, or his father, while they are in their graves, to specify them with the intention. For example, he says, "This charity is for my father," or "This Hajj, this 'Umrah is for my father or my mother." But if he does not do that, it still reaches them. However, what reaches them by the first method, with the intention, is better.
The questioner : Performing 'Umrah and Hajj on behalf of the parents.
The Shaykh : At any time, just as if he performed 'Umrah for himself.
The questioner : I do not know that the Companions performed 'Umrah on behalf of their fathers, like Ibn 'Umar, for example. I did not know that he performed 'Umrah for his father or something of that sort. Do you have anything of this?
The Shaykh : No, I have no knowledge of this, but this...?
The questioner : ...for their fathers... Many of the Companions must have done it.
The Shaykh : The Companions, may Allah bless you, this is said when there is no Shari'ah evidence for the permissibility of this act. But if there is Shari'ah evidence, we do not need to be told whether the Companions did it. For example, إذا سمعتم المؤذن ، فقولوا مثلما يقول ثم صلوا عليّ ، ثم سلوا الله إلي الوسيلة when you hear the mu'adhdhin repeat what he says, invoke a blessing on me,Sunan Abi Dawud 523Sahih (Al-Albani). Did you know that Ibn 'Umar asked Allah for the Intercession? I say I do not know, but...
The questioner : I say I do not know, but I say it is an analogy with a difference?
The Shaykh : It is not an analogy, may Allah bless you. This is an example of my previous statement. What did I say? I said if there is Shari'ah evidence for the legitimacy of something, we do not ask for an example from the deeds of the Salaf. And this is...
The questioner : As you mentioned with the verse وأن ليس للإنسان إلا ما سعى And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives[An-Najm 53:39], and the child is from the effort of his father. So without speaking, the effort reaches. As for the issue of charity, it is specified in the hadith of Sa'd: هذا عن أم سعد ... This is from Umm Sa'd.... So I said charity is specified and mentioned, and supplication is specified and mentioned. As for Hajj and 'Umrah, I do not know except if he did not perform Hajj, he performs it for him; if he did not perform 'Umrah, he performs it for him. As for Hajj and 'Umrah, we do not know that a person performed Hajj for his father who had already performed Hajj in his lifetime.
The Shaykh : But what is the obstacle? What is the difference? First, what is the obstacle, and second, what is the difference between charity and Hajj?
The questioner : Charity is explicitly mentioned, and the act... there is no specification, but in charity it was specified...
The Shaykh : But mentioning something does not negate what else, meaning this is not a text from the Lawgiver that we should stop at. This is an incident that occurred: a man was asked, "Do I give charity on behalf of my mother?" and she had passed away, so he said, "Give charity on her behalf." This does not prevent anything else, such as Hajj or 'Umrah or any other act of worship.
The questioner : Is there not in the Sunnah that a woman performed Hajj on behalf of her mother? Is that not so?
The Shaykh : Yes, there is, but perhaps he means voluntary. As for the woman from Khath'am: حجي عن أبيك Perform Hajj on behalf of your father..
The questioner : But this... the Mذهب of Labayk on behalf of Shubrumah... this mentioned, "I performed Hajj for your father." What is in my mind regarding Hajj and 'Umrah for parents who have already performed Hajj and 'Umrah is that one does not perform Hajj or 'Umrah for them. That is what is in my mind.
The Shaykh : But what is the evidence for this thing that is in your mind?
The questioner : ...which I mentioned, which you refuted, that first we did not know that Ibn 'Umar or any of the Companions... in his mention of the righteous deed in some of the deeds.
The Shaykh : The hadith of Shubrumah that you mentioned, what does it indicate?
The questioner : It indicates that one person performed Hajj on behalf of Shubrumah and intended the Hajj for him.
The Shaykh : Obligatory or voluntary?
The questioner : In the hadith of Shubrumah, we do not know if it was obligatory or voluntary?
The Shaykh : If we do not know, what do we benefit from the hadith of Shubrumah in that case?
The questioner : That he may have left a bequest. Is it permissible for anyone to perform Hajj without a bequest, for example? I, for example, perform Hajj for my cousin or my maternal cousin?
The Shaykh : No, this is not permissible.
The questioner : ...my grandfather...
The Shaykh : Then you will reach our father Adam and Eve...
The questioner : The hadith of Shubrumah that you mentioned, in that only the parents reach the deceased.
The Shaykh : No, because these hadiths that remain are not explicit in the issue. They are not interpreted in light of the general rules. This is Shubrumah, the one for whom Hajj was performed. Either he left a bequest, or he was the father of the one for whom Hajj was performed. You have to answer with the possibilities that align and are consistent with the rules.
The questioner : But in the text of the hadith, here a brother or a relative is possible.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is in the hadith, but here there is a very precise discussion. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "From Shubrumah," it came in the narration: أخ لي أو قريب لي ، أخ لي أو قريب لي A brother of mine or a relative of mine, a brother of mine or a relative of mine.. This cannot be the answer of the man to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is impossible, because if you asked me, "Who is this?" and I said to you, "This is my brother or a relative of mine," would you be satisfied with this answer? Is it proper for me to present this answer, and I am an ordinary person? How much more so a Companion asking the Messenger, "Who is this whom you say: لبيك اللهم عن شبرمة Here I am, O Allah, on behalf of Shubrumah."? The answer to the Messenger is an error by the narrator. The narrator who narrated the hadith, from below the Companion or below him, is the one who was confused, so he narrated this which he could narrate, but nothing is taken from it. And in reality, I traced, or rather, I was fortunate to come upon some explicit narrations in a very rare narration that said: أبي My father. in the manuscripts that are still not printed. So the intention in the answer is to interpret the hadith in a way that is consistent with the rules. If it is said, even if we do not find this narration, this must be his father or one who left a bequest for him.
The questioner : It is possible that he performed Hajj for a person who left a bequest, even if there was kinship between them.
The Shaykh : Yes, but on the condition that the one who left the bequest was unable to perform Hajj.
The questioner : Unable to perform Hajj?
The Shaykh : Yes, so the matter is addressed by bequeathing someone to perform Hajj for him.
The questioner : Meaning, even if there was no kinship between them.
The Shaykh : Oh God.
The questioner : ...says Allahu Akbar and does not wait to stand.
The Shaykh : No, when he stands up immediately, he does not wait until he is fully standing.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.