Is there charity for the deceased after his death from his family, and is fasting, reciting the Qur'an, tasbih, tahmid, and takbir dedicated to the deceased? Knowing that I...
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The questioner : The questioner, Tawfiq from Jordan, sent a set of questions. Your Eminence, is there charity for the deceased after his death from his family? The question consists of several parts: is fasting, reciting the Qur'an, and tasbih dedicated to the deceased, as well as tahmid and takbir? Knowing that I...
The Shaykh : And what else?
The questioner : ...and tasbih and takbir are dedicated to the deceased? Knowing that I recall a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to the effect that in every tasbih there is charity, in every tahmid there is charity, and in every takbir there is charity. And if it is permissible to dedicate tasbih to the deceased, is it considered among the charities?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Charity on behalf of the deceased is permissible, because Sa'd ibn Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): "May I give charity on behalf of my mother with a date palm I have in Medina?" So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) permitted him. And because a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) about his mother, who had died without speaking, saying, "I think if she had spoken, she would have given charity. May I give charity on her behalf?" He said: This indicates that charity for the deceased is permissible and that the deceased benefits from it.
Likewise, it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that if a person dies with fasting upon him, whether obligatory Ramadan fasting, a vow, or an expiation, then his guardian fasts on his behalf, if he wishes.
Likewise, Hajj on behalf of the deceased, whether obligatory Hajj by vow or by the original ruling of the Shari'ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked by a woman whose mother had vowed to perform Hajj but did not do so until she died, and he said, "Perform Hajj on her behalf." The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed regarding deeds of righteousness other than what the Sunnah brought, whether they are dedicated to the deceased and whether the deceased benefits from them, in two opinions. The correct opinion is that it is permissible to dedicate takbir, tasbih, and takbir, and monetary charity, and other righteous deeds to the deceased. However, the better course is not to do so; that is, it is better not to give charity, not to say takbir, and not to say tasbih for the deceased. Because if it were better to do so, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have commanded it and encouraged his Ummah to do it so that they would carry it out. It was not the custom of the Salaf to do this in the way people do today, to the point that some of them may dedicate most of the voluntary acts they perform to their deceased, whether a mother, father, uncle, maternal uncle, or the like.
And on this basis, the summary of the answer is that supplication for the deceased is better than charity, takbir, prayer, fasting, 'Umrah, and Hajj. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1376Sahih (Darussalam) meaning he himself does it, Sahih Muslim 1631 and he did not mention deeds. He did not say, "Or a righteous son who gives charity on his behalf, or fasts on his behalf, or prays on his behalf, or performs Hajj on his behalf, or performs 'Umrah on his behalf." He said: Sahih Muslim 1631 So supplication for the deceased is better than charity on his behalf. But if one gives charity, it is permissible and reaches the deceased, and he benefits from it by the permission of Allah. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And what else?
The questioner : ...and tasbih and takbir are dedicated to the deceased? Knowing that I recall a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to the effect that in every tasbih there is charity, in every tahmid there is charity, and in every takbir there is charity. And if it is permissible to dedicate tasbih to the deceased, is it considered among the charities?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Charity on behalf of the deceased is permissible, because Sa'd ibn Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): "May I give charity on behalf of my mother with a date palm I have in Medina?" So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) permitted him. And because a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) about his mother, who had died without speaking, saying, "I think if she had spoken, she would have given charity. May I give charity on her behalf?" He said:
Yes
نعمLikewise, it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that if a person dies with fasting upon him, whether obligatory Ramadan fasting, a vow, or an expiation, then his guardian fasts on his behalf, if he wishes.
Likewise, Hajj on behalf of the deceased, whether obligatory Hajj by vow or by the original ruling of the Shari'ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked by a woman whose mother had vowed to perform Hajj but did not do so until she died, and he said, "Perform Hajj on her behalf." The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed regarding deeds of righteousness other than what the Sunnah brought, whether they are dedicated to the deceased and whether the deceased benefits from them, in two opinions. The correct opinion is that it is permissible to dedicate takbir, tasbih, and takbir, and monetary charity, and other righteous deeds to the deceased. However, the better course is not to do so; that is, it is better not to give charity, not to say takbir, and not to say tasbih for the deceased. Because if it were better to do so, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have commanded it and encouraged his Ummah to do it so that they would carry it out. It was not the custom of the Salaf to do this in the way people do today, to the point that some of them may dedicate most of the voluntary acts they perform to their deceased, whether a mother, father, uncle, maternal uncle, or the like.
And on this basis, the summary of the answer is that supplication for the deceased is better than charity, takbir, prayer, fasting, 'Umrah, and Hajj. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
When a person dies, his deeds are cut off except for three: Continuing charity
إذا مات الإنسان انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث صدقة جاريةor knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious child, who prays for him
أو علم يُنتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعو لهor a pious child, who prays for him
أو ولد صالح يدعو لهThe questioner : May Allah reward you.