My brother has passed away, and he did not pray out of negligence, but he did fast Ramadan and died in that state. Is it permissible for me or his children to perform the prayer on his behalf?

The questioner : I have a brother who has passed away to the mercy of Allah, and he did not pray out of negligence, but he did fast Ramadan and died in that state. First, is it permissible for me or his children to perform the prayer on his behalf?

The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 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 upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. If this man did not pray until he died, then he died in a state of disbelief, and neither his fasting nor his charity nor anything else will benefit him, due to the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: . Abandoning the prayer is disbelief, as indicated by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the statements of the Companions. Therefore, they do not make up the prayer for him. First, because the prayer is not made up for the dead. Second, even if it were made up, it would not benefit him because he is a disbeliever, may Allah protect us from that. He died in a state of disbelief, and it is not permissible for them to seek forgiveness for him, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: . Yes.