What is the ruling in the Shari'ah regarding those who recite the Qur'an over the deceased in his house and eat food, saying that this is charity?
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The questioner : What is the ruling in the Shari'ah, in your view, regarding these people who recite the Qur'an over the deceased in his house, eat food, and say: "This is charity; I hope for benefit from this"?
The Shaykh : I say that keeping the deceased in his house after he has been prepared is contrary to the Sunnah. The Sunnah is for the family of the deceased to hasten to bury him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1477Sahih (Darussalam).
Therefore, it is not permissible to keep the deceased in his house. And if keeping him in the house is accompanied by reciting over him, this is even more severe and more severe, because reciting over the deceased after his death is a religious innovation. Look at the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them); they did not recite over their dead after their death. They only prepared them, prayed over them, and buried them. In fact, a woman who used to clean the mosque died at night, so they prepared her at night, prayed over her, and buried her. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked about her, they informed him that she had died at night and that they had disliked informing him of it. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So they guided him. When he reached the grave, he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed over her. He did not recite over her, nor did he make a collective supplication over her, but rather he prayed the funeral prayer over her and left. This is the Sunnah.
And I call upon my Muslim brothers; I call upon everyone who has heard this speech of mine not to act as they are currently doing until they present it to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the way of the Companions, including the Rightly Guided Caliphs and others. Because this is what we were commanded to do. Allah the Exalted said:[At-Tawbah 9:100] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Mishkat al-Masabih 165Sahīh (Zubair `Aliza'i).
So we ask Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, to make us among those who hold fast to His Sunnah and uphold His Shari'ah, and to overlook our faults and forgive us. Indeed, He is Generous and Bountiful.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may He magnify your reward for what you have clarified for us.
The Shaykh : I say that keeping the deceased in his house after he has been prepared is contrary to the Sunnah. The Sunnah is for the family of the deceased to hasten to bury him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Hasten with the funeral (procession), for if the person was righteous then you are advancing him towards good, and if he was otherwise then it is evil which you are taking off of your necks.
أسرعوا بالجنازة فإن تكن صالحة فخير تقدمونها إليه ، وإن تكن سوى ذلك فشر تضعونها عن رقابكمTherefore, it is not permissible to keep the deceased in his house. And if keeping him in the house is accompanied by reciting over him, this is even more severe and more severe, because reciting over the deceased after his death is a religious innovation. Look at the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them); they did not recite over their dead after their death. They only prepared them, prayed over them, and buried them. In fact, a woman who used to clean the mosque died at night, so they prepared her at night, prayed over her, and buried her. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked about her, they informed him that she had died at night and that they had disliked informing him of it. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Show me her grave.
دلوني على قبرهاAnd I call upon my Muslim brothers; I call upon everyone who has heard this speech of mine not to act as they are currently doing until they present it to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the way of the Companions, including the Rightly Guided Caliphs and others. Because this is what we were commanded to do. Allah the Exalted said:
And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُYou must therefore follow my sunna and that of the rightly guided Caliphs
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعديSo we ask Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, to make us among those who hold fast to His Sunnah and uphold His Shari'ah, and to overlook our faults and forgive us. Indeed, He is Generous and Bountiful.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may He magnify your reward for what you have clarified for us.