Allah takes the souls, so if the father or mother does not pray, is it permissible to pray on their behalf after their death? And is it permissible to fast on their behalf as well?
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The questioner : Allah takes the souls, so if the father or mother do not pray, is it permissible to pray on their behalf after their death? And is it also permissible to fast on their behalf after their death? I also ask about zakah: am I allowed to pay zakah on their behalf? I hope for your guidance in this matter.
The Shaykh : If the father and mother do not pray, as the questioner mentioned, and they died in that state, then one does not pray on their behalf, nor fast on their behalf, nor give charity on their behalf. This is because the stronger opinion is that whoever abandons prayer, even if he is negligent, is a disbeliever and an apostate who exits Islam.
And the disbeliever and apostate is not benefited by good deeds if they are performed for him. In fact, it is not permissible for a person to perform a good deed for him, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Tawbah 9:113].
As for the case where the parents pray and sometimes do not, meaning they pray at times and do not pray at other times, then prayer is not made up for the deceased.
As for fasting, if they abandoned it, it is made up for them. If the deceased abandoned fasting, but he abandoned it for an excuse such as illness or the like, it is made up for him after his death, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1147.
As for zakah, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed regarding whether zakah is accepted from the wealth of a person known for stinginess and not paying zakah after his death. That is, from his estate after his death, because there is a right of the people in it, namely the recipients of zakah, or whether it is not made up because it does not benefit the deceased?
If the deceased did not pay zakah, then paying zakah on his behalf after his death does not benefit him, nor does it clear his conscience. This is because he died without paying zakah while being negligent. However, the view of the earlier scholars who say that zakah is made up for him is that this act of worship involves the right of others, so it is made up for him in order to give the others their right, namely the poor and the recipients of zakah. As for him, his conscience is not cleared.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If the father and mother do not pray, as the questioner mentioned, and they died in that state, then one does not pray on their behalf, nor fast on their behalf, nor give charity on their behalf. This is because the stronger opinion is that whoever abandons prayer, even if he is negligent, is a disbeliever and an apostate who exits Islam.
And the disbeliever and apostate is not benefited by good deeds if they are performed for him. In fact, it is not permissible for a person to perform a good deed for him, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.
مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُوْلِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِAs for the case where the parents pray and sometimes do not, meaning they pray at times and do not pray at other times, then prayer is not made up for the deceased.
As for fasting, if they abandoned it, it is made up for them. If the deceased abandoned fasting, but he abandoned it for an excuse such as illness or the like, it is made up for him after his death, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone dies in a state (that he had to complete) some fasts, his heir must fast on his behalf.
من مات وعليه صيام صام عنه وليهAs for zakah, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed regarding whether zakah is accepted from the wealth of a person known for stinginess and not paying zakah after his death. That is, from his estate after his death, because there is a right of the people in it, namely the recipients of zakah, or whether it is not made up because it does not benefit the deceased?
If the deceased did not pay zakah, then paying zakah on his behalf after his death does not benefit him, nor does it clear his conscience. This is because he died without paying zakah while being negligent. However, the view of the earlier scholars who say that zakah is made up for him is that this act of worship involves the right of others, so it is made up for him in order to give the others their right, namely the poor and the recipients of zakah. As for him, his conscience is not cleared.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.