Is it permissible to attend the condolence gathering for the deceased's family at their home, and what is the correct way to offer condolences?

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. He says:The questioner : Your Eminence, the matter of condolences, or the issue regarding condolences, poses a difficulty for us. How do we reconcile the fact that the reward for one who offers condolences to his afflicted brother is great, with the fact that going to the condolence gathering is among the matters that are not prescribed?

The Shaykh : Yes, it is necessary for the student of knowledge to know that the general statements of the Shari'ah are restricted by the practice. Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) always go to the afflicted person and offer him condolences? No, rather and he did not go, but it was obligatory upon him and he (peace and blessings be upon him) was present. I do not know, up to this moment, that the Companions used to sit in their homes to receive condolences. Rather, Jarir ibn 'Abd Allah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The truth is that this, in addition to being contrary to the Shari'ah, is also contrary to reason. If you sit in your home and open the door to people, or arrange a gathering, it is as if you are saying to people: "O people, I am afflicted, so offer me condolences." Is this reasonable? But if you know that your companion is truly afflicted and you go to his home because he is close to you or a friend of yours to console him in his affliction, that is better, and it is not said to be an innovation. But sitting for condolences and people coming in groups and individually, that is what is condemned. Yes.