Are the charities given on behalf of the deceased after their death, such as food for the poor or distributing money among them, considered charity on behalf of the deceased that benefits the person?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. The questioner asks: Are the charities given on behalf of the deceased after their death, such as food for the poor or distributing money among them, considered charity on behalf of the deceased that benefits the person?
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no doubt that this is charity on behalf of the deceased that benefits the deceased. If a person gives food or donates dirhams to the poor after his father’s death, that benefits the father and he receives its reward. The son receives the reward of filial piety, not the specific reward of that charity, because the son chose to direct the reward of the charity to his father. Thus, the son receives only the reward of kindness, while the one for whom the reward was directed receives the reward of the charity. But is it better for a person to do this? In other words, do we command a person to give charity on behalf of his father or his mother, or not?
The answer is the second option, meaning that we do not command a person to give charity on behalf of his mother or his father. But if he comes to ask us, “Is it permissible to give charity?” we say, “Yes.” The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not command giving charity on behalf of the father or the mother; rather, he indicated that supplication is better than that. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Riyad as-Salihin 949 Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no doubt that this is charity on behalf of the deceased that benefits the deceased. If a person gives food or donates dirhams to the poor after his father’s death, that benefits the father and he receives its reward. The son receives the reward of filial piety, not the specific reward of that charity, because the son chose to direct the reward of the charity to his father. Thus, the son receives only the reward of kindness, while the one for whom the reward was directed receives the reward of the charity. But is it better for a person to do this? In other words, do we command a person to give charity on behalf of his father or his mother, or not?
The answer is the second option, meaning that we do not command a person to give charity on behalf of his mother or his father. But if he comes to ask us, “Is it permissible to give charity?” we say, “Yes.” The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not command giving charity on behalf of the father or the mother; rather, he indicated that supplication is better than that. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: