What is the criterion for offering condolences to the bereaved, and what is the ruling on reciting al-Fatihah for the deceased?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Your Eminence, what is the criterion for offering condolences to the bereaved?
The Shaykh : What is it?
The questioner : The criterion for offering condolences to the bereaved, especially since we find that in some countries they recite al-Fatihah for the deceased, and they argue for this by saying that if reciting for the sick, such as ruqyah, is permissible, then reciting al-Fatihah for the deceased is all the more so. We ask for elaboration on this issue because we find much disagreement in it, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Condolences are prescribed for every calamity; condolences are prescribed for every calamity. One offers condolences to the one who has been afflicted, not just to relatives. A person may be more affected by the death of a friend than by the death of a relative, and a relative may die to a person without him being affected by it or caring about it, and he may even rejoice in his death if there were problems between them. So, condolences are originally for the one who has been afflicted. To offer condolences means to strengthen him to bear patience, and the meaning of "I offer you condolences" is "I strengthen you to bear patience." The best way to offer condolences is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did when he sent a message to one of his daughters, saying:.
As for people gathering for condolences in one house, that is a religious innovation. If preparing food in that house is added to it, it becomes wailing, as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) considered it to be. That is, gathering at the house of the deceased and preparing food, they considered it to be wailing. And wailing—as many scholars or students of knowledge know—is among the major sins. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:.
Accordingly, it is obligatory for students of knowledge to clarify to the general public that this is not prescribed, and that they are closer to sin than to safety. And it is obligatory for the later generations of this Ummah to follow the earliest generations. Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sit for condolences for his daughters? For his children? For his wife Khadijah? For his wife Zaynab bint Khuzaymah? Did he sit for this? Did Abu Bakr sit? Did 'Umar sit? Did 'Uthman sit? Did 'Ali sit? Did any of the Companions sit waiting for people to offer them condolences?
Never. He did not do this, and there is no doubt that the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for what is passed down from the fathers and has become customary, this is judged by the Book and the Sunnah and the way of the Salaf. If it agrees with them, it is acceptable, not because it is a custom, but because it agrees with the Sunnah. And what contradicts them must be rejected.
It is not befitting for students of knowledge to submit to customs and say: How can we forbid our fathers, mothers, and brothers something that is customary? Because if we took this path, nothing would be right, and matters would remain as they are in corruption.
As for reciting al-Fatihah, it is also an innovation upon an innovation. The Messenger (may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him) never offered condolences by reciting al-Fatihah, nor by reciting anything else from the Qur'an.
As for their saying that it is recited for the sick, we say: It is recited for the sick so that he may be healed by it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2064Sahih (Darussalam). So it is recited for the sick and they are healed by the permission of Allah. But the deceased is dead. If we recite it for him, will he be healed? Never will he be healed. He is dead and will not be resurrected except on the Day of Resurrection.
All of these are things that students of knowledge must uproot from their communities, and they must return to what the righteous Salaf were upon.
So if it is said: Then when do we offer condolences?
We say: First: Condolences are not obligatory. The utmost in it is that it is a recommended practice.
Second: Condolences are for the one who has been afflicted, whom we know is affected by the calamity, so we offer him condolences and convey to him admonitions until he is reassured.
Third: The prescribed condolences are not by gathering in the house, but in any place where you meet him, whether in the market, in the mosque, or the like.
Your Eminence, what is the criterion for offering condolences to the bereaved?
The Shaykh : What is it?
The questioner : The criterion for offering condolences to the bereaved, especially since we find that in some countries they recite al-Fatihah for the deceased, and they argue for this by saying that if reciting for the sick, such as ruqyah, is permissible, then reciting al-Fatihah for the deceased is all the more so. We ask for elaboration on this issue because we find much disagreement in it, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Condolences are prescribed for every calamity; condolences are prescribed for every calamity. One offers condolences to the one who has been afflicted, not just to relatives. A person may be more affected by the death of a friend than by the death of a relative, and a relative may die to a person without him being affected by it or caring about it, and he may even rejoice in his death if there were problems between them. So, condolences are originally for the one who has been afflicted. To offer condolences means to strengthen him to bear patience, and the meaning of "I offer you condolences" is "I strengthen you to bear patience." The best way to offer condolences is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did when he sent a message to one of his daughters, saying:
Tell her to be patient and to seek reward from Allah, for Allah has what He has taken and what He has left, and everything with Him is by a specified term.
مرها فلتصبر ولتحتسب فإن لله ما أخذ وله ما أبقى، وكل شيء عنده بأجل مسمىAs for people gathering for condolences in one house, that is a religious innovation. If preparing food in that house is added to it, it becomes wailing, as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) considered it to be. That is, gathering at the house of the deceased and preparing food, they considered it to be wailing. And wailing—as many scholars or students of knowledge know—is among the major sins. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the wailer and the listener.
لعن النائحة والمستمعةAccordingly, it is obligatory for students of knowledge to clarify to the general public that this is not prescribed, and that they are closer to sin than to safety. And it is obligatory for the later generations of this Ummah to follow the earliest generations. Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sit for condolences for his daughters? For his children? For his wife Khadijah? For his wife Zaynab bint Khuzaymah? Did he sit for this? Did Abu Bakr sit? Did 'Umar sit? Did 'Uthman sit? Did 'Ali sit? Did any of the Companions sit waiting for people to offer them condolences?
Never. He did not do this, and there is no doubt that the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for what is passed down from the fathers and has become customary, this is judged by the Book and the Sunnah and the way of the Salaf. If it agrees with them, it is acceptable, not because it is a custom, but because it agrees with the Sunnah. And what contradicts them must be rejected.
It is not befitting for students of knowledge to submit to customs and say: How can we forbid our fathers, mothers, and brothers something that is customary? Because if we took this path, nothing would be right, and matters would remain as they are in corruption.
As for reciting al-Fatihah, it is also an innovation upon an innovation. The Messenger (may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him) never offered condolences by reciting al-Fatihah, nor by reciting anything else from the Qur'an.
As for their saying that it is recited for the sick, we say: It is recited for the sick so that he may be healed by it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
How did you know it was Ruqyah?
وما يدريك أنها رقية؟All of these are things that students of knowledge must uproot from their communities, and they must return to what the righteous Salaf were upon.
So if it is said: Then when do we offer condolences?
We say: First: Condolences are not obligatory. The utmost in it is that it is a recommended practice.
Second: Condolences are for the one who has been afflicted, whom we know is affected by the calamity, so we offer him condolences and convey to him admonitions until he is reassured.
Third: The prescribed condolences are not by gathering in the house, but in any place where you meet him, whether in the market, in the mosque, or the like.