We have an old custom where, when Ramadan arrives, we slaughter animals and call it the dinner of the dead, and we invite relatives, kin, and friends. What is the ruling on this action?
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The questioner : We have an old custom, and that is when the month of Ramadan arrives...
The Shaykh : When?
The questioner : When the month of Ramadan appears for us, we slaughter animals and call it the Dead’s Supper and invite family, relatives, and friends. What is the ruling on this? May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : This is a religious innovation (bid'ah). If it had been good, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have preceded us to it. Indeed, if it had been good, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have directed us to it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave any good without directing the Ummah to it and encouraging them to do it. And the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). However, there is no harm in increasing voluntary charity (sadaqah) in the month of Ramadan with food, clothing, money, knowledge, physical benefit, and other things. This is because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most generous of people, and he was at his most generous in Ramadan when Jibril would meet him to review the Qur'an with him. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was more generous with good than the sending wind.
As for slaughtering in Ramadan, if the intention is to draw near to Allah through the slaughter, then it is a religious innovation (bid'ah) without a doubt. This is because drawing near to Allah through slaughter only occurs on the days of slaughter in the Festival of Sacrifice ('Id al-Adha) and the three days following it, or in the sacrificial animal (hady) that is sent to Makkah to the sacred precinct, or in the sacrifice for a newborn ('aqiqah) that is slaughtered for the child on the seventh day of its birth. Other than that, one does not draw near to Allah through slaughter. However, if a person intends to give charity with meat and slaughters an animal in order to give its meat as charity, not to draw near to Allah through the slaughter itself, then this is not a religious innovation (bid'ah). This is because distributing meat is not an innovation, but drawing near to Allah through a slaughter that was not prescribed is what constitutes the innovation.
And as for the sayingThe questioner : We call it the Dead’s Supper. So we tell him that the dead do not have supper, nor do they eat or drink, nor do they benefit from this, except what is charity and a means of drawing near to Allah. If one gives charity on behalf of the deceased with what draws near to Allah and intends it for the deceased, it benefits him according to the stronger opinion among the scholars, if there is not consensus on this regarding charity. However, this is not among the matters that are prescribed for the servant to do regarding the dead. Rather, supplication (du'a') for the dead is better than charity for them, better than Hajj for them, better than fasting for them, better than prayer for them, and better than glorification (tasbih) for them. The evidence for this is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1631 The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not mention deeds in this hadith, even though the context of the hadith is about deeds. If deeds for the deceased had been among the prescribed matters, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have clarified it in this hadith.
And based on this, we say that the best thing to offer to the deceased in Ramadan and otherwise is to supplicate to Allah for him, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) guided to. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. This is a listener to the program. He did not mention his name here. He sent a message saying, in his question, he asks about.
The Shaykh : When?
The questioner : When the month of Ramadan appears for us, we slaughter animals and call it the Dead’s Supper and invite family, relatives, and friends. What is the ruling on this? May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : This is a religious innovation (bid'ah). If it had been good, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have preceded us to it. Indeed, if it had been good, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have directed us to it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave any good without directing the Ummah to it and encouraging them to do it. And the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). However, there is no harm in increasing voluntary charity (sadaqah) in the month of Ramadan with food, clothing, money, knowledge, physical benefit, and other things. This is because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most generous of people, and he was at his most generous in Ramadan when Jibril would meet him to review the Qur'an with him. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was more generous with good than the sending wind.
As for slaughtering in Ramadan, if the intention is to draw near to Allah through the slaughter, then it is a religious innovation (bid'ah) without a doubt. This is because drawing near to Allah through slaughter only occurs on the days of slaughter in the Festival of Sacrifice ('Id al-Adha) and the three days following it, or in the sacrificial animal (hady) that is sent to Makkah to the sacred precinct, or in the sacrifice for a newborn ('aqiqah) that is slaughtered for the child on the seventh day of its birth. Other than that, one does not draw near to Allah through slaughter. However, if a person intends to give charity with meat and slaughters an animal in order to give its meat as charity, not to draw near to Allah through the slaughter itself, then this is not a religious innovation (bid'ah). This is because distributing meat is not an innovation, but drawing near to Allah through a slaughter that was not prescribed is what constitutes the innovation.
And as for the sayingThe questioner : We call it the Dead’s Supper. So we tell him that the dead do not have supper, nor do they eat or drink, nor do they benefit from this, except what is charity and a means of drawing near to Allah. If one gives charity on behalf of the deceased with what draws near to Allah and intends it for the deceased, it benefits him according to the stronger opinion among the scholars, if there is not consensus on this regarding charity. However, this is not among the matters that are prescribed for the servant to do regarding the dead. Rather, supplication (du'a') for the dead is better than charity for them, better than Hajj for them, better than fasting for them, better than prayer for them, and better than glorification (tasbih) for them. The evidence for this is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious child, who prays for him (for the deceased).
إذا مات الإنسان انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاثة، إلا من صدقة جارية، أو علم يُنتفع به، أو ولد صالح يدعو لهAnd based on this, we say that the best thing to offer to the deceased in Ramadan and otherwise is to supplicate to Allah for him, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) guided to. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. This is a listener to the program. He did not mention his name here. He sent a message saying, in his question, he asks about.