In some villages, when a person dies, the family of the deceased distributes charity at the graves, but one of the imams prevented them from doing so and told them that it is better
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The questioner : In some villages, when a person dies, the family of the deceased distributes charity at the graves, consisting of bread or fruit. However, one of the imams prevented them from doing so and told them: It is better to distribute it in the mosque. Is this permissible?
The Shaykh : All of this is a religious innovation (bid'ah), meaning that giving charity on behalf of the deceased at the time of his death is among the innovations, whether it is given in the graveyard to the poor present there or in the mosque. I called it an innovation because charity is an act of drawing near to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and drawing near to Allah is worship, and worship cannot be performed by a person except by permission from the Shari'ah. It is not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to give charity on behalf of the deceased at the time of his death, nor from the Companions, as far as I know, neither in the mosque, nor in the graveyard, nor in the house of the deceased.
And we are only commanded to follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the methodology of the righteous Salaf. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:[Al-A'raf 7:3] And Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said: [Al-An'am 6:153] And He the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:158] And He the Exalted said: [Ali 'Imran 3:31].
The Shari'ah and drawing near to Allah the Exalted are not based on taste and desire, but rather on the Islamic Shari'ah brought by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, my advice to those who have become accustomed to this, namely giving charity on behalf of the deceased at the time of his death in the graveyard or in the mosque, is to leave this practice and replace it with supplication for the deceased during the funeral prayer in the mosque, and with supplication for him after his burial. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to, when the people finished burying the deceased, stand over him and say:Sunan Abi Dawud 3221Sahih (Al-Albani).
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : All of this is a religious innovation (bid'ah), meaning that giving charity on behalf of the deceased at the time of his death is among the innovations, whether it is given in the graveyard to the poor present there or in the mosque. I called it an innovation because charity is an act of drawing near to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and drawing near to Allah is worship, and worship cannot be performed by a person except by permission from the Shari'ah. It is not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to give charity on behalf of the deceased at the time of his death, nor from the Companions, as far as I know, neither in the mosque, nor in the graveyard, nor in the house of the deceased.
And we are only commanded to follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the methodology of the righteous Salaf. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:
Follow, [O mankind], what has been revealed to you from your Lord
اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْAnd, [moreover], this is My path, which is straight, so follow it
وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُSo believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him
فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُSay, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُThe Shari'ah and drawing near to Allah the Exalted are not based on taste and desire, but rather on the Islamic Shari'ah brought by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, my advice to those who have become accustomed to this, namely giving charity on behalf of the deceased at the time of his death in the graveyard or in the mosque, is to leave this practice and replace it with supplication for the deceased during the funeral prayer in the mosque, and with supplication for him after his burial. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to, when the people finished burying the deceased, stand over him and say:
Seek forgiveness for your brother, and beg steadfastness for him, for he will be questioned now.
استغفروا لأخيكم، واسألوا له التثبيت فإنه الآن يسألThe questioner : May Allah bless you.