Some Innovations in Condolence

Q: What is the ruling on the customs in condolence, such as feasts, reciting the Qur'an, the fortieth-day observances, and annual observances, and the like?

A: These customs have no basis in the pure Shari'ah, nor any foundation; rather, they are among the religious innovations and matters of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. Holding a feast when a person dies, inviting neighbors, relatives, and others for the sake of condolence, is a religious innovation that is not permissible. Likewise, holding these matters every week or on the anniversary of the death is all from the innovations of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. What is prescribed for the family of the deceased is patience, seeking reward from Allah, and saying what the patient said: "Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return."
And Allah has promised them much good, so He the Exalted said: [Surat al-Baqarah: 157]. There is no blame on them if they prepare ordinary food for themselves to eat and for their needs. Likewise, if a guest comes to them, there is no blame on them if they prepare food suitable for him, due to the generality of the evidence in this matter. It is prescribed for their relatives and neighbors to prepare food and send it to them; for it is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that when the news of the death of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) came, when he was killed at Mu'tah in the Levant, he said to his family: This indicates the permissibility of sending food to the family of the deceased from their relatives or others during the days of calamity.