The Ruling on Excessive Spending on Food at the Time of Death
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Question:
Our brother says: There is a custom in our country, so when a person passes away, there is a lot of extravagance, and then there are the forty days, and the eating, so is it upon...
The Shaykh: Repeat, repeat.
The presenter: He says: There is a custom in our country, so when a person passes away, there is a lot of extravagance, and then there are the forty days and the eating, so should the believer advise them that what they are doing is invalid, or should he not come to console them?
Answer:
Yes, he should advise them, console them, and advise them; because the family of the deceased engaging in extravagance, and feeding people for the sake of the deceased on the day of death, or on the tenth day, or on the fortieth day, or on the anniversary, or otherwise, has no basis, rather it is from the deeds of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance.
They are only preparing food for their own needs, and it is a recommended practice (sunnah) for their companions and relatives to send them food. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did for his family when Ja'far died; when the news of the death of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) came, after he was killed at Mu'tah in the Levant, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his family to prepare food for the family of Ja'far. He ordered his family to prepare food for the people of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib and said:Sunan ad-Daraqutni 8:37
So the recommended practice (sunnah) is for the awliya (close friends of Allah) of the deceased, or his relatives or neighbors, to prepare food for them, for the women of the deceased, for the family of the deceased; because they are occupied with the calamity.
As for the family of the deceased preparing food for people, and inviting them on the first day, or the third day, or the seventh day, or the tenth day, or the fortieth day, or on the anniversary, all of this has no basis. But if they prepare food for themselves, and others come and share with them, or if they prepare food for a guest without the intention of holding it for the deceased, but because a guest has come to them, then the guest must be honored if they prepare food for him. There is no harm, not for the sake of the deceased, but for the sake of hospitality. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Our brother says: There is a custom in our country, so when a person passes away, there is a lot of extravagance, and then there are the forty days, and the eating, so is it upon...
The Shaykh: Repeat, repeat.
The presenter: He says: There is a custom in our country, so when a person passes away, there is a lot of extravagance, and then there are the forty days and the eating, so should the believer advise them that what they are doing is invalid, or should he not come to console them?
Answer:
Yes, he should advise them, console them, and advise them; because the family of the deceased engaging in extravagance, and feeding people for the sake of the deceased on the day of death, or on the tenth day, or on the fortieth day, or on the anniversary, or otherwise, has no basis, rather it is from the deeds of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance.
They are only preparing food for their own needs, and it is a recommended practice (sunnah) for their companions and relatives to send them food. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did for his family when Ja'far died; when the news of the death of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) came, after he was killed at Mu'tah in the Levant, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his family to prepare food for the family of Ja'far. He ordered his family to prepare food for the people of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib and said:
Indeed, something has come to them that occupies them.
إنه قد أتاهم ما يشغلهمSo the recommended practice (sunnah) is for the awliya (close friends of Allah) of the deceased, or his relatives or neighbors, to prepare food for them, for the women of the deceased, for the family of the deceased; because they are occupied with the calamity.
As for the family of the deceased preparing food for people, and inviting them on the first day, or the third day, or the seventh day, or the tenth day, or the fortieth day, or on the anniversary, all of this has no basis. But if they prepare food for themselves, and others come and share with them, or if they prepare food for a guest without the intention of holding it for the deceased, but because a guest has come to them, then the guest must be honored if they prepare food for him. There is no harm, not for the sake of the deceased, but for the sake of hospitality. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.