The Meaning of (Ongoing Charity and Knowledge from Which People Benefit)
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Question:
What does the term (ongoing charity) mean with regard to a deceased person? And likewise, what is meant by knowledge from which people benefit? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Ongoing charity means that which is continuous and remains after the person’s death, continuing according to what is made easy. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Riyad as-Salihin 1383 So, for example, if one endows a house, its rent is spent on good deeds, on charity for the poor, on helping students of knowledge, on Hajj, on 'Umrah, on the 'Id sacrifice—all of this is ongoing charity. Or if one endows a piece of land, the rent is paid, and the rental income is spent on good deeds. Or a shop, meaning a store; it is rented out, and its rent is spent on good deeds. All of this is ongoing charity.
Likewise, if one designates a known amount in his house, saying: “In my house, every year, one hundred riyals, or one thousand riyals, are to be given in charity to the poor,” it remains with the house and the heirs.
Likewise, whoever comes to possess the house, even by purchase, must pay out this ongoing charity.
As for beneficial knowledge, it means teaching students, teaching people knowledge. The students who succeed him benefit people by teaching them, and he receives reward for teaching people and for their benefiting from the knowledge. They also benefit from the knowledge, and they benefit people through knowledge, through issuing fatwas, through teaching, through reminding, and the like. He has reward in that, they have their reward, and he has his reward; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1893a So, he has the reward of teaching and guiding, and they have their reward for teaching and guiding to good, and the favor of Allah is vast.
Similarly, if one leaves behind beneficial writings, that is also part of teaching knowledge. The imams who left behind beneficial books, their reward remains, such as al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, and others. They have the reward of these beneficial books they left behind—may Allah have mercy on them. And so, every Muslim who leaves behind a beneficial, useful book that benefits people has his reward. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If someone inherits his library—Your Eminence, the Shaykh—or donates it to one of the scholars’ institutions, for example?
The Shaykh: Likewise, if he has a library containing beneficial, useful books, and he places it in public beneficial libraries, or endows some of his wealth for it, and appoints someone to oversee it, care for it, and open it to people, he will have the reward for that.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
What does the term (ongoing charity) mean with regard to a deceased person? And likewise, what is meant by knowledge from which people benefit? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Ongoing charity means that which is continuous and remains after the person’s death, continuing according to what is made easy. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (for the deceased).
إذا مات ابن آدم؛ انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث: صدقة جارية، أو علم ينتفع به، أو ولد صالح يدعو لهLikewise, if one designates a known amount in his house, saying: “In my house, every year, one hundred riyals, or one thousand riyals, are to be given in charity to the poor,” it remains with the house and the heirs.
Likewise, whoever comes to possess the house, even by purchase, must pay out this ongoing charity.
As for beneficial knowledge, it means teaching students, teaching people knowledge. The students who succeed him benefit people by teaching them, and he receives reward for teaching people and for their benefiting from the knowledge. They also benefit from the knowledge, and they benefit people through knowledge, through issuing fatwas, through teaching, through reminding, and the like. He has reward in that, they have their reward, and he has his reward; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer.
من دل على خير؛ فله مثل أجر فاعلهSimilarly, if one leaves behind beneficial writings, that is also part of teaching knowledge. The imams who left behind beneficial books, their reward remains, such as al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, and others. They have the reward of these beneficial books they left behind—may Allah have mercy on them. And so, every Muslim who leaves behind a beneficial, useful book that benefits people has his reward. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If someone inherits his library—Your Eminence, the Shaykh—or donates it to one of the scholars’ institutions, for example?
The Shaykh: Likewise, if he has a library containing beneficial, useful books, and he places it in public beneficial libraries, or endows some of his wealth for it, and appoints someone to oversee it, care for it, and open it to people, he will have the reward for that.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.