Ruling on hiring a reciter to recite the Qur'an on behalf of the deceased
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Question:
He says: Some people in our areas, especially in the blessed month of Ramadan, hire a reciter to recite the Qur'an on behalf of the deceased, for ten Omani riyals per complete recitation. Is it permissible to trade in the words of Allah ? Is this amount lawful? And what is your advice to those who do this, if this matter is contrary to the pure religion? We ask for clarification, for we have fallen into doubts. Also, does this benefit the deceased? Since some rely on the incident that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) encountered when he passed by two graves and they were being tormented.
Thirdly: Does reciting the Qur'an for the deceased by their relatives benefit them? Since this is common among us, especially after three days of the burial of the deceased, in addition to slaughtering animals after his death. That house turns into a wedding celebration, in which there is no fear or lesson. Save us from innovations, may Allah reward you, for our society is described by the verse: [Surah al-Zukhruf: 23]?
Answer:
The matter of reciting for the deceased has been discussed previously, and there is no evidence for reciting for the dead. As for hiring a person to recite verses, hiring him specifically to recite for the deceased, this has no basis, it is not permissible, and this wage is not lawful. The scholars have reported, some of the people of knowledge have reported the consensus on the prohibition of this. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned the consensus that it is not permissible to take a wage for reciting the Qur'an, and that it is forbidden without dispute. Whether he recites a page, two pages, a part, or more, or less, for money, for the deceased, or for any reason, this is not permissible. The wage is only taken for teaching, if he teaches the children, teaches the people, he is given a wage for the teaching. As for him reciting verses and taking a wage for these verses so that people hear them from him, or that he dedicates them to the deceased, this has no basis. Rather, as mentioned previously, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah reported the consensus, and that there is no dispute in the prohibition of taking a wage for mere recitation.
As for the teacher being given [a wage] to teach the children, to teach the people the Qur'an; there is no harm in this, due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 5737, meaning: teaching, and guidance, teaching the Qur'an to the people; there is no harm in taking a wage for it.
As for the family of the deceased holding slaughters and feasts after death, on the day of death, or the third day, or the tenth day, or at the end of the month, or at the end of the forty days, or at the end of the year, this is a religious innovation, this is not permissible. But they should give charity on behalf of the deceased, food that they distribute to the poor, raw or cooked, distributed to the poor, rice....... there is no harm. As for them preparing food for people, as a matter of the food, as a matter of the deceased, or inviting people to it to hold feasts, this is a religious innovation.
As for if they wish to give charity in dirhams, or otherwise, at any time, to the poor on behalf of the deceased, this benefits the deceased. Charity benefits the deceased, this is a great good.
There is a difference between charity to the poor and the needy, and a difference between holding mourning gatherings, gathering people to eat in the house of the deceased, and slaughtering animals for them. This has no basis. The Sunnah is that they give them food - the family of the deceased, their neighbors... their relatives, they prepare food for them, as it is established in the hadith that when the news of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib came, on the day of Mu'tah, when he was killed there, when his news (peace be upon him) came to Medina, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his family to prepare food for the family of Ja'far, and said: So if the neighbors, or the relatives, prepare food for the family of the deceased; because they are occupied with the calamity, this is recommended.
As for the family of the deceased preparing for people, inviting people, this is not prescribed. And if food comes to them from their neighbors, they invite them to eat; there is no harm. If a lot of food comes to them that exceeds their need, they invite their neighbors, they invite those to eat with them; this is not a problem. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
He says: Some people in our areas, especially in the blessed month of Ramadan, hire a reciter to recite the Qur'an on behalf of the deceased, for ten Omani riyals per complete recitation. Is it permissible to trade in the words of Allah ? Is this amount lawful? And what is your advice to those who do this, if this matter is contrary to the pure religion? We ask for clarification, for we have fallen into doubts. Also, does this benefit the deceased? Since some rely on the incident that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) encountered when he passed by two graves and they were being tormented.
Thirdly: Does reciting the Qur'an for the deceased by their relatives benefit them? Since this is common among us, especially after three days of the burial of the deceased, in addition to slaughtering animals after his death. That house turns into a wedding celebration, in which there is no fear or lesson. Save us from innovations, may Allah reward you, for our society is described by the verse:
Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided."
إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُقْتَدُونَAnswer:
The matter of reciting for the deceased has been discussed previously, and there is no evidence for reciting for the dead. As for hiring a person to recite verses, hiring him specifically to recite for the deceased, this has no basis, it is not permissible, and this wage is not lawful. The scholars have reported, some of the people of knowledge have reported the consensus on the prohibition of this. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned the consensus that it is not permissible to take a wage for reciting the Qur'an, and that it is forbidden without dispute. Whether he recites a page, two pages, a part, or more, or less, for money, for the deceased, or for any reason, this is not permissible. The wage is only taken for teaching, if he teaches the children, teaches the people, he is given a wage for the teaching. As for him reciting verses and taking a wage for these verses so that people hear them from him, or that he dedicates them to the deceased, this has no basis. Rather, as mentioned previously, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah reported the consensus, and that there is no dispute in the prohibition of taking a wage for mere recitation.
As for the teacher being given [a wage] to teach the children, to teach the people the Qur'an; there is no harm in this, due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
You are most entitled to take wages for doing a Ruqya with Allah's Book.
إن أحق ما أخذتم عليه أجرًا؛ كتاب اللهAs for the family of the deceased holding slaughters and feasts after death, on the day of death, or the third day, or the tenth day, or at the end of the month, or at the end of the forty days, or at the end of the year, this is a religious innovation, this is not permissible. But they should give charity on behalf of the deceased, food that they distribute to the poor, raw or cooked, distributed to the poor, rice....... there is no harm. As for them preparing food for people, as a matter of the food, as a matter of the deceased, or inviting people to it to hold feasts, this is a religious innovation.
As for if they wish to give charity in dirhams, or otherwise, at any time, to the poor on behalf of the deceased, this benefits the deceased. Charity benefits the deceased, this is a great good.
There is a difference between charity to the poor and the needy, and a difference between holding mourning gatherings, gathering people to eat in the house of the deceased, and slaughtering animals for them. This has no basis. The Sunnah is that they give them food - the family of the deceased, their neighbors... their relatives, they prepare food for them, as it is established in the hadith that when the news of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib came, on the day of Mu'tah, when he was killed there, when his news (peace be upon him) came to Medina, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his family to prepare food for the family of Ja'far, and said:
For it is what occupied them
إنه أتاهم ما يشغلهمAs for the family of the deceased preparing for people, inviting people, this is not prescribed. And if food comes to them from their neighbors, they invite them to eat; there is no harm. If a lot of food comes to them that exceeds their need, they invite their neighbors, they invite those to eat with them; this is not a problem. Yes.
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.