Ruling on Reciting al-Fatihah for the Deceased and Consoling Their Family with Money

This is a message received by the program from the questioner Muhammad Saleh Sirhan, a Sudanese resident of Kuwait. In his message, he asks: What is the ruling on reciting al-Fatihah for the deceased, slaughtering livestock, and giving money to the family of the deceased?
Answer: It was mentioned in the first question prior to this one that drawing near to the dead with sacrifices, money, vows, or anything else is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) and is not permissible. This is among the acts of worship that are for Allah alone. Thus, slaughtering is for Allah alone, and so are vows, and so are all charities, which are for Allah alone. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-An'am: 162] Say, O Muhammad: [Al-An'am: 162] meaning: My slaughter [Al-An'am: 162] [Al-An'am: 163] And He the Exalted said: [Al-Kawthar: 1-2] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih from the hadith of 'Ali . So, slaughtering for other than Allah, whether for the awliya (close friends of Allah), the stars, or the jinn, is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah Mighty and Majestic. Likewise, slaughtering for idols is all shirk with Allah Mighty and Majestic. As for slaughtering for Allah, it is worship. If one draws near to Allah with sacrifices, with offerings, with gifts, or with vows, it is all worship for Allah alone, Blessed and Exalted is He. This worship is not suitable for other than Allah, not for the awliya, not for the prophets, not for idols, not for stars, nor for any other created being.
Likewise, giving money to the owner of the grave is a means of drawing near to Allah, just as one draws near to Allah with the charities he gives to the poor. If he gives money to the poor, it is a charity for which he hopes for reward from Allah Mighty and Majestic. If he offers it to the deceased, he has worshipped him with this charity; he has worshipped him with this money by which he draws near to the deceased, and Zayd and 'Amr take it. This is a great evil and a terrible shirk that is never permissible. The believer must beware of these evils and warn others of them. And Allah is the One to be sought for help. Yes.
The presenter: I understood from his question—if you permit me, Your Eminence, the Shaykh—
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: that he is asking: What is the ruling on reciting al-Fatihah for the deceased, meaning for his father, for example, and slaughtering livestock and giving money to the family of the deceased as a form of consolation?
The Shaykh: If he intended this, it has another meaning. As for reciting al-Fatihah, it is a religious innovation. Reciting al-Fatihah for the dead or over their graves is among the innovations. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not do it, so it is not permissible to recite al-Fatihah or anything else for the dead.
As for giving the family of the deceased charity to help them, there is nothing wrong with that. If one of their relatives dies, they may give them dinner or lunch, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that when the news of the killing of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) on the day of Mu'tah in the Levant reached him, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his family to prepare food for the family of Ja'far. He said: If their neighbors send them prepared food or a slaughtered animal to enjoy during their time of grief and calamity, or money to help them with their needs, there is nothing wrong with that in our view. However, the family of the deceased are not permitted to prepare food and invite people to it, nor are they permitted to hold feasts in their homes. These gatherings of mourning are prohibited and not permissible. Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) ibn Abdullah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: , so this is not permissible. But the best and the Sunnah is to prepare food; the neighbors or relatives prepare food and present it to them. As for burdening them with a slaughtered animal or money, this is contrary to what is prescribed, unless they do it as charity for them, without holding a feast at the home of the deceased and without gathering for it, but as pure charity so they can benefit from it due to their poverty and need, in which case there is nothing wrong. But the Sunnah is to send them prepared food, pure and complete, to relieve them of the burden, so that they can eat without effort or toil, because they are occupied with the calamity of death from cooking. This is the best and this is what is prescribed.
As for giving them charity if they are poor, whether in money, a slaughtered animal, or food, there is nothing wrong with it, but on the condition that this is not for the purpose of holding a gathering in the house and preparing food for people. This is not permissible, whether it is from their own money or from what is given to them by their neighbors. They should not do this. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.