The ruling on reciting the Qur'an every year and dedicating its reward to the deceased
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Question:
Also, among their customs is what he mentioned in his statement: about ten people gather, they recite the Noble Mushaf, and they dedicate the reward to the deceased once every year. Is this practice correct?
Answer:
This, like the previous matter, is not prescribed; rather, it is a religious innovation. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether the reward of recitation reaches the deceased, with two opinions. The stronger of them is that it does not reach him, due to the lack of evidence. Acts of worship are based on divine legislation, not on opinion, juristic preference, or analogical reasoning. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1718b.
Therefore, the stronger view is that it is not prescribed to pray on behalf of the deceased, to perform tawaf on behalf of the deceased, or to recite on behalf of the deceased. Rather, you should make du'a for him in your prayer, in your tawaf, and in your recitation. You make du'a for your father, your mother, and your deceased ones. This is good if they were Muslims.
As for giving charity on behalf of your parents, this is a prescribed matter that benefits them, and it also benefits your other relatives and all Muslims. So is making du'a for your parents and others. Du'a is beneficial and useful. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said regarding the righteous that they say in their supplications: [Surat al-Hashr: 10]. This is from the supplications of the virtuous for their righteous predecessors.
Also included in this is performing Hajj on behalf of the deceased and the incapacitated, and likewise 'Umrah. It benefits the deceased. So does the elderly person who is incapacitated for 'Umrah and Hajj; if his son or someone else performs Hajj for him, it benefits him, based on what came in the authentic hadiths indicating this.
And related to this is pointing out what some people do of performing 'Umrah on behalf of their deceased while they are in Makkah, or on behalf of themselves while residing in Makkah, like the one who came for Hajj, or one of the people of Makkah, who takes an 'Umrah for himself from the Halam. Some scholars held that this is not prescribed, saying that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do so when he was in Makkah on the Day of Conquest. The majority held that there is no harm in it and that it is prescribed. They argued for this by stating that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had A'ishah perform 'Umrah, and she was from the people of Makkah and was in Makkah on the Day of the Farewell Pilgrimage. He had her perform it from Tan'im and ordered her brother 'Abd al-Rahman to go out with her, so she performed 'Umrah from Tan'im while she was in Makkah at that time. This indicates that there is no harm in going out from Makkah to the Halam to perform 'Umrah.
The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do so does not indicate that it is not prescribed, for he may leave a thing for many reasons (peace and blessings be upon him), including that he may leave it so as not to burden his Ummah (peace and blessings be upon him). Just as he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not consistently perform the Duha prayer, although he advised Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda' to perform the Duha prayer consistently. It is a recommended practice, a confirmed recommended practice, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) advised it, even though he did not persist in it, as A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed us about him (peace and blessings be upon him).
So the point is: he may leave a thing that is recommended so as not to burden his Ummah, or for other reasons (peace and blessings be upon him). And he (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the fasting most beloved to Allah is the fasting of Dawud, who would fast one day and break the fast the next. And yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do this (peace and blessings be upon him). The verbal legislation takes precedence over the practical legislation.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered A'ishah to go out to the Halam and perform 'Umrah. This indicates that there is no harm or objection for one who goes out from Makkah to perform 'Umrah for himself, or for his deceased, or for the incapacitated among his relatives and others. All of this is permissible. The hadith of A'ishah is a standing proof, and its authenticity is agreed upon by the two Shaykhs, al-Bukhari and Muslim (may Allah have mercy on them both). And we ask Allah for success for everyone. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
Also, among their customs is what he mentioned in his statement: about ten people gather, they recite the Noble Mushaf, and they dedicate the reward to the deceased once every year. Is this practice correct?
Answer:
This, like the previous matter, is not prescribed; rather, it is a religious innovation. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether the reward of recitation reaches the deceased, with two opinions. The stronger of them is that it does not reach him, due to the lack of evidence. Acts of worship are based on divine legislation, not on opinion, juristic preference, or analogical reasoning. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملًا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردTherefore, the stronger view is that it is not prescribed to pray on behalf of the deceased, to perform tawaf on behalf of the deceased, or to recite on behalf of the deceased. Rather, you should make du'a for him in your prayer, in your tawaf, and in your recitation. You make du'a for your father, your mother, and your deceased ones. This is good if they were Muslims.
As for giving charity on behalf of your parents, this is a prescribed matter that benefits them, and it also benefits your other relatives and all Muslims. So is making du'a for your parents and others. Du'a is beneficial and useful. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said regarding the righteous that they say in their supplications:
"Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful."
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإِيمَانِ وَلا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌAlso included in this is performing Hajj on behalf of the deceased and the incapacitated, and likewise 'Umrah. It benefits the deceased. So does the elderly person who is incapacitated for 'Umrah and Hajj; if his son or someone else performs Hajj for him, it benefits him, based on what came in the authentic hadiths indicating this.
And related to this is pointing out what some people do of performing 'Umrah on behalf of their deceased while they are in Makkah, or on behalf of themselves while residing in Makkah, like the one who came for Hajj, or one of the people of Makkah, who takes an 'Umrah for himself from the Halam. Some scholars held that this is not prescribed, saying that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do so when he was in Makkah on the Day of Conquest. The majority held that there is no harm in it and that it is prescribed. They argued for this by stating that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had A'ishah perform 'Umrah, and she was from the people of Makkah and was in Makkah on the Day of the Farewell Pilgrimage. He had her perform it from Tan'im and ordered her brother 'Abd al-Rahman to go out with her, so she performed 'Umrah from Tan'im while she was in Makkah at that time. This indicates that there is no harm in going out from Makkah to the Halam to perform 'Umrah.
The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do so does not indicate that it is not prescribed, for he may leave a thing for many reasons (peace and blessings be upon him), including that he may leave it so as not to burden his Ummah (peace and blessings be upon him). Just as he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not consistently perform the Duha prayer, although he advised Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda' to perform the Duha prayer consistently. It is a recommended practice, a confirmed recommended practice, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) advised it, even though he did not persist in it, as A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed us about him (peace and blessings be upon him).
So the point is: he may leave a thing that is recommended so as not to burden his Ummah, or for other reasons (peace and blessings be upon him). And he (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the fasting most beloved to Allah is the fasting of Dawud, who would fast one day and break the fast the next. And yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do this (peace and blessings be upon him). The verbal legislation takes precedence over the practical legislation.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered A'ishah to go out to the Halam and perform 'Umrah. This indicates that there is no harm or objection for one who goes out from Makkah to perform 'Umrah for himself, or for his deceased, or for the incapacitated among his relatives and others. All of this is permissible. The hadith of A'ishah is a standing proof, and its authenticity is agreed upon by the two Shaykhs, al-Bukhari and Muslim (may Allah have mercy on them both). And we ask Allah for success for everyone. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.