The Ruling on Giving Charity on Behalf of a Deceased Child

Question:
In the south, when a boy or a girl dies, and the deceased is very young, they give charity on his or her behalf, even though the deceased was only a few months old and had not reached the age of one year. This charity has a specific form; for example, they give a *hidbah* (a type of leather) and some other specific items. Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you with good?

Answer:
There is no sin on the young children who died before reaching puberty. However, if their family gives charity on their behalf, it increases their good. Charity benefits them, even if they were young. But if the charity is done in a specific way, as an act of worship, a specific type performed on a specific day, then it is a religious innovation.
As for general charity, such as giving charity for their fathers, mothers, and children, whenever charity becomes easy, at any time, in any place, there is nothing wrong with it. But if it is restricted to a specific day, or a specific amount of money, or a specific type of food, that becomes a religious innovation.