Abu Maryam Ilyas Shareef Qadri student of Shaykh ul Islam Dr Muhammed Tahir al Qadri

All Types of Charity for the Deceased Muslims

As-salamu alaikum, A brother asked me a question regarding the praying for the dead by the relatives and other muslims and also informed me of the confusion upon the issue by the muslims as the norm has become that from the mimbars of some of the masjids this issue is frowned upon and is being discouraged. May Allah give the brother reward for seeking the solution for the pleasure of Allah. By the enabling grace of Allah I decided to write the article so that more people can benefit from it by the blessings of Allahu taala. Before I begin to discuss the issue there are some fundamentals to be understood. Nowadays it has become a vogue that people want to understand Islamic issues themselves directly from the books. They even go up to the extent to say that I have read the hadith regarding the issue. The thing to understand is that .. 1. How many ahadith did the person look into to arrive at a conclusion? 2. Does he understand the Fiqh derieved from that ahadith? There are numerous ahadith discussing the issue which must be studied together with the specifics and the generalities narrated by the hadith. A layman cannot do all these. These are the duties of the scholars of Islam who are the Faqih (the Jurist). I did not say just any scholar because many a times the muhaddith who narrates the hadith cannot understand the applied meaning or fiqh-ul-hadith if that muhaddith is not a Faqih. Here I would like to mention the hadith of the prophet as narrated by Imam Bukhari In his Sahih in kitab ul Ilm.

(When) Allahu taala decides goodness for someone HE makes (that person) A Faqih (understanding) in deen. *the prophet mentioned Fiqh of Deen.

A true scholar will put all the verses of the Quran and Ahadith related to that subject and then derieve a conclusion , while the case here is that the socalled scholars only speak their point of view yet hide all other evidences. Insha-Allah Al Aziz we will look at all aspects of the subject. Every issue of Islam is related to the principles taught in the Quran and hadith. Without understanding the basic foundations of that issue no one can speak truthfully on that SUBJECT. The primary or foundational question to address at this point, without which this subject cannot be comprehended, is whether a person can make dua for another person or not? First of all we will look at the verses of the Quran regarding the subject. Proof 1

Sura Ibrahim : verse 41.

Oh our lord, forgive me, and my parents, and all the believers, on the Day on which the reckoning will be held. *Prophet Ibrahim (AS) is praying for himself, his parents and all the believers. Here all the believers include the living and the dead because the Quran did not specify the living believers nor the believers passed away, therefore both are included. Allahu taala liked this dua of Ibrahim (as) so much that this dua has been included in our daily salah.

Proof 2

Sura Al-Hashr,: verse 10. And those who came after them say: O our Sustainer! Forgive us as well as our brothers who embraced faith before us, and let not our hearts have any spite or ill feelings against those who have attained to faith. O our Sustainer! Verily, You are the compassionate, a dispenser of mercy. *here are many indications. Who came after whom?

The ansaar (helpers in madina) came into faith after the muhajireen (the emigrants of mekka). The Tabieen ( successors) came into faith ( naturally) after the Ashaab ( companions of the prophet). It can be applied to both and to all muslims until the day of judgement. This statement of theirs is a prayer which they submit in front of Allah. And the reason Allahu taala made this prayer a part of his verse is for the very reason that Allahu taala wants the muslims to learn and recite this prayer in their supplications. Naturally, the one making the dua is alive but the one for whom the dua is being said belonged to both groups of alive and dead as some ashaab died in the early years of Islam while others died much later.

Warning 1 People resort to all forms of tricks to confuse the muslims therefore I will include this counter-argument so that common muslims are not trapped by these vices. Some might present this verse to reject praying for the dead.

Sura Tawba, verse 84. And never pray over any of them that had died, and never stand by his grave: for they denied God and His Apostle, and they died as defiant. *Allahu azz wa jall stopped the prophet from performing the Janaza salah ( or any other prayer) and also stopped him from standing upon their graves. Who are these people? The verse says that these are kafaru dis-believers. Do not let yourself be fooled by those who deny praying for the dead by misquoting this verse. *the next most significant point contained in this verse is thatAllahu taala did not want the prophet to pray for the non-believers so HE revealed a verse in the Quran prohibiting this act. Those who think that Allahu taala will not accept the dua made for the deceased muslims because Allahu taala does not want us to do this act must

bring a verse of the Quran where Allahu tala has stopped the muslims from praying for the deceased muslims just like the verse above. The absence of any prohibition will indicate that praying for deceased muslims is not disapproved by Allah. Infact their counter proof as become proof in favour of dua for the deceased muslims. So far we have presented proofs which clearly proves that the dua of a muslim can be for his parents and other muslims both living and deceased. Warning 2

Sura An-Najm, verse 38. No bearer of burdens will carry anothers

burden. *Here the verse is talking about sins and not rewards. If Tom committed a sin, Peter will not be asked about that sin. Here Quran wants us to understand the responsibility of our actions. There is no mention of dis-approval of good actions like dua or charity for others.

Warning 3 Sura An-Najm: verse 39. And man will get what he has strived for. *this verse has no connection with praying for deceased muslims. This verse simply says that what you will put effort in, you will achieve it. * if they insist that the verse implies that the dead cannot benefit from another persons work then we will ask the question. This principle should apply to both the living and the dead. If the dua of the living cannot benefit the dead because the act must be done by the benefactor then we ask how can the dua of a living benefit other living muslims since the act was performed by someone other than themselves. And what will you do with the verses quoted above and our dua for the muslims in our 5 daily payer?

Proof 3 "The prayer of a Muslim for his Muslim brother in his absence will be answered. As long as he prays for the good of his brother, there is an

angel assigned near his head who says: Amen, and may the same be for you." Sahih muslim *In this hadith absence is not defined therefore it must be absolute. A person can be absent in terms of distance and a person can be absent as after death. The basic theme of this hadith is that in absence of the person for whom the dua is being made the person making dua has complete goodness for his absent brother and there is no element of riya (show-off). *Allahu taala does not let a muslim pray alone (for the absent muslim) but sends an angel to say ameen and to say a similar prayer for the muslim who is praying. This shows how much Allahu taala likes the act of making dua for an absent person. *Allahu taala likes the act of making dua in a group where one person says the dua and the others say ameen. In this hadith a person was making a dua by himself (alone) but Allahu taala sends an angel and they become a group. Proof 4 Abdullah ibn amru bin Aas narattes: that the prophet (saw) said: The prayer that is quickest to be accepted is when a person prays for another absent person. .Sunan Tirmizi *Same theme payer for the absent. It includes the dead who are absent from the gathering of dua.

We have given enough evidences to prove that dua can be said for relatives and non-relative muslims, whether living or deceased.

The next foundational point to be understood is that the acts of the living can benefit the deceased muslims.
The sharia has commanded the muslims to pray salatul Janaza for the dead muslims. If the actions of the living does not benefit the dead then salatul janaza becomes a joke and a mockery for the dead. The deniers of prayer for the deceased try to find loops to justify their wrong baseless ideology by quoting another hadith. Abu Huraira narrates: that the prophet said when a human being dies his actions get cut-off (stops) except three (acts), continued sadaqa, his knowledge that can be benefitted from and pious children who pray for him (deceased). Sahih Muslim.

*The deniers say that the dua can only be done by the deceased children and not other muslims. If only children can benefit their parents then how about the dozens of muslims who prayed for the deceased during salatul Janaza. The hadith of sahih muslim is talking about the dua which is nafil (optional beneficial) while salatul Janaza id Fard Kifaya. How come Allahu taala does not accept the nafil dua of muslims for the deceased yet HE accepts the Fard Kifaya dua of the same muslims for the deceased? I already mentioned the absurdity of these confused ideologies. Now let us look at the main question posed at the beginning of this article. Can we recite Quran for the deceased?

Proof 5 Ibn Abbas narrates: the prophet passed by 2 graves and said these 2 are being tortured not for a major sin: one is punished for not taking care during urination and the other for spreading enimity. The prophet then asked for a green branch, split it into 2 and planted one on each grave and said,I hope torture will be lessened till these get dry. Sahih Bukhari. *The green branch was doig tasbeeh therefore the punishment was reduced, why not the muslims reciting Quran since it is also the tasbeeh of Allah. Proof 6 Maqil bin Yasar said: the prophet said: Read Yaseen upon your deceased Sunan Abi Dawood #3121

Proof 7

Imam Haythami Majma ul Zawaaid

The father of Abdur Raheman said, Oh my son when you have put me in my grave , say: bismillahi wa ala millati rasulillahi then sprinkle soil then recite at my head opening of sura Baqara and its end for I heard the prophet say like this. Imam Haythami said this hadith has been narrated by Imam AtTabarani in his Mujam al-kabeer and its chain is authentic : sahih hadith.

*It has been reported by sahih hadith that the prophet recited Quran by the grave. It must off-course be for the benefit of the dead. If the Quran is recited else where why will it not benefit the dead?

Proof 8 Allama Ibn Taimiyya ( whom the ahlul hadith and salafis consider to be rightly guided) was asked about reading Quran for the dead. He answered in his Majmua Fatawa ibn Taimiyya part 24 article 300 To hire people to read quran is not allowed but

. . .
To give charity to the one who recites the Quran on behalf of the dead is beneficial by consensus of the muslims. Likewise one who recites Quran and gifts the reward to the dead is beneficial.

Can any good deeds benefit the dead? Proof 9 Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa Narattes: the prophet said One who dies with obligatory fast upon him, the deceaseds wali must keep it on the deceased behalf. Bukhari and Muslim. *The fast is kept by the living for the benefit of the deceased. Proof 10 Ibn Abbas said If one has vowed the wali must fulfil the vow on the deceased behalf. Sunan Abi Dawood # 2401 *The vow is performed by the living for the dead.

Proof 11 Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa narrates: A person came to the prophet and said, My mother passed away , if she could say something on her death-bed she would have performed charity. Can I perform charity on her behalf so that she will get reward? The prophet (saw) said, Yes. Sahih Bukhari and Muslim *the prophet validated that the mother will receive the reward of charity by the son. Proof 12 Ibn Abbas said, a lady came to the prophet and said, My mother vowed to perform hajj but she passed away without performing it. Can I perform Hajj for her? The prophet said, perform hajj for hajj. If your mother remained in someones debt will you not pay it? Pay the debt of Allah for HE has more Right to be paid. Sahih Bukhari *A living person doing hajj for the dead. Proof 13 Abu Huraira says A man came to the prophet (saw) and said, My father died and left some wealth but he did not make a will. If I give the wealth in charity will it become recompense for his sins? The prophet said, yes. Sahih Muslim. *A living person doing charity for the dead for the sins of the dead to be forgiven. Proof 14 Ibn Abbas reported A man came to the prophet and said, My mother died, if I give charity for her will it benefit her? The prophet (saw) said, yes. He said, You are witness that I have given my garden as charity for her. Sunan Tirmizi hadith is sahih. *a living person gives his garden as charity for the deceased mother. Proof 15

Saad bin Ubadah and said, Oh Messenger of Allah, my mother died, can I give charity for her? The Prophet (saw) replied, yes. He said, which charity is the best? The prophet said, distributing drinking water. That is how Saad or Saads family gave drinking water! Sunan Nasai. *giving water as charity for the benefit of the deceased. Cooking food and distributing would also come under the same hadith. Proof 16 Saad bin Ubadah had a well dug for the water and said, this is the well of the mother of Saad. Sunan Abi Dawood #1679, 1680, 1681. *the well was called Saads mothers well even though the well was dug by Saad but the benefit was for the mother.

Proof 17

Hilyatul awliya Imam Abu Nuaym vol 3 pg 11. Hazrat Taoos said, Indeed the dead is in trial in their graves for 7 days that is why the people like to feed others on behalf of the deceased in those days.

The muslims cook food and invite friends to eat and present this reward of this deed (feeding others) as charity to the deceased. The fixing of days of invitation must be a matter of conviniences and not aqeeda.

Muslims do not take those days as specific for the acceptance of the deeds and if performed on some other days will not be acceptable. Anyone having this view needs to correct his/her intention. These acts are mustahab and good but cannot be made fard or obligatory. Those who prohibit muslims from doing good deeds and gifting the reward to the dead is stopping a good action and would come under the verse of the Quran

Sura Tawba: verse 67. The hypocrites, men and women are from one another: they command what is wrong and forbid what is right and withhold their hands [from doing good]. They have forgotten Allah so HE has forgotten them. Verily, the hypocrites are disobedient. *I am not saying that those muslims who stop others from doing good deeds are hypocrites but Allahu taala has told us that such are the habits and signs of hypocrites and not the muslims.

May Allah guide us all on the path of goodness for ourselves, for our brothers and sisters who are alive and those believers who have passes away. May Allah distribute the reward of writing, reading and learning this booklet to all the muslims deceased and alive. Ameen. Sallallahu ala sayyidina Muhammadin wa ala alihi wa ashabihi wa ahli baytihi wa man tabiya hum ila yaumid deen.