Giving charity on behalf of the deceased

25-4-2006 | IslamWeb

Question:

Can one give charity food for deceased to the poor and orphans, or is it forbidden. People in India, Pakistan and most of the Islamic world have done so for generations.
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The best action which a live person could do for his deceased relative is to give charity on his/her behalf, i.e. donating while intending the reward for the deceased.

'Aa'ishah may Allaah be pleased with her narrated that a man came to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and said: "My mother died suddenly and I think that if she were able to speak, she would have given charity. May I give charity on her behalf? He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied, "Yes! Give charity on her behalf." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

It is also confirmed that Sa'd Ibn 'Ubaadah may Allaah be pleased with him asked the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) if he can give charity on behalf of his dead mother and he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) permitted him to do so. [Al-Bukhari]

Indeed the scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them agreed in a consensus that charity and supplicating Allah to forgive the dead, reaches them. Ibn Al-Mubaarak may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “There is no difference of opinion that the reward of giving in charity on behalf of the dead reaches them."

Allah Knows best.

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