ABOUT
FIQHI
Benefitting the Dead
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
The Qur'aan established two general principles concerning the reward
and punishment for deeds:
1) Each human will fundamentally only be benefited or harmed by
the deeds which he or she actually did.
"...that humans will only have the result of their actions."
[Soorah an-Najm (53):39]
2) No human can carry the sin of another.
"...that no one bearing sins can carry the sins of others."
[Soorah an-Najm (53):38]
Consequently, when a person dies, the opportunity for that person
to do good ends with the person's death. However, the chance to
harvest good from deeds which were done prior to death remains.
Du'aa
The prayers of other Muslims on behalf of the dead will benefit
the dead, by the permission of God. Had they done no good, no one
would consider praying for them. If they were evil, the prayers
of others will not benefit them. In Chapter al-Hashr (59):10, Allaah
praises the believers who pray for those who have passed away before
their time.
"And those who came after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and
our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts
any hatred against the believers. Our Lord, You are indeed full
of kindness, Most Merciful."
Furthermore, the funeral prayer itself consists mostly of prayers
for the dead.
Safwaan [the narrator mentioned that Safwaan ibn `Abdillaah ibn
Safwaan was married to ad-Dardaa] said, "I visited Abud-Dardaa's
home in Syria, but did not find him there. Ummud-Dardaa asked [me],
'Are you going to make Hajj this year?' I said: 'Yes.' She said,
'Pray to Allaah for good for us, for the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi
wa sallam) said, "The prayer of 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."’ I left and went
to the marketplace where I met Abud-Dardaa and he related from the
Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) the same as that."
[Sahih Muslim, vol.4, p.1429, no.6590.]
Fasting
Fasts missed by dead persons may be done on their behalf by their
close relatives. The fasts may be from Ramalaan or from oaths (nathar).
`Aa'ishah quoted Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam)
as saying, "Whoever died owing fasts, his guardian should fast
on his behalf" [Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 3, p.99, no.173, and
Sahih Muslim, vol. 2, p.556, no. 2553.]
Ibn 'Abbaas said: A man came to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi
wa sallam) and asked: O Messenger of Allaah, my mother died owing
one month of fasting. Should I do it for her? He replied, "Yes,
debts to Allaah, have more right to be paid." [Sahih Al-Bukhari,
vol. 3, p. 99, no. 174, and Sahih Muslim, vol. 2, p. 556, no. 2554.]
In another narration a woman asked about her mother’s debt
of fasting and got the same reply. [Sahih Muslim, vol. 2, pp. 556-7,
nos. 2554, 2557-61.]
Paying Financial Debts
Anyone may cover the debts of a dead person, whether they are relatives
or not. Furthermore, the payment of outstanding debts can benefit
the dead by relieving them from some of the punishment due to them
for their negligence in repaying them.
Jaabir said: A man died and we washed him, perfumed him and shrouded
him. Then we brought him to Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi
wa sallam) to lead the funeral prayer for him. We asked, "Could
you pray for him?" He took a step forward then asked, "Does
he have any outstanding debts?" We answered: "Two deenaars."
[He said, "Make the funeral prayer for your companion,"
and] [This addition can be found in another narration of the hadeeth]
began to leave. Aboo Qataadah took responsibility for [paying] them,
saying, "The two deenaars are my responsibility." Allaah's
Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) asked, "Will the
creditor be taken care of and will the dead person be absolved from
them?" He replied, "Yes," so the Prophet (sallallaahu
`alayhi wa sallam) led the funeral prayer for him. One day later
he asked [Aboo Qataadah], "What was done about the two deenaars?"
He replied, "He only died yesterday!" The following day
he returned to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) and said,
"I have paid them off." The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu
`alayhi wa sallam) said, "Now his skin has become cool."
[Musnad Ahmad, vol.3, p.330; authenticated in Ahkaamul-Janaa’iz,
p. 16]
The Charity of Children
Parents will benefit from whatever righteous deeds their children
do, without decreasing the reward of their children's good deeds.
A righteous child is considered to be part of the parent's earnings.
`Umaarah ibn `Umayr’s aunt asked `Aa’ishah, "I
have an orphan under my guardianship. May I consume some of his
wealth?" She replied that she had heard Allaah’s Messenger
(sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) say, "Among the most pleasant
things a man consumes is what comes from his own earnings, and his
child is from his earnings." [Sunan Abu Dawud, vol. 2, p. 1002,
no.3521; authenticated in Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood, vol. 2, p.
674, no. 3013]
`Aa’ishah related that a man asked the Prophet (sallallaahu
`alayhi wa sallam): My mother died suddenly, and I think that if
she had spoken [before dying], she would have given something in
charity. If I give charity on her behalf, will she get the reward?
He replied, "Yes." [Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 2, p.266, no.470,
Sahih Muslim, vol. 3, p.866, no.4002, and Sunan Abu Dawud, vol.
2., p.812, no.2875]
Aboo Hurayrah quoted the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi
wa sallam) as saying, "When a man dies, his acts come to an
end, except in three cases: an ongoing charity, knowledge from which
people continue to benefit, and a righteous child who prays for
him." [Sahih Muslim, vol. 3, p.867, no. 4005, and Sunan Abu
Dawud, vol. 2, p.812, no.2874]
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