Gifting the Reward of Virtuous Deeds to Others: A Brief Enquiry

In his Ṣāḥīḥ, Imām Al-Bukhāri reports from the Mother of the Believers, ʿAʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her), the following ḥadῑth:

It is narrated from ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) that a man said to the Prophet (may the eternal peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), “My mother has died suddenly. I think, if she had been able to speak [her last wishes], she would have spent in ṣadaqah. Will she be rewarded, if I spend in ṣadaqah on her behalf?” He replied, “Yes.” (Ṣaḥῑḥ al-Bukhārī, 1:543 – ḥadῑth 1388; Ṣaḥῑḥ Muslim 51/1004; Aḥmad, 24251)

Commenting on this ḥadῑth, the great ḥadῑth commentator and Ḥanafi jurist, Imām Badr al-Dῑn al- ʿAynī, states that the enquirer was the companion Sa ̔d ibn ʿUbādah, who was referring to his mother, ʿAmrah (may Allāh be pleased with them both). He further states that it is deduced from the ḥadῑth that ṣadaqah on behalf of the deceased is permissible [and valid], and that the deceased benefits from such a ṣadaqah. He then mentions from the Musnad of Imām Aḥmad that Al- ʿĀṣ ibn Wāʾil had vowed during the days of ignorance [prior to Islām] that he would sacrifice a hundred camels. Later, Hishām ibn al-ʿĀṣ sacrificed fifty camels on his behalf. ʿAmr [ibn al- ʿĀṣ] asked the Messenger of Allāh (may the eternal peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) about it. He said, “If your father had testified to the oneness (tawḥῑd) of Allāh, and you fasted and spent in ṣadaqah on his behalf, it would have benefited him.” Anas (may Allāh be pleased with him) says, “I asked the Messenger of Allāh (may the eternal peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him): ‘We pray for our deceased, spend in ṣadaqah and perform ḥajj on their behalf. Will [the reward of] this reach them?’ He replied, ‘It will indeed reach them, and they shall be delighted by it, just as any of you is delighted by a gift.’” ( ʿUmdat al-Qāri Sharḥ Ṣaḥῑḥ al-Bukhārī, 8:319)

According to the Ḥanafῑ school of sacred law, it is permissible for one to gift the reward (thawāb) of their virtuous deed to another person, be they deceased or alive, and be that virtuous deed ṣalāh, fasting, ḥajj, ʿumrah, ṣadaqah, recitation of the Holy Qurʿān, any other form of dhikr of Allāh or any other form of ʿibādah – bodily, financial or a combination of both. The reward of such an act of ʿibādah will, by the grace of Allāh Most Gracious, reach the intended recipient.

Imāms Mālik and Shāfiʿῑ (may Allāh be pleased with them) have excluded from this permissibility any ʿibādah that is purely bodily (that is, performed with the body only) – for example, ṣalāh and recitation of the Holy Qurʿān, and have allowed those forms of ʿibādāt that are either financial or a combination of bodily and financial – for example, ṣadaqah and ḥajj respectively. The reward of an act of ʿibādah that is purely bodily, they say, will not reach the intended recipient.

However, some later jurists of the Shāfiʿῑ school (for example, Imām al-Nawawῑ in the Kitāb al-Janāʾiz of his authoritative Rawḍat al-Ṭālibῑn, 2:139) have stated that the deceased person will benefit from the blessings of recitation near the grave and from the Divine mercy that such a recitation will attract, but they will not receive the reward of it. For this reason, it is considered mustaḥabb (desirable) to recite the Holy Qurʿān near graves (ibid).

Likewise, some later jurists of the Mālikῑ school (for example, ʿAllāmah ‘Al-Ḥaṭṭāb’ in his Mawāhib al- Jalῑl fi Sharḥi Mukhtaṣar al-Shaykh Khalῑl, 2:535) have encouraged the recitation of the Holy Qurʿān and other forms of dhikr like ‘Lā ilāha illAllāh’ near, or for, the dying or the deceased. ʿAllāmah ‘Al- Ḥaṭṭāb’, citing Ibn al-Furāt and Al-Qarāfῑ, states that the deceased will benefit from the blessings of recitation just as they will benefit from a pious person being buried near them, or they being buried near a pious person. He suggests that even though there is difference of opinion regarding the reward of recitation reaching the deceased, it ought not to be omitted. Perhaps, the truth is that it will reach them. One should, in this matter, have full trust in the infinite Grace of Allāh (ibid).

The great Ḥanafῑ jurist of Damascus, Imām Muhammad Amῑn ‘ibn ʿĀbidῑn’, states in his authoritative Radd al-Muḥtār (3:152) that the one gifting the reward may intend the gifting at the time of carrying out the virtuous deed or he may carry out the deed and then gift the reward. However, from amongst the Ḥanbalῑ jurists, ʿAllāmah Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, in his Kitāb al-Rūḥ (2:392), inclines toward the impermissibility of gifting the reward after the performance of the deed (ibid). In this excellent work, he scrutinises in detail all the evidences and arguments of both parties – the Ḥanafῑ and Ḥanbalῑ schools versus the Shāfiʿῑ and Mālikῑ schools -, refutes the arguments of the latter two schools with plenty of textual evidences from the Holy Qurʿān and ḥadῑth and establishes beyond doubt the permissibility of gifting the reward of virtuous deeds to another person, be they deceased or alive, and be those virtuous deeds ṣalāh, fasting, ḥajj, ʿumrah, ṣadaqah, recitation of the Holy Qurʿān, any other form of dhikr of Allāh or any other form of ʿibādah – bodily, financial or a combination of both (see: Kitāb al-Rūḥ, 2:352-419).

If one performs a single virtuous deed and gifts the reward of it to more than one person, it will be distributed between them all. If he intended, for example, gifting just half the reward or a quarter, the reward will be received thus (Kitāb al-Rūḥ, 2:391). However, after quoting this from Kitāb al-Rūḥ, Imām Ibn ʿĀbidῑn disagrees. He states: “Ibn Ḥajar al-Makkῑ [al-Shāfiʿῑ] was asked regarding one who recited Sūrah al-Fātiḥa (once) for the dwellers of a cemetery. Will the reward be divided between them all or will each person receive the full reward of the recitation? He replied that a group of scholars have ruled [that each person will receive the full reward]. I (Ibn ʿĀbidῑn) say: This befits [the infinite grace of Allāh Most Gracious].” (Radd al-Muḥtār, 3:153)

Imām Ibn ʿĀbidῑn also quotes from the Fatāwā Tātarkhāniyyah and al-Muḥῑṭ that it is best for the one gifting the reward of a supererogatory (nafl) act of ʿibādah to intend gifting it to all the believing men and women, for, it reaches them without the reward of the actual performer of the virtuous deed diminishing in the least. That is, he himself will also earn the full reward from Allāh Most Gracious.

The veracity of the arguments, in favour, by the Ḥanafī jurists on this matter, in comparison, is more thorough and convincing than that of the Shāfiʿῑ and Mālikῑ arguments against it. Detailed juristic discussions and evidences from the Holy Qurʿān and ḥadῑth may be seen in the works of the great scholars given in the list below. Details of the editions are given in the Arabic list.

In view of brevity and to avoid confusing the layman, complex juristic arguments have been omitted in this article. For, indeed, it does not befit the non-scholar to delve into juristic arguments without the prerequisite training and qualifications. His duty is to strive to follow his school of sacred law (madhhab) to the best of his ability without deviation, while bearing in mind that the ruling of the Ḥanafῑ school on this matter is also shared by the majority of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa ʾl- Jamāʿah, across the various schools of sacred law. Therefore, Muslims should have no hesitation or doubt in their minds about the grace of Allah and His mercy in multiplying and sharing the rewards of their virtuous deeds with their deceased loved ones or, indeed, with any worthy Muslim soul, wherever they may be. For, Allah’s compassion and mercy encompasses everything.

Those [angels] who carry the Throne and those around it exalt [Allāh] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, [saying], “Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.” (Ghāfir 40:7)

A FATWA AND ADVICE BY ̔ALLĀMAH MUFTI MUḤAMMAD TAQI USMANI

Question 1:

Which of the following is the best form of continuous charity (ṣadaqah jāriyah)?

(a) To contribute towards the building of a masjid.

(b) To assist an Islamic madrasah.

(c) To build a well (source of water).

(d) Any other deed, the reward of which the deceased shall benefit from.

Question 2:

People say that if a [deceased] person commits any major or minor sins, then if a person recites the kalimah of 90,000 لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله (ninety thousand) times and gifts the reward of this to the

deceased, Allāh Most High shall forgive the sins of the deceased and save him from the punishment of Hell. Is this correct?

Question 3:

What is meant by reward (thawāb)? If one recites the Qurʾān and sends the reward to the deceased, will their punishment be ended by this?

Question 4:

Please advise me of something that I may recite and thereby save myself from the punishment of the grave.

Question 5:

If the Holy Qurʾān or all thirty parts of the Qurʾān in separate form are donated to the masjid, will the deceased receive the reward?

Question 6:

My wife died of a heart attack. After performing tahajjud ṣalāh, she was sitting in wait for the time of fajr, when she passed away. What is the ruling regarding such a woman?

Answer 1:

Everything you have mentioned is all good. One ought to choose for continuous charity (ṣadaqah jāriyah) an action that is needed [by the recipients] and the fruits of which the recipients shall reap for a long time. One ought to determine what this is by looking at the specific circumstances.

Answer 2:

There is no guarantee of all sins being forgiven. However, it is better to recite the kalimah and the Holy Qurʾān as much as possible and gift the rewards of this to the deceased.

Answer 3:

The answer to this is the same as the above (answer2). If one recites the Holy Qurʾān and gifts the reward, the deceased shall receive ten units of reward (thawāb) for each letter that has been recited. Therefore, the more one gifts to the deceased, the greater the accumulation in their book of good deeds, and the lesser the punishment that they shall suffer. However, no one can fully guarantee a complete deliverance from punishment.

Answer 4:

(Recite the Holy Qurān as much as possible. In particular, try to recite Sūrat al-Mulk every day. It is stated in ḥadῑth that this sūrah helps its reciter from the punishment of the ) grave. Also, recite in abundance سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلا الله والله أكبر and istighfār (seeking of forgiveness from Allāh). Sins are forgiven through this.

Answer 5:

One shall be rewarded for both these deeds.

Answer 6:

The way in which your wife died is worthy of envy. One must hope from the mercy of Allāh Most Gracious that, by the will of Allāh, she is in Paradise. However, at the same time, one must not slack in gifting rewards of good deeds.

Allāh knows best.

(Fatāwā ̔ Uthmāni, 1:590)

BIBLIOGRAPHY & FURTHER READING

Ṣaḥῑḥ al-Bukhāri, ḥadῑth 1388, 1:543
ʿUmdat al-Qāri Sharḥ Ṣaḥῑḥ al-Bukhāri, 8:319
Rūḥ al-Maʿānῑ fi Tafsῑr al-Qurʾān al- ̔Aẓῑm wa ʾl-Sabʿ al-Mathānῑ, 26:155
Awjaz al-Masālik ilā Muwaṭṭā Mālik, 14:260
Nayl al-Awṭār Sharḥ Muntaqa ‘l-Akhbār, 4:540, ḥadῑth 1487-1491
Al-Mawsūʿat al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, 16:45
Al-Mughnῑ li Ibn Qudāmah, 3:518-523
Radd al-Muḥtār ̔alā ‘l-Durr al-Mukhtār (Ḥāshiyat Ibn ̔Ābidῑn), 3:151, 4:10, 9:176 Fatḥ al-Qadῑr Sharḥ al-Hidāyah, 3:131
Fatāwā  ̔Uthmāni, 1:590
Irshād al-Sārῑ ilā Manāsik al-Mullā ʿAlῑ al-Qārῑ, p.475
Rawḍat al-Ṭālibῑn wa ̔Umdat al-Muftῑn, 2:139
Mawāhib al-Jalῑl fi Sharḥi Mukhtaṣar al-Shaykh Khalῑl, 2:535
Kitāb al-Rūḥ, 2:352
Minaḥ al-Rawḍ al-Azhar fi Sharḥ al-Fiqh al-Akbar, p.369
Sharḥ al- ̔Aqāʾid al-Nasafiyyah, p.172
Al-Majmū ̔at al-Saniyyah ̔alā Sharḥ al- ̔Aqāʾid al-Nasafiyyah, p.617
Al-Nibrās Sharḥ Sharḥ al- ̔Aqāʾid al-Nasafiyyah, p.745
Kamālāt-e-Ashrafiyyah, p.524, dictum 221

المراجع في مسئلة إهداء ثواب الطاعات إلى الموتى والأحياء:

الْامع الصحيح (صحيح البخاري) 1\543 ح 1388 ، ط. الرسالة العالمية 1432\2011 عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري 8\319 ، ط. دار الكتب العلمية (بدون تاريخ) روح المعاني في تفسير القرآن العظيم والسبع المثاني 26\155 ، ط. الرسالة – و14\66 ، ط. دار الكتب العلمية أوجز المسالك إلى موطأ مالك – باب صدقة الحي عن الميت. 14\260 – ط. دار القلم 1424\2003 نيل الأوطار شرح منتقى الأخبار 4\540 ح 148٧ إلى ح 1491 – ط. دار المعرفة الموسوعة الفقهية الكويتية 16\45 – ط. وزارة الأوقاف والشؤون الإسلامية، دولة قطر 1404\1983 المغني لابن قدامة المقدسي 3\518 إلى 523 – ط. دار عالم الكتب 141٧\199٧ رد المحتار على الدر المختار شرح تنوير الأبصار 3\151 و 4\10 و 9\1٧6 ط. دار الكتب العلمية (5\369 و ٧\380 و ؟\؟ ط. دار الثقافة والتراث، دمشق) فتح القدير (شرح الهداية لابن الهمام) 3\131 ط. دار الكتب العلمية 1415\1995 فتاوى عثماني 1\590 – ط. مكتبة معارف القرآن ، كراتشي 142٧\2006 إرشاد الساري إلى مناسك الملا علي القاري ص609 – ط. مؤسسة الريان 1430\2009 روضة الطالبين وعمدة المفتين –كتاب الْنائز 2\139 – ط. المكتب الإسلامي 1412\1991

Abu Asim Badrul Islam 31st March 2015 (Revised: 18th July 2020)