An Important Lecture from Imam University

Part I

This research is the summary of a series of lectures delivered at the Imam University/Faculty of Shari’ah. They deal with important issues and aspects of Aqeedah. Due to its nature, I have abridged this topic. I ask Allah that all those who read it would benefit from it. Ameen.

Imam at-Tahawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his great book: ‘Aqeedah at-Tahawiyah’:

‘The deceased would benefit from the Du’aa of the deceased and from their Sadaqah.’
Is this statement correct? We will clarify this as we progress in this research.

First Issue: Does the reward of deeds (in general, regardless of their type) reach the dead person or not?

Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jama’ah did not disagree with one another in this issue; rather those who disagreed with this are the people of Bid’ah (innovation).

Sheik Islam b. Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, clarified this saying:

‘The scholars of Islam are agreed that the deceased would benefit from the Du’aa which is made for him, and the deeds which are done on his behalf. This is known from the Deen by necessity…and the proof of this is in the Qur’an, Sunnah and Ijmaa (consensus of the scholars)…whoever differs regarding this is from the people of Bid’ah…’

Proofs from the Qur’an:

1. The Angels supplicate for the believers that Allah forgive them and save them from the Hell-Fire. Allah says concerning this:

“Those angels who bear the Throne of Allah and those around it glorify the praises of their Rubb, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe in the Oneness of Allah saying: ‘Our Rubb! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire.”(Surah Ghafir 7)

2. The Messengers sought forgiveness for the believers. Allah says:

‘Seek forgiveness for your sin, and seek forgiveness for the believers (male and female).’(Surah Ghafir 7)

Proofs from the Sunnah:

1. Muslims perform Jinaazah (funeral) prayer for the deceased and supplicate Allah for him in it. (Surah Ghafir 7)

2. A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that a man approached the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, my mother passed away, and she left no Wa’siyah (bequeathment)…and were she to do so, I think she would have given something out in Sadaqah (charity). Would she receive a reward if I give Sadaqah out on her behalf? He said: ‘Yes.’(authentic)(Surah Ghafir 7)

3. The Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention) said: ‘He who dies, while not completing the fast, his guardian would fast on his behalf.’ (Surah Ghafir 7)

Proofs of the People of Bid’ah & the refutation of these proofs:

The people of Bid’ah -as we have stated above- say that the dead person would not benefit from any deed…they use as proof:

Allah says: ‘And man can have nothing but what he does (good or bad).’ (Surah an-Najm #39).

Refutation:

First of all we say that this opinion is not correct. It is rejected by the Qur’an, Sunnah and Ijmaa (consensus of the scholars). Ahlus-Sunnah answered this proof in a number of ways, some of these ‘answers’ are considered weak, while others are strong:

1. They said that the ‘man’ referred to in the ayat was a Kaafir (unbeliever) or it referred to the living…therefore it would not involve the Muslim or the deceased. In any case this is a weak answer.

2. The strongest answer to this proof is the answer of Sheik Islam b. Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him. He said:

‘The Qur’an has not negated the fact that the person would benefit from the deeds of others, rather it only negated the fact that the person would own these deeds (i.e. that these deeds would belong to him exclusively), and there is a difference between these two issues. …’