Derived from: Ahkam wa Masail – Qurbani and Aqiqah Issues, Volume 1, Page 439
❖ Question:
Can a deceased person’s heirs offer Qurbani on their behalf? Some argue that it is permissible, presenting the following evidences:
➊ The reported Qurbani by ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (رضي الله عنه) on behalf of the deceased.
➋ The Prophet ﷺ offering Qurbani on behalf of his Ummah.
On the other hand, some claim it is impermissible, citing the following Hadith:
«إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ اِنْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ…»
(Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ, Book of Knowledge, Vol. 1)
“When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three…”
How should these evidences and narrations be reconciled?
✅ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd!
✿ Qurbani on Behalf of a Living Person:
◈ It is well-established through Sunnah that Qurbani on behalf of living individuals is permissible.
◈ Evidence:
The Prophet ﷺ, during Hajj, slaughtered a cow on behalf of his wives, indicating clear permissibility of offering Qurbani on behalf of the living.
✿ Qurbani on Behalf of the Deceased:
◈ There is no authentic and explicit Hadith that clearly allows or encourages Qurbani specifically on behalf of a deceased person.
◈ The commonly cited narration from ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (رضي الله عنه), in which he reportedly offered Qurbani for the Prophet ﷺ after his death, is weak due to issues in the chain:
— Shurayk, a narrator in the chain, has been described as frequently mistaken.
— Abū al-Ḥasnāʾ, another narrator, is unknown (majhūl).
Hence, using this narration as solid evidence is not appropriate.
✿ The Prophet’s Qurbani on Behalf of the Ummah:
◈ The Prophet ﷺ offered a sacrificial animal on behalf of his Ummah, including those who had not yet come, which some interpret as inclusive of the deceased.
◈ However, this may have been a specific characteristic (khaṣiyyah) of the Prophet ﷺ, as several of his acts were exclusive to him and not generalizable for the entire Ummah.
✿ Analysis of the Hadith:
«إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ اِنْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ…»
◈ This Hadith indicates that a deceased person can no longer perform actions themselves, except for three lasting sources of reward:
① Ṣadaqah Jāriyah (Ongoing charity)
② Beneficial knowledge
③ Righteous children who pray for them
◈ However, the Hadith does not deny the validity or reward of actions performed by others on behalf of the deceased.
◈ Therefore, this Hadith cannot be used as definitive proof to prohibit Qurbani for the deceased.
✿ Conclusion:
✔ Qurbani on behalf of a living person is clearly established.
✔ There is no strong or explicit Hadith proving Qurbani on behalf of the deceased.
✔ Some scholars still regard it as a virtuous act, with the hope that its reward may reach the deceased, by analogy with charity and duʿā’.
✔ Those who declare it impermissible base their reasoning on the cut-off of deeds Hadith, which, upon closer analysis, does not directly apply to this issue.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
